Fishing Report 04/12/2019

 

Inshore / Nearshore: 

 

We've started checking some of the AR Reefs in the last few weeks and they are beginning to get loaded up with fish. AR 285 over on the East Side of the Cape is loaded down with nice sized Bluefish and big Gray Trout. Caught a few Flounder but not many because the Blues won't let the Spro Jigs get down to the bottom, but that’s not a bad thing as long as we are catching fish, we are happy. Over on this side at AR 315 we found the Gray Trout starting to stack up, not too many Bluefish yet on this side. Move out a little farther at AR 330 and you can catch some keeper Sea Bass.

 

Reporting seeing more and more Bluefish showing up, the large numbers are still hanging just off Cape Lookout. But over the last week, we're now catching a few along the beaches so they are on the move. With the warm weather I expect to see more and more every day. Been getting a lot of calls about if we've seen any Choppers yet and we haven't, but it can be any day now. Last year, the first ones we caught was in the middle of April which that would be next week. So, with that said as warm as we have been wouldn't surprise me if we don’t see some caught this weekend if the water allows us to get out to look for them. Usually, the first signs of them will be around Cape Lookout Point area and just inside the Hook on the sand flats. Nothing better than seeing a 15lb Bluefish crush a Top-water plug and they will for sure chase them down. We have our larger Top-waters stocked up in the shop waiting on the fish to show. 

 

We're still catching Sea Mullets, crazy enough been catching them well over a month now and last year we didn't see the bite turn on until mid-April. So, I'll say we are far from over seeing these fish move on. Still the best area has been 18 – 19 Buoy area and back toward the Turning Basin area. Even had some customers last week catching them good right along the Port Wall. Best tides still seem to be on the lower current times, right before High or Low. What we have found if the current is too strong for a 3oz weight it seems to be running too hard to really catch them. The best rig still has been the “Sam's Gitter Rig” we have in the shop, the Gitter Man has been tying like crazy for us to keep us stocked up. We want to thank him for that because I'm sure he'd rather be on the water fishing, lol. He was just in the shop stocking the pegs full for the up coming weekend. By tipping this rig with our fresh local Bait Shrimp; it's been a hard combo to beat. 

 

Gray Trout have moved in the area thick! Tim, the Trout Man from the shop went out Monday and reported back there's all you want to catch. Rail Road Tracks, Port Wall and the Inlet was where he found the most jigging Sting-silvers. We had a few customers hit some of the AR Reefs and reported back catching Gray Trout up to 4lbs, some of the largest ones they have seen in awhile. 

 

Speckled Trout bite still remains good; our Charter Fleet has been bringing them back every trip when fishing for them. The fish seem to be on the move. Last week, we found some good numbers in the Haystacks area and quiet a few keepers. Went back to the same area the next day and no fish, have a trip out as I write this report and they already reported back catching keepers again in the same area. So, that tells me that the trout are starting to move, staying in areas then moving on. Also, Trout Man from the shop got on some good size Specks this week in the local creeks, Spooners Creek, Core Creek, Pelitier Creek, Deer Creek really what we are finding most creeks with some water depth is holding Speckled Trout right now. We're having the best luck on Live Mud Minnows, Down South Tails, Z-Man Tails, Mirrolures and Gulp Tails. The bests colors for us have been White and Madi Gras patterns, something about that Purple, Chart and Gold those Specks love. 

 

Puffer Fish have been thick along the beaches, Cape Lookout area and seeing good numbers in the Beaufort Inlet area back toward Radio Island. Just a plain bottom rig tipped with our bait shrimp is all you need. We also have found they will hit Fishbites pretty good, it's been one of the best springs we have seen on the Puffer in awhile. 

 

Red Drum fishing been decent, we been seeing lots of small Rat Reds in the Marsh area along with some nice ones when you find the larger schools. Joe, that works at the shop has been finding some big schools, he found one the other day that was a few hundred or more up in a bay on the flats. It’s just a matter of getting out and searching for them, Core Creek and Haystacks area always good choice to go looking. Also, the docks along the waterway and Taylors Creek has been holding a few to catch. When fishing the structure, we have been having the best luck fishing Live Minnows or dead Shrimp on the bottom. As far as what we are seeing in the shallows the Gold Spoon has been working well and even caught a few this week on Top-water Lures. So, of what we are seeing so far, we might be looking at a good stock of fish in the area this season. 

 

Albacores have still been pretty thick up around Cape Lookout and some have even been caught inside the Hook this week. Just riding looking for the birds or busting fish is how we usually find them. Our guys have been having the best luck on the small glass minnows jigs we have in the shop; they are hard to beat when it comes to catching these fish.

 

 

Piers / Surf: 

 

From the Surf and Piers, Puffer Fish have been the “Name of the Game”, anglers are having great luck on bottom rigs tipped with bait shrimp. We have started seeing more Sea Mullets this week, had some cusomters catch 40 or so up to the caught 1lb range yesterday. For some reason, the Sea Mullet bite seems to be better at night when it comes fishing from the piers, I think the lights draw them in.  Fishing the same rigs as you do for the Puffers will get the job done.  We did this week start to see our first signs of Blue Fish being caught along the beaches from Fort Macon down to the Double Tree. Wouldn't surprise me if we don’t see some Choppers caught over the next week. When looking for Blue Fish, Finger Mullet and Cut Mullet fished on Sea Striker Bluefish Rigs are hard to beat from the Surf. Did get a report today from the pier that they are now starting to catch Blue Fish plugging with Got-Cha Plugs, which is a great sign, won't be long we will be seeing some Spanish Mackerel.

 

 

Offshore: 

 

When boats have been able to get out the bite has been pretty good, but we have been dealing with the Spring winds keeping us to the dock more than we like to see. The season has started off good, we've been seeing quite a few Yellow Fin being caught so far and Black Fin Tuna. We had 2 boat trips out last week and between both boats they brought back over 40 Tunas. 

 

The Wahoo fishing also has been great, we have already weighed  several fish over the 70lb mark and lots of 40’s. The action has been in a wide area range, from Swansboro Hole all the way up as far as north of the Big Rock area. We weighed a Wahoo in last week that was pushing 80lbs and it was caught way north of the Rock. From what we're seeing it's no one certain spot, it’s all about that water break. Wherever you can find a good strong temp break there's been Tunas and Wahoo there to catch. Most of the Wahoo have been caught on the Planer Rod, when it comes to Hoo fishing that is a tool you must have. We have them in the shop set up ready to fish, 80W / Star Rod Combo and 50W / Star Combo set ups. 

 

We also have a fresh shipment of Ballyhoo from Baitmaster and Bionic. When it comes to lures for Offshore, we got you covered there also from local made Full Box Sea Witches, local made Monk-A-Lure one of the best lures ever, Cowbells, Custom Dinner Bells from Big Nic, Fathom Offshore Torpedo Lanterns, and the Nomad DTX Minnows that the Wahoo have been crushing this Spring so far. These are just a few to mention; we have a lot more to choose from. This Winter we have worked hard to get the Offshore section larger, we also have anything you need from hooks to rigging. 

 

Bottom fishing also has been great, we've been seeing lots and lots of Trigger Fish. You get in 150-200ft water depth they seem to be everywhere. Along with the Trigger Fish there's been Beeliners, AJ’s, Groupers and Sea Bass. Most Offshore guys have been buying Squid Wings from the shop and some have been fishing Mackerel.