Topsail/Sneads Ferry – March 2022
Jerry, of East Coast Sports, reports that red drum action has been good for anglers targeting the large schools moving in the surf line and up onto inshore flats. The waters have been extremely clear, and it has these schools very spooky with any amount of fishing pressure. Slowly working Gulp or similar soft plastics has been producing some strikes, and using scents on your bait has been another key to getting action from these timid reds.
Speckled trout action has been hit or miss, with inshore water temperatures keeping these schools staged way back up in the creeks.
Nearshore anglers are finding large black sea bass holding over structure in the 5-7 mile range.
Not too many have made the long run out to the break, but look for reports of wahoo to become more common as weather patterns stabilize.
Amanda Clairemont, of Rocky Point, hooked this 28″ citation trout on a popping cork in Stones Bay.
Mike, of Native Son Guide Service, reports that inshore anglers have been doing plenty of sight fishing with the waters being crystal clear. Red drum are still holding in larger schools and pushing around the marshes. These schools have been very spooky after a season of hard fishing pressure, so it has been key to fish low profile baits and lighter weights to produce strikes.
Some trout are being caught from the channels up into mainland creeks. Look for water temperatures to come up a bit for action to really pick up.
Good numbers of black drum and sheepshead are being caught around docks and bottom structure from the ICW to out over nearshore wrecks.
Black sea bass fishing has been great for anglers catching a weather window to run off the beach.
Going towards the end of March, anglers look forward to Atlantic bonito to start moving into the area. They will be caught with casting jigs thrown towards surface-feeding schools.
Ray, of Spring Tide Guide Service, reports that red drum fishing has been good, though the fish are skittish due to a mix of fishing pressure and clear water conditions. Targeting the reds on the warmer days has been most productive, with the fish hitting a variety of spoons, soft plastics, and even topwater plugs. Anglers must be persistent, as some days it is necessary to cover a lot of ground to find a school (and then take care to not spook them).
Speckled trout fishing is picking up, with a lot of small fish mixed in alongside some larger trout. Look for the larger trout to be staged up in the deeper holes waiting for the easy meal to come to them. Going deeper into March can bring success for anglers fishing topwater plugs. The key is to start off fishing topwaters during or after a stretch of warm, nice weather days that get these trout active enough to strike.
Daniel, of Surf City Charters, reports that inshore anglers are targeting huge schools of red drum staged back up in the bays. These reds will hold this cold weather pattern until later in the spring when more bait has pushed inshore.
Docks along the ICW are producing good numbers of black drum.
Anglers are finding some speckled trout up in the river, but until water temperatures get the fish moving, most will target the drum species.
Nearshore anglers are catching good-sized black sea bass at structured areas in the 7-mile range.
King mackerel are still offshore, but over the next few weeks they should be working their way into the 30+ mile range.
Trips out to the Stream will be finding wahoo showing up in better numbers. This time of year, it’s more about finding a weather window to make the run offshore.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that nearshore anglers are finding some good bottom fishing when catching a window to run into the 15-20 mile range. A mix of grunts (to 2 lbs.), nice black sea bass (to 18”+), and porgies are all hitting cut baits and jigs.
Anglers are watching the surface for schools of false albacore and bluefish to be showing up around bait balls. This typically happens by the end of March.
Jamie KuBrock, Timmy Blair, and Richard Cobb, all from Wilmington, with the bluefin tuna they hooked using a live bluefish off Wrightsville Beach and landed 15 miles and 3 hours later.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers out taking advantage of nice weather windows are having success while bottom fishing. A mix of sea mullet and a few pufferfish are starting to move onto the beaches for those rigged with cut shrimp.
Shrimp and cut mullet are getting bites from dogfish sharks and skates.
Going later into the month, look for the sea mullet to pick up even more with a slight rise in water temperatures along the beach.
Bluefish and black drum should also be mixed in the action around the end of March.
Shawn, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers rigged with cut baits are catching some good-sized dogfish sharks and skates.
A few scattered sea mullet are starting to show up in the counts as anglers get excited for spring fishing. Look for stable weather patterns to allow the slight uptick in water temperature needed to push more fish up onto the beaches.
