Swansboro April 24, 2014
Carrie Lucht with her first red drum, a 20″ fish that bit a D.O.A. paddletail soft plastic while she was fishing in Queens Creek with Marcus Denning.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that extra-high tides and strong north winds have made the red drum bite around Swansboro a bit tricky lately, but anglers are still connecting with reds in the bays and marshes of the area. The large schools have broken up a bit and the big tides allow the fish to feed way back in flooded grass, so casting cut mullet around likely flats at lower tides has been the best strategy for the reds lately. Anglers are still hooking fish on Gulp baits, topwater plugs, and other lures, but may have to work harder than usual to connect on artificials at present. Once the tides return to normal and the wind moderates, the red action should get back on track directly.
Sea mullet and gray trout are moving into Bogue Inlet and the ICW, and anglers can find both in the inlet or in deeper inshore waters with some current. Spec and bottom rigs tipped with shrimp or Fish Bites baits are the way to go for both bottom feeders.
Bluefish (most 1-3 lbs.) are feeding around the inlets and showing up in the mainland creeks as well. The hungry spring blues will bite nearly anything they can fit into their mouths.
Flounder fishing is improving by the week, and anglers are starting to see a few keepers in the area. Most are coming from the mainland creeks, as they’re transitioning from the backs of the creeks to the creek mouths.
Some speckled trout are in the rivers and creeks as well, and anglers are also beginning to see some in the marshes.
James Wetter, of Kannapolis, NC, with a 25″ red drum he hooked on a weedless Zoom Fluke soft plastic while fishing a bay behind Bear Island with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters.
Robbie, of Hall’Em In Charters, reports that there are still schools of red drum working the bays and backwaters around Swansboro, but high winds and fishing pressure are making them a bit more touchy than they were a few weeks ago. Anglers are still connecting with the reds while working Gulp baits and topwater plugs, but they need to employ as stealthy an approach as possible to avoid spooking or turning off the fish.
There’s still a good speckled trout bite taking place in the White Oak River, and anglers are starting to hook a few in the marshes as well. Soft plastic baits on jigheads and Betts Halo Shads are attracting attention from the specks.
The flounder bite has improved quite a bit, and anglers are beginning to see decent numbers of legal (15-20”) fish in the White Oak and in marsh creeks in the area. Gulp baits are producing most of the flatfish action at present.
A few large “Hatteras” bluefish are showing up in the marshes and around the inlets, and they’re providing anglers with some exciting topwater bites.
Chesson, of CXC Charters, reports that offshore bottom fishing has been excellent lately, with anglers putting together some solid catches of beeliners, triggerfish, black sea bass, and other tasty bottom dwellers. There have also been some solid numbers of cobia feeding around offshore bottom structure, and they should begin heading towards the beachfront in the coming weeks.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf and pier anglers are connecting with some pufferfish, sea mullet, and bluefish (some 5+ lbs.) at Emerald Isle. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp and cut baits are producing most of the action.
Speckled trout and red drum are still feeding in the marshes and creeks inshore, where anglers are hooking both on soft and hard artificials.
The inshore flounder bite is turning on. Anglers are finding the fish in the creeks, the White Oak River, and the marshes, and they’re fooling them with live mud minnows and Gulp baits.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are seeing action with sea mullet, pufferfish, bluefish, and more right now. Shrimp on double-drop rigs are producing most of the action.
