Fishing Report 02/16/2017

We all are starting to get pretty excited around the shop, stock has been coming in daily and the shop is filling up the way we like to see it. Next week is the last week of February and then in March things should start to change into the Spring Season.  Just over the last two weeks fishing has improved some with the mild weather we’ve had; so things are looking up. This weekend’s forecast looks pretty good with temps in the high 60’s with sunny skies.

We had a few customers that’s been fishing the Turning Basin area and out toward the Beaufort Inlet. Crazy enough, they’ve been catching a few Sea Mullets, good numbers of Hog Fish and Puffer Fish.  Most anglers are having the best luck on Spec-Rigs tipped with Bait Shrimp and Fish-bites fishing just off the bottom. We’re still seeing some Black Drum action around the High Rise Bridges and Gas Docks in the Turning Basin, just fishing Bait Shrimp and Clams on the bottom. Anglers are even seeing a few Red Drum in the mix at times. Also, fishing the docks along the waterway and Taylors Creek area can produce some Black Drum action this time of the year.

On the warm days, anglers that have been fishing some of the backwaters areas are finding some Redfish action. Reds love to get around the oyster bars this time of the year on the bright sunny days. Haystacks, North River and Core Creek would be good areas to try. Live Mud Minnows has been working the best and we do have them in-stock this time of the year.  Also, anglers are seeing some action on the Tidal Surge and Mirrolure Marsh Minnows.  Cool thing about now, the water is crystal clear so it’s pretty easy to spot them if you’re looking around the marsh areas.  Plus, there’s been a few Speckled Trout in the mix but not that many over the last two weeks. I’m thinking once we start to see a warm up in a few weeks the trout bite going to turn back on for a month or so.

If you can catch the weather right and winds allowing you to get out in the ocean fishing has been pretty good. AR315 has been holding some Taugs and small Black Sea Bass, Fishing Squid, Bait Shrimp and Live Mud Minnows would be a good choice. Now if you head on off to say AR330, North West Places, Big Ten Little Ten you’ll get into bigger Sea Bass and shouldn’t have any problem getting you limit of nice bass. Also, over on the East Side AR285, Atlas Tanker, 1700 Rock and on out toward the 14 Buoy will be holding nice bottom fish. Keep in mind the farther you go out the more Trigger fish you will run into. Squid, Cigar Minnows and Live Mud Minnows have been working the best.

Some of the trolling boats headed Offshore this week to the Bluewater to see what was if any action going on. Sailfish, Wahoo, Albacore and even a few Dolphin were caught. As we move into Spring that means Wahoo Season is coming on fast, the best area will be The Rise back towards The Big Rock area. Rule of thumb that’s where the best bite will be at first.  So, we aren’t too far out of the Offshore fishing season when we see the Wahoo bite really picking up.

We will be getting our winter shipment of Ballyhoo soon shipped up from Florida.  We’ll have some beautiful Ballyhoo in-stock for this season.  It makes a huge difference pulling good bait and we make sure we’re getting the best for our customers.