Fishing Report 03/15/2018

We sure will be glad when all these crazy weather patterns move on, one week 60’s Spring like weather then the this week windy cold with even a little bit of snow. But it looks like over the next week, we're going to get back into the 60’s so hopefully; Spring will be here to stay this time around. We have been stocking the store full over the last month, more products than we've ever had so we're ready to serve our fishing community when the weather breaks.

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

There's not been too many anglers out on the water over the last week, but we still have been seeing some fish. Surprisingly with the cold winter and the freeze we experienced, the Speckled Trout fishing has been pretty good so far this Spring. Just this past weekend, we did a live release citation at the shop for a 26″ fish. Also, we've been seeing some pictures of other nice fish our customers have been catching, most of the trout action seems to be in the back of the creeks. But there's been some nice fish also being caught from the Surf up around the Cape Lookout area. The fish seem to be feeding the best on the warmer days, I've even heard of a few being caught on top water lures already.

Red Drum fishing still remains good when the weather allows anglers to get out around the Cape Lookout Shoals and Cape Lookout Rock Jetty. The anglers searching out the creeks and marsh areas have been catching a few fish also. The water is still pretty clear and cold so when you locate them they have been schooled up in pretty good numbers.

The Bluefish should be showing up along our beaches once we get another warm up, just before this cold blast anglers were catching them at the reefs just off Cape Lookout. I heard of few being caught at the Harker's Island Bridge before this last cold snap. So, we are real close to having them show up around the inlet and along the beach.  Also, in the same areas the Gray Trout have been mixed in so they will be moving in with the Bluefish.

Albacore are also holding just off the beaches, so it looks like we'll have a good number around to play with in just a week or so like last Spring. I got a good report from some anglers the last time they got out of huge schools working just offshore of us.

It’s also that time of the year to catch Bull Reds off the Cape Lookout area, the schools will be hanging mostly along the Shoals and then East or West of them. It’s a searching game looking for bait, birds and schools of Reds swimming along the top, just keep in mind these fish are moving so they might be in one area one day and another the next. Also, try to stay off the fish much as you can, once these schooling ocean fish get pressured they will go down and be hard to catch.

I'm still getting calls about Sea Mullets but I haven't seen any yet. I did hear from a guy south of us saying they were starting to show up on the menus at some of the restaurants down that way. So, that means some of the commercial boats must be running across them as they move up the beach. I have a feeling once we get one week of solid weather in the mid 60’s they'll make their Spring showing in the Inlet area. We have stocked full of Sam's Gitters Spec Rigs and even added a new color for the season call the “Split Chicken” which should work great. Also, we will have plenty of good bait shrimp which makes a big difference when these fish show up in catching them. Along with the mullets Hog Fish and Puffer Fish will move in to feed in the mix.

 

Piers / Surf:

Both the Oceanana and Bogue Piers are open for the season, a few customers came by the shop to get bait yesterday but I didn't hear back from them, I expect it’s still going to be slow until we get some steady warm weather. A few anglers have been having some action on Speckled Trout and Red Drum over at the Radio Island beach access over the last week. I've been getting some reports back from them when they come back in the shop picking up more Live Mud Minnows and Bait Shrimp. It won't be long now surf anglers can expect some Blue Fish and Sea Mullets to start running the beaches.

 

Offshore:

Well about all we can say, it’s been slow. I'm not saying there isn't some fish out there to catch just been wind and more wind keeping anyone from getting to the offshore fishing grounds. I expect when the next pretty day shows up if you can get out around the Swansboro Hole there will be some Wahoo caught along with Black Fin Tuna. We have all the Wahoo supplies stocked up in the shop along with having our Spring Ballyhoo order in the house so we are ready when the weather breaks.

There's plenty of nice Sea Bass out there to catch but again the March winds have to lay down in order to get there. Most fish have been hanging in the 15-20 mile range off the East side of Cape Lookout. That's where the larger fish are in numbers, but the West side also is holding fish., Also, you can expect to catch Snappers and Triggers if you go in that 30-40-mile range.