Topsail April 10, 2014
Jon Espinoza, of Sneads Ferry, with a 27″ red drum that fell for a sight-cast TTF Mrs. Trout Killer while he was fishing a bay near Sneads Ferry with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of fat pufferfish off Topsail Island’s piers, and some sea mullet are just beginning to join them in anglers’ coolers. Plenty of smaller sharks and skates are in the mix as well. Shrimp and cut baits on double-drop rigs will tempt bites from all the bottom feeders, and the action should improve and anglers should see more mullet as the water temperatures climb over the month.
Some black drum are feeding in the surf and taking an interest in shrimp on bottom rigs.
Red drum are still schooled up along the shoals of local inlets. On calm, clear days anglers can often spot the schools and cast Gulp baits or other artificials into the activity to hook up.
When it’s rougher or the water’s dirty, soaking baited bottom rigs in the same areas or blind-casting the artificials is the way to tempt bites from the reds.
The red drum bite is also solid inshore, where anglers are connecting with the fish in shallow water off the New River and ICW. Soft plastics and suspending lures like MR17 MirrOlures are fooling the reds.
Some speckled trout are in the same areas and also falling for soft baits and MR17’s.
Marcus Denning with a pair of 26″ red drum out of 50+ he and his father caught on Zoom Fluke soft plastics in the surf around Bogue Inlet.
Not many boats have been offshore lately, but wahoo and some blackfin tuna should be feeding at local spots along the break when it’s calm enough to run to the blue water.
Mike, of Native Son Guide Service, reports that anglers are starting to see more signs of life inshore and some bait showing up in the local waters.
Some speckled trout have started biting in the New River and around Topsail. They’re falling for MR17 MirrOlures, Paul Brown Soft Dines, and Trout Trick soft plastics.
Some of the area’s red drum are moving back into the inlets and taking up feeding stations in the bays and marshes and around inshore docks. They’ll bite the same artificials as the specks or live and cut baits.
Off the beaches, black sea bass are hungry and feeding at bottom structure within a few miles of shore, but anglers may have to head 15-20 miles out to find consistent action with legal (13”+) fish. A variety of baits and small vertical jigs or bucktails will tempt bites from the bass.
Atlantic bonito haven’t made their spring appearance nearshore yet, but anglers should see them over the coming weeks as the water temperatures climb a few degrees. Looking for surface activity or working birds around nearshore structure is the way to find the bonito, and anglers can troll diving lures or work casting jigs around the activity to hook up.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are still finding some excellent red drum action in the backwaters off the New River and ICW. The fish are feeding around shallow flats and bays and taking a hearty interest in TTF and Slayer soft plastics scented with Pro-Cure Super Gel. Warmer days have also been producing some of the first solid topwater action of the year with the reds.
Speckled trout are feeding in some of the same areas and in the local creeks. They’re also biting topwaters on occasion, with MirrOlure She Pups the most effective recently. Storm Shrimp and MR17 MirrOlures are getting the job done on the specks when they turn down the topwaters.
Tyler, of Seaview Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with pufferfish and some sea mullet, spot, small flounder, and rays. Double-drop rigs baited with shrimp are producing most of the action.
Bluefish haven’t shown up yet, but it shouldn’t be long.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are seeing action with some small to medium croaker and sea mullet, larger pufferfish, and a few spot while bottom fishing from the pier. Skates, rays, and small sharks are also taking an interest in baited bottom rigs around the pier.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that sea mullet have arrived (most smaller, but some quality fish in the mix), and anglers are also connecting with puffers, sharks, and skates while bottom fishing with shrimp and other baits.
