Added on Thursday, April 9, 2009  Gary Hurley

Swansboro April 9, 2009

Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the inshore water temperatures around Swansboro have risen quickly over the past few weeks and are now between 60-70 degrees. The ICW is full of bait, with finger mullet, larger mullet, pogies, and small threadfin herring dimpling the surface in the early mornings.

The Swansboro bridges and Emerald Isle Bridge are holding a mix of whiting, croaker, spot, and a few gray trout.

Bluefish are feeding in the inlet and in the deeper channels on rising tides.

Anglers are picking up some speckled trout while casting Gulp shrimp and pogies near dropoffs in the inlet connecting channels like Banks and West.

Big schools of red drum are pushing into the backwater creeks and bays. Anglers are hooking a few on topwater baits, but most of the action is still coming on spinnerbaits and scented soft plastics fished on light jigs or weedless hooks. It’s key to use the trolling motor when looking for the reds, as running an outboard where they’re feeding will turn them off.

Surf fishermen should be able to find action with bluefish, whiting, spot, croakers, black drum, gray trout, small flounder and more while casting spec rigs or bottom rigs baited with shrimp, Fish Bites, or Gulp cut bait.

False albacore will soon be feeding in the inlet tidelines and around the nearshore reefs, where anglers can find them by looking for small white terns hovering over the water surface.

 

Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that April’s warmer water temperatures will draw red drum, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, and sheepshead into the mouths of area creeks and rivers. The narrowing bottleneck channels coming out of these creeks will be the places to look for the fish, especially where bait is present. Live baits and Gulps will attract attention from all these fish.

Deeper channels in the marshes with bait will also hold trout.

Red drum should be making their way to the marshes from the surf and rivers over the coming weeks, offering anglers excellent sight-casting opportunities in the shallows.

Brackish water bridges and oyster rocks should attract some sheepshead and black drum this month, and both fish will take interest in live shrimp or other crustacean baits.

Off the inlets, the tideline and nearshore reefs should be holding false albacore, and, later in the month, Atlantic bonito. Trolling diving plugs or casting small metal lures to surface feeding activity will produce most of the action with these pelagic battlers.

 

Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that the offshore bite has been decent when boats can make it out lately. Blackfin tuna have been feeding in surprisingly cool water (sometimes under 70 degrees), and a few yellowfins are starting to show up in the stream as well.

King mackerel are still feeding around bait in mid-upper 60’s water.

Atlantic bonito will be making an appearance on the nearshore reefs shortly, as soon as the water temperatures climb into the 60’s.

Nearshore reefs and live bottoms have been producing good sea bass fishing lately, with good numbers of keepers mixed in with the shorts and dogfish.

Inshore, there are still good numbers of red drum on the inlet bars and in the surf zone.

A few reds are also mixed in with some speckled trout in the creeks and marshes.

 

Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Charters, reports that yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and dolphin should be feeding heavily at local bluewater spots like the Rise, Swansboro Hole, and Yellowfin Hole. Looking at a sea surface temperature program before heading out will help anglers identify productive temperature breaks and save fuel when searching for fish.

Bottom fishermen should be able to find some grouper and other bottom dwellers at the ledges and live bottoms south of Bogue Inlet. Live pinfish are one of the best baits and can be caught by hook and line or in a pinfish trap. Frozen cigar minnows and squid will produce results when live baits are tough to find.

Fishing the baits on either bottom rigs or Decoy jigs should produce results.

 

Dale, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf anglers are catching some whiting, black drum, and pufferfish on fresh shrimp.

Some anglers have been hooking bluefish (many 3-6 lbs.) while casting spoons and other lures from the point.

Red drum have moved into the marshes behind Bear Island and are feeding around the oyster rocks. Spinnerbaits have been producing the best results on the reds lately.

Offshore, the king mackerel are thick in the 35-40 mile range, but not much else is happening.

Amberjacks are schooled up on the offshore wrecks, and jiggers are catching plenty of them.

 

Rhonda, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some whiting, small croakers, black drum, and puffers. Shrimp are producing most of the action.

The water is 57 degrees.