Swansboro – March 5, 2015
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers can expect to see some strong action with red and black drum in the surf zone over the month of March. Upper and over-slot reds should be hungry and schooling along the beachfront and around local inlets. Anglers stand the best chance of finding the fish when they can “run and gun” along the backs of the breakers in boats (calm seas and light north winds) to search for the schools. Scented soft plastics and cut baits fished slowly or stationary are the way to fool the reds when anglers find them.
Kailey Powell (age 10) with a 27″ red drum that struck a 4″ Gulp shrimp as she was sight-casting to fish in a Swansboro marsh with her father.
Black drum schools will be holding in sloughs between the sandbars and near the inlets, where anglers can soak shrimp on the bottom to hook up.
Nearshore rocks and reefs in the ocean play host to black sea bass, tautog, and sheepshead this time of year, and all will take an interest in shrimp or crabs on fluorocarbon bottom rigs.
Inshore, anglers should be seeing some red drum moving back onto the warmer flats and bays as temperatures tick up. Anglers can hook the reds by fishing slowly and stealthily with scented soft baits and cut mullet.
Guy Whilden with a 65 lb. wahoo that he landed after it struck a ballyhoo beneath a lure made by his fishing partner, Capt. Todd Skeen. They were trolling near the Swansboro Hole out of New River Inlet.
There should also be some smaller reds and speckled trout working out of the backs of mainland creeks and rivers, where both will bite live mud minnows or small artificials.
Chesson, of CXC Charters, reports that anglers willing and able to get out in the ocean should be able to find some solid bottom fishing action at present, with the bite only getting better as the water warms up.
Those looking to connect with legal black sea bass would do well to start out in the 80-100’ depths. There are legal fish closer to shore, but anglers will have to weed through significantly less short fish the further they get offshore. Flounder are also feeding in many of the same areas throughout March, and a tailored presentation will allow anglers shots at both fish. Bucktail jigs tipped with strip or Gulp baits will fool the flatfish and the bass, and anglers who prefer traditional bottom rigs can up their odds with the flatfish by fishing strip baits on their bottom hooks instead of squid or chunks.
Further offshore, beeliners and triggerfish are schooling up at structure in 120-150’ of water, and both of the delicious reef fish will attack squid and cut baits on bottom rigs or small vertical jigging lures.
Anglers looking for some pelagic action can find wahoo and blackfin tuna feeding along the break as long as the water isn’t too cool (below 70 degrees). Both will pounce on ballyhoo or a variety of trolling lures, with smaller baits and lures best for the blackfins.
King mackerel are also a potential catch on the break and inshore, as anglers hook a few in the 20-40 mile range each winter.
Stevie, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are still finding action with a few red drum in the area’s backwater bays and creeks. Tempting the cold reds to bite can be tough, but slow presentations and scented artificials or cut baits will generally produce when the fish are in a feeding mood. The red action should improve significantly as the water temperatures warm a bit.
Warming weather will also turn on the red drum bite in the surf zone.
Anglers can look forward to pufferfish and sea mullet showing up as the water warms further, and they can target both while bottom fishing from the surf or pier. Shrimp, bloodworms, and Fish Bites on small hooks pinned to double-drop rigs are the way to go for both of the panfish.
