Swansboro March 2007
Jeff Cronk, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the redfish are still schooling well and should begin moving into the shallow, warming backwaters to join the rest of the pups and begin feeding more aggressively. The speckled trout will be found in small pods, as well as mixed in with the redfish.
Although anglers will manage to get a few strikes from the trout while the water temps are still cold, these fish will become much more aggressive, like the reds, when the water temperatures reach 60+ degrees. This usually occurs in early April.
Until then, fishermen should point their efforts toward trout fishing during the mid-day to afternoon hours, especially on sunny, warm, low pressure days. The week prior to the full moon is always a plus, and March and April also offer great fishing opportunities along the beaches.
Beginning in mid-March, the false albacore usually make their migration back nearshore toward the beaches and inlets. These hard striking, high speed runners can be found around nearshore live bottoms, artificial reefs, and the inlets (especially around the tide line) working schools of glass minnows.
Small metal jigs, such as the stingsilvers, crippled herring, kastmasters and spec rigs, will work well while targeting both surfacing fish and fish feeding deep.
However, much more of a show can be experienced if anglers will target these false albacore using topwater baits by Berkley, Heddon, and Mirrolure. Any 3-5” topwater bait in silver/black should produce topwater explosions and amazing runs.
Anglers will need to present the bait a few yards ahead of a moving school of fish and begin working the bait with short, quick taps until the school of fish is on top of the bait. Keeping a slightly loose drag will prevent these fish from busting the line/leader right after the hook set.
As we ease into April, the fishing picks up even more. Along with the albacore, fishermen can expect to find small concentrations of 3-5 lb. bonito. The bonito, unlike the albacore, are very tasty fish. Bonito absolutely love to hit a pink stingsilver worked very quickly across the surface or deep jigged around bait.
April will also bring many bottom fish in along the beaches and internal waters. Bottom fishermen can expect to find a mixed bag of gray trout, sea mullet, bluefish, spots, croaker, sea bass, and a few flounder.
One of the best rigs to use will be a 1/8 to 1/4 oz. double spec rig tipped with either shrimp or artificial bait, such as Berkley’s SW Cut bait. A 1/4 to 1 oz. weight can easily be added to the spec rig (between the two spec jigs) to assist in getting the rig to the bottom. This rig should be bounced very slowly off the bottom until a strike occurs. Stingsilvers in green, pink, and blue are also excellent at targeting these species.
Places to target will include the deep inlet channels, the surf zone, and the nearshore live bottoms and ledges. Anglers can also target the bluefish by trolling shallow diving lures around the inlets and deeper backwater channels.
Stan, of Captain Stanman Fishing Charters, reports that the blue waters of the Gulf Stream are starting to “heat up,” not only temperature wise but with big fish.
There have been a couple reports of wahoo in the 60 pound class caught in the area of the Big Rock. These fish tend to be bigger at the beginning of a run, and it is about time for the wahoos and yellowfins to make their annual migration north.
The yellowfin tuna reports are still sporadic. If you can catch a day with light winds, head to a temperature break and put your rigged ballyhoos to work. The fishing for yellowfins gets better as the month progresses. Later in March and early in April brings a major change in the air temps, and this affects the water temps in the stream as the stream starts to move inshore.
It is imperative that you subscribe to a SST (sea surface temperature) program. There are two programs that you can visit: www.realtime-navigator.com and www.terrafin.com.
Use these programs to find temperature breaks of two degrees or greater. These programs will pinpoint the exact location, give you the GPS coordinates, the compass bearing from your inlet, and the distance.
Try to find several temp breaks if they are available. Always have a Plan B, Plan C, etc. If the fish aren’t on the break that you picked, you will already have alternate choices.
If the fish are not at the designated coordinate, go to the nearest structure (i.e. live bottom, oyster rock, or ledge) and fish there. Always fish both sides of the break. The fish can be on either the warm or cold side. Once you locate the bait, work the area hard. There are predators in the area that will feed on the bait you located.
