Morehead City March 29, 2012
Josh and Lance Hamby, Billy Wooland, and Phil Rawls, with a 78 lb. wahoo (one of six they landed) that struck a skirted ballyhoo near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the sea mullet are biting around Morehead City, with some cooler-filling catches last week. The action’s been a bit slower the past few days, but there are still plenty of fish around to catch. The area from the CG Station to the turning basin has been the most productive, and spec rigs tipped with shrimp or Fish Bites are putting the mullet in the boat. Some pigfish, croakers, sea bass, and gray trout are in the mix with the mullet, and even a few early flounder.
Not many people have been trying, but the flounder are likely feeding at the nearshore AR’s, where 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits will tempt them to bite.
False albacore are feeding just a bit offshore, and they may well push right up to the surf zone with the coming warm weather. Casting small metal jigs to fish that anglers see feeding on the surface is the best way to hook up with the albies.
Speckled trout are feeding in the local creeks, but there’s been a better bite in the creeks off the Neuse River. Suspending MirrOlures, Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp and 3DS Minnows, and Live Target Mullet hard lures are producing most of the trout.
Anglers are finding some red drum under ICW docks and in the Haystacks and Carrot Island marshes. A few are also feeding in the surf. Live mud minnows and finger mullet or Gulp baits are good choices for the reds.
Bluefish (most 2-3 lbs.) have shown up at the Lookout rock jetty, in the inlet, and around turning basin, and metal jigs will tempt plenty of bites from them.
Surf and pier anglers are connecting with sea mullet and pufferfish on shrimp and Fish Bites along the beachfront. Some black drum, croaker, sharks, and skates have been mixed in around Fort Macon, and the warming water temperature should have anglers seeing some red drum and flounder in the area soon.
Offshore, there’s been an excellent wahoo bite lately (including some fish to nearly 80 lbs.). Blackfin tuna, dolphin, and even a few yellowfin tuna have been feeding alongside the wahoo, and the Big Rock, 90’ Drop, and Swansboro Hole have all hosted good bites lately.
Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures and baitless lures like Blue Water Candy’s Jag-A-Hoo and Jag-A-Rita are producing most of the blue water action.
Paul, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that the sea mullet bite has turned on in the area, and anglers have been putting together good catches from the inlet back to the turning basin. Shrimp and bloodworms on spec rigs or double bottom rigs are producing most of the mullet.
Anglers are catching some sea mullet from the beach along with some large pufferfish, also on shrimp and bloodworms. With the warming water temperatures, it shouldn’t be long until surf anglers see a better sea mullet bite along with some bluefish and puppy drum showing up.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that some schools of slot and over-slot red drum are working around Lookout Shoals. When anglers can find the fish, casting soft plastics on bucktails or heavy jigheads will tempt them to bite.
It won’t be long until the Atlantic bonito show around Lookout Shoals and nearshore structure in the area. When the fish arrive, anglers can find the fish chasing bait on the surface and cast Fin-S soft plastics on 3/8-1/2 oz. jigheads to hook up.
Inshore, the creeks are full of smaller speckled trout, with the larger fish moving out into the bays and marshes. Point of Marsh and similar areas should be holding some of the larger specks, and anglers can tempt them to bite MirrOLure MR17’s, Paul Brown Originals, and a variety of soft plastics.
Andrew Plisko, of Fountain Inn, SC, landed this 7.25 lb. speckled trout after it struck an MR17 MirrOlure in a backwater creek near Morehead City. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that the Morehead fleet has seen some excellent wahoo fishing around the Big Rock when they’ve been able to get out lately.
The first push of gaffer dolphin made an appearance last week along a hard temperature break to the north, so anglers are hoping for an early dolphin season. Trolled ballyhoo are accounting for the dolphin and wahoo.
Blackfin tuna are also feeding atop the Big Rock, where anglers can hook them while trolling or by vertical jigging if the current isn’t too extreme.
Stephen, of Bill Collector Sportfishing, reports that the blue water trolling is off to a solid start for the season. Boats found some solid dolphin fishing last week, landing double-digit numbers of gaffers, which should be a good sign for the spring dolphin bite.
Wahoo have been feeding around the Big Rock and other blue water hotspots lately, and anglers are also connecting with some blackfin tuna around the Rock. All the blue water fish are falling for ballyhoo trolled under sea witches and other skirted lures.
