Swansboro/Emerald Isle – March 2023
Mickey, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that sound-side anglers have been seeing some decent winter action with schools of red drum in the area. Both mainland side creeks and shallow bays back in the marshes have been holding reds.
Speckled trout provide a great wintertime target for anglers that can be patient with their bait presentations.
Bottom fishing shrimp around inshore structures, such as oyster beds and docks, has provided some black drum.
Nearshore action is very structure oriented in these cooler months. The Cape Lookout jetty is a popular winter spot for anglers to target red drum, black drum, and a few bluefish that have only recently been seen.
There hasn’t been much action offshore, as those anglers mostly await the arrival of the springtime migrations. Those that can’t wait any longer have had success catching a mixed bag of bottom fish species at the deeper ledges and reefs.
Dale, of Fish or Die Charters, reports that red drum action has been really good throughout this mild winter. There are big schools staged up both in the marshes and mainland area creeks. Carolina-rigged shrimp or soft plastics on jig heads are great starting points for lure choice. On these calmer, clear sky days, topwater plugs are starting to get some quality reaction bites, a great sign this early in the year.
Speckled trout are holed up back in the creeks and will stay back there until a bunch of rain or warm water pushes them out.
Black drum and sheepshead will be staging up in better numbers around the area’s bridge pilings and deeper creek bends in the coming weeks.
Around this time, anglers will also start seeing schools of bluefish around the inlets. These are aggressive feeders and will hit just about any lure option thrown their way.
Off the beach, keep an eye out for false albacore and Atlantic bonito moving through. These species both typically start their runs at some point in March and into early April.
John, of Early Riser Fishing Charters, reports that though the stigma is that these winter months are always tough, some of the best red drum trips of the year happen during this time. The reds are holding in large schools back in the marshes and typically will haunt the same areas if focusing on the tide cycle you found the fish. The one downside is after months of fishing pressure and clear water conditions, these fish are very spooky, so boat position and longer casts are key. Gulp shrimp on lightweight jig heads or a Carolina-rigged cut mullet are great options in enticing strikes.
March is a month to find black drum starting to move in over oyster rocks and other hard structure. A light jig head with cut shrimp will work for targeting the black drum.
Speckled trout action is largely hit-or-miss, but the quality of size has made patient efforts worth it. These warm weather stretches have allowed for some early topwater action, while subsurface plugs and soft plastics produce at most other times.
Action off the beach has been scarce overall, as anglers wait for more fish to start migrating into the area moving towards spring.
Tyler, of Drumroll Charters, reports that anglers running to fish the Cape Lookout Jetty and other nearshore structures have been finding some quality winter sheepshead.
Inshore anglers are targeting schools of reds staged up on the area’s grass flats.
Smaller speckled trout are grouped up in some of the Swansboro area back bays and creeks. Over the coming weeks, some warmer water temperatures could get these fish moving a bit more, and with increased activity should be bigger fish being caught. Soft plastics on trout rigs to mimic bait schools will be productive when worked in these areas. Some anglers also have success while fly fishing the flats throughout Bogue Sound and the shallow bays behind Browns Inlet.
Anglers looking to run off the beach are obviously very much at the will of late winter weather patterns, but bottom fishing has been good and only gets better moving through March in that sub-40 mile range. Jigging trips at the deeper offshore structures will produce some nice African pompano and cobia. Mixed snapper and grouper species (released) will also be in this action.
Later in the month and into early April has many anglers anticipating the annual cobia run off the beaches. This run provides some great sight-casting opportunities at these large, hard-fighting fish.
Keep an eye on offshore reports around this same time for some early mahi to start showing up from the south.
Tony, of Fin Finderz, reports that with water temperatures still hovering around 55 degrees, there is currently not a lot of action that can be counted on outside of the bottom fishing bite. Anglers looking to take advantage of weather windows are able to find good numbers of black sea bass, grunts, porgies, and vermilion snapper.
Some of these structured areas are also holding groups of triggerfish that are a bonus to the offshore runs.
