Swansboro – April 28, 2016
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf anglers are connecting with plenty of sea mullet, and there are still some pufferfish mixed in. Black drum are becoming more prevalent as the water warms. The majority of the black drum have been in the 5-10 lb. range, but there has also been a few 40+ pounders caught over the last week. Double drop bottom rigs baited with shrimp will fool any bottom feeder. Anglers are also catching bluefish just past the breakers.
Topwater plugs such as the Strike Pro Boogie Walker are drawing strikes from the reds. Anglers can also target them with soft plastics and cut baits such as mullet or crab.
For anglers venturing offshore, there has been some great fishing for wahoo lately, with blackfin tuna and early season cobia mixed in. Trolling ballyhoo on skirted lures will fool most bluewater fish.
Crockett Henderson, of the Liquid Fire Fishing Team out of Cape Carteret, landed this blackfin tuna while fishing a few miles out of Bogue Inlet.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the inshore red drum are feeding heavily on the recent influx of bait in the area marshes and creeks. Topwaters and live baits fished under popping corks are producing plenty of bites. Soaking cut bait will also tempt bites from fish that are more reluctant to feed.
Mixed in with the reds are some keeper speckled trout and smaller flounder. The majority of the trout action is concentrated in mainland creeks where the trout are feeding in deep holes, especially near heavy structure like docks and bridges. Soft plastics coated with Pro-Cure scent should put plenty of trout in the boat.
Just offshore, anglers are catching a steady supply of bluefish with the occasional spanish mackerel mixed in. It is still early to find the spanish in good numbers, but they have been spotted south of the Crystal Coast so it should only be a matter of days before they move into the area. Trolling Clarkspoons behind a #1 planer is the easiest way to catch both species, but they can also be caught on casting lures like Gotcha plugs or 1/2 oz. spoons.
Atlantic bonito are also starting to show in the area, with the majority of the fish congregated in the 5-10 mile area. Anglers looking to connect with this spring time visitor should look for feeding birds and fish on the surface. Casting diamond jigs into the school is a surefire way to connect, but when the fish aren’t actively feeding on the surface, trolling a variety of small metal lures can be effective.
Jonathan, of OnPoint Fishing Charters, reports that the red drum fishing has been excellent, despite the recent winds. The marshes behind the barrier islands are producing the majority of the redfish action, with some large schools of fish still around.
As the water warms, these large schools will break up, but the fish should remain in the same general area. On windy days, use a topwater bait, such as a Rapala Skitter Walk or a MirrOlure She Pup, in order to entice bites from the often unseen reds.
Anglers looking to connect with speckled trout will still be able to do so for the rest of the spring and over the summer, but they must change their tactics and areas in order to put fish in the boat. As the fish disperse into the sound to spawn, anglers can target them along marsh edges in the early morning and evening, but they should fish deeper holes in the middle of the day. Floating a live shrimp or mud minnow under a popping cork through deep channels under bridges can be effective for spring trout.
The mainland side is also producing action with red and black drum being caught around docks and bridges. Carolina rigs baited with fresh shrimp will tempt bites from both drum species. In deep channels off of the ICW, anglers are catching plenty of sea mullet and a few keeper-sized gray trout. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp or Fishbites will catch plenty of both bottom feeders.
Flounder are starting to move inshore with the majority of the fish being caught in channels near the inlet and under local docks off of the ICW. Most of these early season flounder are undersized, but the quality of the fish will improve as the water warms and larger fish move into the area.
Bobby, of Teezher Charters, reports that bluewater anglers are still connecting with plenty of wahoo and blackfin tuna just past the break. There have also been dolphin caught recently, and that fishery should improve greatly as the weeks go on.
Offshore bottom fishing has been excellent with black sea bass landed in the 10 mile range. A little further offshore in the 15-20 mile range, anglers are connecting with more black sea bass, beeliners, and triggerfish. Bucktails or other bottom rigs tipped with squid, cigar minnows, and other cut baits will tempt bites from all bottom feeding species.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that bluefish, sea mullet, and pufferfish dominate the action on the pier, but anglers are also connecting with gray trout.
The water is 64 degrees.
