Fishing Report 04/25/2013

2nd Annual Cobia Challenge

April 1st – June 10th “SIGN-UP” is open!!!

We've already had a good number of anglers to sign up. Those who have signed up are ready to weigh fish when the Cobia arrives. Remember there is a “3-DAY” waiting period once you sign up before you can bring a fish to the scales. So don't wait and catch a fish then sign up as that fish will not count in the event. If you don’t live in town just call the shop and we can pre-sign you up over the phone so once you come to fish you'll be ready to weigh in fish.

2nd Annual Flounder Challenge

May1st – August 31st “SIGN-UP” is open!!!

Inshore / Nearshore:

We're getting real close to having some Cobia action. Last year some of the first fish were caught around the first of May so I'd say by the end of next week or by next weekend a few should start showing up around the Cape Lookout area and the Beaufort Inlet area.
 
I've talked to some other shop owners south of us and they're starting to see numbers of fish moving inshore along the beaches. That doesn't mean we'll have to wait until those fish make that trip up the beach to us. Most of the Cobia that move into our area will come in from offshore. I've already had good reports from boats going offshore coming across some large schools of Cobia just last week.
 
With the water along the beach continuing to warm up the Cobia will move right in. We do have “Fresh Caught Shad” in stock that we brought in from south of us. We've been looking for the shad to show up here and will have fresh local shad as soon as they show up.
 
We also have Peeler Crabs in stock along with chum so if anyone wants to be the first to try their luck this weekend; we have you covered on the bait and plenty of “Custom Cobia Rigs”. Last week we put together Cobia Combos spooled with 50lb Braid and we have plenty of Cobia Bucktails and other lures that are great for sight fishing.

Sea Mullet fishing still's strong around the inlet area back to the turning basin area. Spec-Rigs tipped with bait shrimp has been the key. It seems over the last two weeks we've seen some of the larger mullet coming through.
 
The Gray Trout have really started to move in with some over 3lbs being caught around 315 and the inlet on Stingsilvers. The railroad tracks are holding good numbers also.
 
I heard of a Spanish that was caught last week along the beach. It was the only one but that's a good sign they're getting ready to move in.
 
Bluefish are in the inlet and up around the Cape Lookout area in good numbers. Anglers now are starting to catch them trolling Clarkspoons and jigging them up off the bottom. Some anglers have been going up to Cape Lookout in the hook and having some luck with top water baits like Mirrolure Top Dogs as the Chopper Blues are cruising the shallows on the inside of the hook and along the beaches. Anglers are reporting catching 7 to 10lb Bluefish on a topwater which is very exciting fishing.
 
A  few keeper Flounder has been caught around the artificial reefs like 315