Southport April 25, 2013
Mike Loflin, of Oak Island, with a 19″ flounder he hooked on a live finger mullet while fishing from Oak Island Pier.
Steve, of The Tackle Box, reports that red drum are still schooling in the bays and on the flats off the lower Cape Fear River, and they’re starting to eat topwater plugs. When they don’t want to feed on top, soft plastic baits like Gulps and live shrimp will entice them to bite. The reds are still a bit skittish, so a stealthy approach with the boat and long casts will help ensure that anglers hook up instead of scattering the school.
Anglers continue to catch solid numbers of speckled trout in the area, but it’s taking a little more work to find them than a few weeks ago. The creeks and bays behind Bald Head Island have been one of the better areas for anglers seeking the specks over the past few weeks. Points and other current breaks create ambush zones where the trout like to feed, and anglers can cast topwater plugs, Gulp baits, or live shrimp in those areas to hook up.
Sea mullet are still feeding in deeper holes near the mouth of the river, and anglers are putting together some impressive catches while baiting up with fresh and frozen shrimp.
King mackerel have shown up southwest of Frying Pan Tower, where commercial boats are catching good numbers on cigar minnows and Drone spoons. As the water warms up with the arrival of May, the kings should begin making a move towards shore. As they get closer, anglers can troll dead cigar minnows or live baits like menhaden and bluefish to tempt them to bite.
Tripp Gallup, of Winston-Salem, NC, with a 25″ red drum that bit a live shrimp near Bald Head Island while he was fishing with Mike Loveless and Alan Beasley on the “Reel Dixie.”
Blackfin tuna and wahoo are still feeding in the Gulf Stream when the weather lets boats make the long run to blue water. Both will take an interest in trolled ballyhoo, and anglers can also tempt the tunas to bite vertical jigs and topwater poppers.
Angie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been hooking some large chopper bluefish off Oak Island’s piers. Most are falling for smaller bluefish fished live.
The smaller blues are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs and baited bottom rigs.
Some black drum and a few early pompano have also been hooked from the piers recently.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that king mackerel have finally made a decent showing and are feeding around bottom structure and bait in the 80-90’ depths at present. Amberjacks, false albacore, barracuda, and other fish are mixed in with the kings, and all are taking an interest in dead cigar minnows, Drone spoons, and strip bait/sea witch combos.
Mike Livengood, of Delron, NJ, with a red drum he caught and released after it struck a live shrimp near Oak Island while fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, croaker, and bluefish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Flounder (including a few keepers to 19”) are beginning to feed around the pier, and they’re biting live finger mullet and mud minnows fished on the bottom.
Anglers have also caught a few speckled trout over the past week.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and a few early pompano on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Some pompano have also fallen for Gotcha plugs, which are also fooling smaller bluefish.
Larger chopper bluefish are feeding around the pier and biting the smaller blues on king rigs.
