Topsail/Sneads Ferry – March 2024
Jerry, of East Coast Sports, reports that the current inshore action has been all about red drum, black drum, and speckled trout.
Nearshore anglers are running out to the 10-15 mile range and finding plenty of black sea bass in the 18-22” range.
Offshore anglers are often finding good action on wahoo and blackfin tuna (if they find a weather window).
Moving into March, the surf zone will see the arrival of Virginia mullet and pufferfish, along with scattered black drum.
Mike, of Native Son Guide Service, reports that anglers have been finding some good black drum action while targeting docks both in creeks and out along the ICW.
Redfish are mostly holding in their winter patterns, with schools of smaller reds being found throughout the marshes.
Some bigger reds are out in the surf zone when anglers have found a nice window to run out of the inlet and cruise the beachfronts. Moving into March, these ocean-side red drum start to push back inside, and the red bite overall picks up.
Black sea bass can be found over most any structure from 35-50’+.
Atlantic bonito are another species that should be showing up in the coming weeks.
Hudson Glover (age 6), of Lillington, NC, caught this 15.5″ black drum near South Topsail using a double bottom rig with cut squid.
Ray, of Spring Tide Guide Service, reports that these cold-water temperatures have kept the speckled trout action a bit slow. Anglers should be targeting the deeper holes (to 18’) and fishing low in the water column. As water temperatures rise, look for topwater action to finally start firing off.
Black drum action has been dependable over the winter, with fish staged up around docks. Anglers can usually see these fish as they cruise the creeks on their trolling motors. If the fish don’t get spooked, a piece of shrimp should entice a strike.
Some schools of red drum are around, and they’re being caught by anglers sight-casting back in the marsh bays and creeks. These fish are usually pretty spooky by this time in the year, so be sure to cruise in slowly and keep your distance from the fish.
Chadwick, of South End Anglers, reports that inshore anglers have been catching red drum on a variety of artificial baits, including Z-Man soft plastics on Eye Strike jig heads and MirrOlure hard baits. The MirrOlures, such as MR-17s and Catch 2000s, have worked great when targeting an area that also has bait present. If the fish have been really pressured, live shrimp or mud minnows under a float with a small split shot weight can entice a strike.
A few speckled trout are around the Topsail area, but numbers haven’t been as good as hoped for. Live shrimp and mud minnows have been best.
Black sea bass, grunts, and porgys are thick on the nearshore structure. Anglers just have to weed through the short ones to bring home enough for dinner. You can have success jigging with Stingsilvers and Blue Water Candy Roscoe jigs or rig up some cut squid on chicken rigs.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that nearshore black sea bass action has been good when weather allows for runs off the beach. The fish have been over most structure in 50’ and deeper, and the latter (deeper) areas are holding the bigger fish. Cut bait such as minnows and squid will produce tons of action, and trying a 2 oz. Roscoe jig could also get a strike (and typically from a larger sea bass).
Porgies and some gray snapper are also mixed in.
Joe, of Atlantic Sportfishing, reports that the winter bottom fishing bite continues to be strong. Keeper sea bass are being caught in the 50-70’ range, but knot heads are more likely to be found in 70-90’ of water. The further range is also good for big grunts, gray triggers, and vermilion snapper.
For all of the bottomfish, drop down squid or cut bait on a two-hook rig.
Out at the Stream, the wahoo bite has been decent, and some blackfins have been around. The better bite has been more north and towards the Swansboro Hole.
The wahoo bite should continue throughout March, and the blackfins will get bigger and more numerous.
Chris Short, of Wilmington, found this African pompano on the bottom in 180′ of water offshore of Topsail Beach using a whole squid.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are looking forward to March, which is typically a nice transition month for species arriving into the area.
Sea mullet are some of the first to show up as water temperatures tick upwards.
Bottom fishing action will also produce scattered black drum and the occasional puppy drum.
Depending on conditions, the area could also see some bluefish showing up by the end of March, though April is usually a better bet if this is your target species.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers taking advantage of these breaks in the cooler weather have been able to catch a few scattered black drum.
Moving into March, anglers look forward to some better sea mullet action, as that’s when these fish push into our area.
Bluefish could also show up around the middle to end of March, depending on how the weather patterns go.
Sean, of Seaview Pier, reports that the typical winter targets still make up the action as we move into early spring.
Dogfish sharks were caught in good numbers during a recent tournament.
Bottom fishing with smaller baits is producing a couple pufferfish and a few sea mullet. These two species will make up most of March’s fishing action, with some black drum also mixing in more as we move further into the month.
