Swansboro March 7, 2013
Josh Johnson, of Emerald Isle, with a 4.6 lb. speckled trout that bit a Gulp jerkshad in a creek near Swansboro while he was fishing with Capt. Bobby Borquin of Teezher Charters.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are finding big numbers of red drum schooled up in area marshes and bays. The fish have been numerous behind the barrier islands from Bogue Sound down to Topsail, and just about any area with clear water has the potential to host a school of reds right now.
The fish are feeding, but with the cool water temperatures, working baits very slowly has been the best way to tempt them to bite. Scented soft baits like Gulps and live mud minnows on light jigheads have been producing most of the fish. Fishing the soft baits on weedless hooks is also a good strategy due to the mossy algae coating the bottom in many of the areas where the fish are.
Good numbers of smaller reds are feeding in the area creeks, and some speckled trout are mixed in with them. Again, working baits slowly is imperative to success, and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s have been some of the best bets lately. Live mud minnows are also a good choice in the creeks.
Anglers looking for a trophy trout may want to focus their efforts on calm nights with some moonlight, as some large fish are staging up to spawn in the local creeks but often will bite only after nightfall. Dark-colored suspending shrimp imitations are top choices for the night bite.
As the water warms up over the coming weeks, flounder will begin to move out of their wintering grounds far up the mainland creeks. Fishing the creeks and smaller mouths with live mud minnows or Gulp baits should put a few early-season flatfish in the boat.
Robbie, of Hall’em In Charters, reports that schooling red drum are feeding in the bays and backwaters behind Emerald Isle and Bear and Browns islands. Most of the fish are on the lower side of the slot limit (18-20”), but some schools of upper and over-slot fish are out there as well.
Areas with clear, green water are much more likely to produce action with the reds than those where it’s brown or dirty. Most of the fish are falling for 3” Gulp shrimp fished on 1/16 oz. leadhead jigs.
Grant Caraway with a red drum that bit a Caraway Custom Flies red, white, and blue Clouser Minnow in a Bogue Sound bay.
A few speckled trout are in the marshes (mostly spikes), and anglers are finding some larger fishing in the creeks off the White Oak River. Soft plastic baits like Zoom Flukes and Storm Shrimp, hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s, and live mud minnows have all been attracting attention from the specks in the creeks.
Both the trout and drum bite should get even better as the water warms up over the next month.
Anglers have caught a few flounder while bouncing bucktails at offshore structure recently, and those fish should be moving towards the beach as the water warms up. Nearshore structure in the 30-60’ range will be their next stop on their way towards the inlets.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of red drum in the area’s backwaters. A few flounder have also been taking an interest in baits and lures inshore in recent days, and some speckled trout are around as well. MirrOlure’s new C-Eye series baits have been particularly productive lures for the reds, specks, and flatfish lately.
Some flounder are already showing up on the nearshore AR’s, and the flatfish action in the ocean will only get better as the water warms up with the coming of spring.
Surf casters have seen action primarily with skates recently, but the spring sea mullet and pufferfish run is just around the corner. Both of the tasty bottom feeders will bite shrimp and other baits on double-hook rigs.
Offshore, wahoo and tuna are feeding at many of the local spots along the break when boats get the weather to make the long run. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures will tempt bites from both.
