Added on Thursday, May 22, 2008  Gary Hurley

Swansboro May 22, 2008

Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that anglers have been landing big numbers of Hatteras bluefish and red drum in the Swansboro area recently.

The blues are feeding around the inlets and deeper creeks behind the barrier islands, as well the grass flats and bays of Bogue Sound and the White Oak River. Anglers have been hooking up with some of the big blues (5-10 lbs.) while casting topwaters for reds in the shallows.

The large schools of red drum have broken up, and the fish are scattering throughout the internal waters. Anglers will find them staging up and feeding around shallow oyster rocks, grass flats, and along most shallow and deepwater structure where current exists. One of the best baits to use to locate these redfish is a spinnerbait rigged with a 3-4″ Berkley Gulp swimming minnow or pogy.

Sheepshead have already shown up around Swansboro, and the best time to fish for these fish is late-May through mid-July and then again in the fall. This early in the season, the hungry sheepshead will be feeding aggressively and heavily after having just migrated to the area. Fiddler crabs are the best baits for the sheeps.

Southern flounder are migrating into the inlets right now, and the bite will continue to improve as the water warms. Drifting around the inlets and ICW is a good way to locate the flatfish. Live baits fished on Carolina rigs or Gulp baits on jigheads should produce excellent results with the flounder, and anglers should use the lightest weight possible for the best results. In the marshes, anglers should look for flounder in the eddies downcurrent of protruding points and deep holes between grass flats and oyster rocks.

Around nearshore structure like live bottoms and artificial reefs, king and spanish mackerel, cobia, and Hatteras bluefish are patrolling the surface waters. Diving lures should get some attention from the pelagic fish.

Bottom fishing in the same areas is producing flounder, sea bass, gray trout, tautog, and other fish. The sea bass and gray trout will respond well to a Stingsilver jigged near the structure, and a Gulp-tipped bucktail with draw strikes from flounder and the larger sea bass. Anglers shouldn’t be surprised to hook up with a cobia or large red drum either.

 

Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish (many 3-5+ lbs.) are feeding heavily along the beaches and in the inlets.

Inshore, red drum (most 23-27″) are feeding in the marshes and shallows, particularly on high flood tides. They continue to get more active as the water warms and are responding better to topwater baits every week. Gulp baits fished on light jigheads will also draw bites.

Flounder have begun feeding in the inlets and deeper passes and channels. Larger flounder are still closer to the brackish rivers and creeks where they spent the winter. A Gulp-tipped bucktail or Carolina-rigged live bait will get their attention, and larger baits interest the larger fish.

Sheepshead are holding around docks and bridge pilings. Fiddler crabs are the classic sheepshead baits, but they often respond even better to live shrimp, particularly early in the season before bait-stealing pinfish have gotten numerous. Scraping the barnacles off of a piling will start a chum line that gets the sheepshead feeding.

Anglers jigging spec rigs tipped with shrimp in the deeper channels are hooking up with whiting and a few flounder.

Speckled trout are feeding in the White Oak River and Queen’s Creek, but netters are targeting them hard.

King mackerel and bonito are still feeding around bottom structure 5-10 miles offshore.

 

Jamey, of Coastal Carolina Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite is already getting good, and the fish will be moving towards the beaches as the water warms up. Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and Magnums are the best king lures, especially in brighter colors. Dead baits like cigar minnows will also appeal to the kings, and fishing them behind Pirate Plugs will draw lots of attention.

Live baits are also excellent for the kings, and anglers should be able to catch some on sabiki rigs near the Alphabet Buoys.

The Hutton Wreck, Rock South of 13, and Southeast Bottoms should all be holding kings right now.

Spanish mackerel are feeding near Bogue Inlet, and they’ll also fall for Yo-Zuri diving plugs.

Flounder should be feeding around nearshore structure like the Keypost, AR 340, Station Rock, and 45 Minute Rock. Bucktails tipped with Gulp shrimp will attract strikes from the flatfish. Anglers should fish them vertically in order to avoid getting hung up on the structure.

Hatteras bluefish (some 10+ lbs.) and red drum are feeding around the shoals of Bogue Inlet. Topwaters such as the Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencil will get attention from both fish.

 

Stan, of Captain Stanman’s Charters, reports that anglers are landing good catches of a variety of pelagic and bottom fish while butterfly jigging offshore structure. Large cobia and grouper have both fallen for the jigs recently.

In the Gulf Stream, gaffer dolphin are feeding well, along with a few wahoo. The yellowfins appear to have passed the area by during spring’s high winds. The best dolphin action has been in 75-125 fathoms, particularly around any kind of weedline or floating object.

Boats fishing up towards Hatteras are catching a decent number of yellowfins (to 50-60 lbs.) but few wahoo. The billfish bite has been decent up north as well.

 

Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf and pier anglers are landing lots of bluefish and some whiting. The blues will take an interest in Gotcha plugs, and cut shrimp fished on the bottom should draw bites from the whiting.

Red drum are feeding in the backwaters.

Boats are hooking up with spanish mackerel while trolling in the inlet and just offshore.

 

Rhonda, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with spanish mackerel and bluefish (some are Hatteras blues up to 10 lbs.). The white/red head Gotcha plugs have been the best producers.

Bottom fishermen are landing some whiting and pompano on shrimp.

The water is 67 degrees.