Swansboro April 26, 2012
George Lyles, of Davidson, NC, with a 31", 14.25 lb. striped bass that he hooked in the Bear Island surf on a dead finger mullet while fishing with his father.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the red drum action inshore around Swansboro is still excellent. Anglers are finding the fish in the marshy bays behind the barrier islands and hooking them while casting Gulp baits and live mud minnows on jigheads and under popping corks. Low tidal stages have been producing solid opportunities for sight fishing, while blind casting is producing action when the tide is higher. Topwater plugs are also an excellent way to find the fish on calmer days.
The flounder bite continues to improve inshore, with the mainland creekmouths producing some of the best fishing. Like the drum, the flatfish will strike live mud minnows or Gulp baits pinned to jigheads or Carolina rigs.
The windy weather lately has kept many people from looking for flounder in the ocean, but anglers should be able to pick some up while working 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits at structure within 5 miles of Bogue Inlet.
Gray trout are feeding in deeper water in the inlets, channels, and ICW from Morehead to Swansboro, and sea mullet are mixed in with them. Diamond jigs and spec rigs tipped with Fish Bites and fresh shrimp will tempt these tasty bottom dwellers to bite.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding along the beaches and around the inlets, and anglers can work diamond jigs through fish feeding on the surface or visible on the sonar to tempt the bites from both toothy fish.
Cobia haven’t made much of a showing off the area yet, but it shouldn’t be long before anglers can target them around bait balls just off the inlet and beaches.
Robbie, of Hall’Em In Charters, reports that red drum (most mid-upper slot fish) are still schooling in the bays and backwaters behind Emerald Isle and Hammocks Beach. Gulp baits on jigheads and topwater plugs are the ways to tempt bites from the reds.
Sea mullet action is good along the Swansboro waterfront and other deeper areas inshore. Bottom and spec rigs baited with bloodworms or Fish Bites will produce fast action with the mullet.
Maurillo Marquez, of Cary, NC, with a 21 lb., 12 oz. blackfin tuna that bit a red/white Gotcha plug off Bogue Inlet Pier and was landed after a long fight on 20 lb. braid.
Flounder fishing has been good both inshore and at the nearshore live bottoms and other structure lately. Inshore, live mud minnows (and other baits) and Gulp Jerkshads have been producing most of the flatfish action. Out in the ocean, 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits are the way to go.
Some Atlantic bonito have shown up at the same live bottoms and structure in the ocean, and anglers can troll diving plugs or search for surface activity and cast diamond jigs or other small metal lures into the commotion to hook up.
A few cobia have begun to show up in the ocean, and they’ll only get more numerous as the water warms up over the coming weeks.Â
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel have shown up, and anglers are hooking them from the pier and while trolling and casting in boats.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are connecting with some pompano, black drum, and sea mullet, mostly while baiting up with shrimp.
Some false albacore are feeding at nearshore structure off Bogue Inlet, and a school of blackfin tuna came in close enough that one angler caught one on a Gotcha plug from the pier last week.
Offshore, the blackfin tuna and wahoo action remains strong for boats trolling skirted ballyhoo and other lures around the Swansboro Hole, the Rise, and other local spots.
Daniel and Ian (age 3) Hamilton, from Wilmington, with a dolphin that bit a chartreuse-skirted ballyhoo near the Swansboro Hole while they were trolling out of New River Inlet on the "Poppy's Toy."
Herb, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports the big news of the week is the 21 lb., 12 oz. blackfin tuna that angler Maurillo Marquez landed from the pier after it struck a Gotcha plug this past week. Bluefish and intermittent spanish mackerel have also been falling for Gotchas recently.
Bottom fishermen have been landing a mixed bag including black drum (many 4-5 lbs.), sea mullet, pompano, gray trout, pufferfish, and more. Shrimp are producing most of the action with the bottom feeders.
