We had a full week of warm weather without any major cold fronts. I think we've finely put old man winter behind us. It looks like warm weather for all next week with just a small cool down.
Inshore:
Things are really starting to change with the water temperatures getting close to the 60’s. Over the last two days I've been talking with customers that have been catching some Sea Mullets in the Turning Basin area. Surprisingly some have caught good numbers. There are lots of small ones but one angler told me he picked through and kept 3 dozen or so for the dinner table. So there are some nice eating size fish in the mix. Spec Rigs tipped with bait shrimp or fishbites will work the best for bait. We have some good bait shrimp in stock ready for the Sea Mullet run. I'd say there're probably some larger fish in the Shipping Channel just outside the Inlet. This time of the year that seems to be an area that holds them. So, it might not be a bad idea to try the Inlet area when looking for larger Sea Mullets.
Also, I heard of a few Croakers caught in the mix around in the Turning Basin along with a few Gray Trout. This week some nice sized Puffer Fish were caught up around the Cape but it has been hit or miss. I talked with one customer that did well in that area a few days ago then went back to only find Dog Sharks.
There's still some Redfish action in the creeks and flats. The water is still very clear making some of them hard to catch. A few anglers told me that they could see them but couldn't get a bite. The best way to get action when this happens is back off and let things settled down. Then put out Live Minnows or Cut Mullet and that usually will do the trick. But you have to let the fish calm down before they will start to feed. I wouldn't be surprised if next week we start to see some Top water action with the water warming up.
Along with the Redfish in the creeks anglers are catching up a few Speckled Trout. A few anglers fished the Neuse last weekend and caught over 30 fish on 17MR Mirrolures. The season is still closed but they're fun to catch when you're catching numbers like that. Top water action will get good this month for trout. There's nothing like a Speckled Trout blowing up on a Top water plug.
Between Cape Lookout and out toward the 285 reef I heard of some good numbers of Albacore feeding along with Blue Fish. That was late last week, by next week we should begin seeing some Blue Fish push in around the Cape along with the Albacore. I don’t know what it is but the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty always seems to be the first place the Blue Fish go to. I'd say in the next few weeks we will start to see the Chopper Blues make their way in. There's been some good Sea Bass action at 330 and North West Places this week with good numbers of keeper fish. Also, there has been some Albacore working that area on their way in.
Piers / Surf:
We are still weighing in nice upper slot Red Drum from the Fort Macon area. Last weekend was pretty good but over the last few days it has slowed down some. The fish seem to be moving in and out feeding around the rocks. If you're there at the time they move in you can have some great action because some have been too big to keep. Live Mud Minnows, Bait Shrimp and Cut Mullet all are working well.
The piers are still catching Blow Fish and have started to catch small Sea Mullets moving through this week. This should only get better and better from here out along the beach. No reports yet of any Blue Fish but they're on their way in so it shouldn't be to long until some small ones get caught.
I know anglers are just waiting for the Chopper Blues to come through. We are stocked up on Mullet Rigs, Wire Rigs, Cut Mullet and Finger Mullet when they do show up. How it’s looking I would say within the next few weeks but who knows it could be next week. Anglers are still catching Dog Sharks some don’t like them, some love the action with the pull they give. Anglers fishing are using Squid and Mullet on the sharks for the best action.
Offshore:
We weighed our first Wahoo in last weekend that went over 50lbs so that's a great sign of what’s to come. They were fishing down toward the Rise. I know a few boats went out early this week because we were selling some Ballyhoo. I didn't hear any solid reports just a few Wahoos and Black Fins caught. I'm just waiting for the Wahoo fishing to break loose. I looked back over last year’s reports and the action really didn't heat up until mid-April in the Blue Water.
The bottom boats did very well this week reporting catching Snappers, Trigger Fish, Sea Bass and they even caught a few Cobias not far offshore. I talked with one customer the other day that told me just a few miles off the beach they just killed the Grouper, which is closed but still that’s a great sign for the opening of the season May 1st.
So, things are looking up and it's great to see some action!!! It’s only going to get better from here. Just remember it might not be non stop action because it's still early but there's some fish to catch now. With such a long winter it's just great to see people getting out on the water. So, we hope to see you soon!!!
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Phone: 252-240-FISH (3474)
709 Atlantic Beach Caseway, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
