Added on Thursday, March 13, 2008  Gary Hurley

Swansboro March 13, 2008

Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that toward the end of March, warmer internal waters spilling out of the area inlets will begin to draw feeding fish closer to the beaches. By the end of the month, false albacore should be feeding within 10 miles of shore, and Atlantic bonito will join the action in April. Anglers can target both species with jighead/soft bait combos, metal casting lures, topwaters, or trolling lures.

Boaters can find these smaller tuna relatives feeding around tidelines, AR’s, live bottoms, and the surf zone, and diving flocks of small birds will often betray their presence.

Nearshore structure should also be holding some sea bass, tautogs, southern hake, gray trout, whiting, and other bottom fish. Anglers can hook up with these tasty fish by dropping Stingsilvers, Gulp-tipped bucktails, spec rigs, and shrimp or squid baits to the bottom.

Inshore fishing should improve toward the end of the month, when red drum, bluefish, spot, whiting, and gray and speckled trout begin feeding harder.

Speckled trout will be holding near the mouths of creeks off the area’s many rivers and sounds. Mirrolures or Gulp baits fished on 1/16 to 1/4 oz. jigheads should be too much for the trout to resist.

Anglers seeking red drum will find them in the surf zone and shallows in the backwaters. Creeks and creek mouths will hold smaller reds, while the larger drum should be feeding on shallow mud flats and bays. Weightless soft baits, topwater plugs, and spinnerbaits should draw strikes from the reds.

Southern flounder that spent the winter far up the area rivers will be moving seaward and holding in creek mouths off the main rivers. While live baits will draw bites, light jigs and scented soft baits allow anglers to cover water faster.

From late March on, anglers should be able to find whiting, gray trout, and other bottomfish holding in deep creeks and channels near the inlets.

 

Jamey, of Coastal Carolina Charters, reports that large schools of slot-sized red drum are holding in local inlets and on nearby shoals. The reds will pounce on sinking Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, jighead/Gulp combinations, or topwater plugs.

Nearshore reefs from Beaufort to New River should be holding black sea bass, and anglers can hook up with them on Stingsilvers or bottom rigs baited with squid.

March is yellowfin tuna time out in the Gulf Stream. Boats hunting for the tuna can start trolling around the 90′ Drop, head for the Big Rock, and then turn south towards the Yellowfin Hole to find the action. Ballyhoo rigged beneath skirted lures will tempt the tuna to strike once boats find them.

Bottom fishing at offshore ledges has been producing some nice gag, red, scamp, and strawberry grouper. They’ll hit a variety of baits, and Butterfly jigs are also very effective.

 

Stan, of Capt. Stanman Charters, reports that bottom fishing has been good all winter long, and it continues to produce around structure 30-35 miles off Bogue Inlet. Grouper, snapper, sea bass, and triggerfish will all fall for cigar minnows, frozen menhaden, squid, or flying fish dropped to the bottom.

Anglers sending the same baits halfway to the seafloor will likely hookup with king mackerel or false albacore.

Hot Gulf Stream fishing for dolphin, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo is already here. Anglers venturing out to the Stream can locate the fish by trolling Yo-Zuri Hydro Magnums and Deep Divers. Wire leaders should be used to prevent cutoffs from the wahoo.

 

Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that speckled trout, along with puppy drum, coming out of Queen’s Creek and the White Oak will be feeding in the area’s residential creeks as March progresses. Natural color Gulp baits and live mud minnows will draw strikes from both.

Red drum on the flats should begin to respond well to topwater plugs over the month as well.

Reds will also be feeding behind Emerald Isle and Bear Island, as well as on the shoals of Bogue Inlet.

Deeper creeks and channels should be holding black drum, gray trout, and whiting, and they’ll all inhale shrimp fished on bottom rigs.

Keeper sea bass, tautog, and flounder should be feeding on the nearshore reefs. A jigging lure tipped with fresh shrimp or a squid strip will get their attention.

 

Greg, of Reel Outdoors, reports that towards the end of the month, surf fishermen will begin to catch bluefish, whiting, and red drum on shrimp and cut baits.

Offshore, the yellowfin tuna are showing up in the Gulf Stream along with some wahoo and dolphin. One boat recently reported a blue marlin as well.