Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – March 2022
Spencer, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that anglers have started to see a good-sized class of sea mullet pushing into areas from the inlet up to the port wall. Sam’s Gitter Rigs tipped with Fish Bites bait strips (or shrimp) seem to be a year after year favorite setup. With these schools just starting to move in, look for even better action moving through March.
Speckled trout fishing has remained steady even with inshore water temperatures being cooler than some past seasons. Anglers are having the most success while getting way back in the mainland creeks and then targeting the deeper holes.
Red drum are grouped up in large schools and cruising flat areas out around the Cape and Shark Island. Casting 2 oz. spoons, soft plastics, and cut baits have all had their successes for the reds.
The offshore action has been light with the small weather windows of late winter and early spring. Most anglers are finding bottom fishing having the most consistent bite, with a good mix of triggerfish and vermilion snapper.
Bruce Carter, former Dallas Cowboys linebacker, hooked this 24″ red drum on a popping cork with cut mullet in the Haystacks. He was fishing with Capt. Daniel Griffee of On Deck Fishing Charters.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that red drum are holding in large schools in the surf zone and ocean flats. These groups are populated by plenty of upper-slot to over-slot fish striking at mostly artificial baits.
Red drum in the backwaters are also holding in large groups as they move around grass flats looking for food. Both of these red drum patterns will continue into and sometimes through April before they start to break up with the arrival of bait inshore.
Anglers are finding speckled trout slowly starting to move out of their haunts in the backs of creeks. While these schools are still in the creeks, most are moving onto mud flats in the wider sections closer to the mouths of creeks. Overcast days paired with lower tide cycles have seemed to get the most action.
There is also a separate group of trout staged out closer to the beaches. These are most likely migrating fish that won’t follow the same patterns as those that held over locally for the winter.
Black drum fishing has been strong all winter and only picks up around local docks and structure as water temperatures bring more fish inshore from off the beach.
Sea mullet have started to show up in good numbers around deeper areas of the inlet and turning basin.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout will be moving out of the mainland creeks they holdover in and heading towards the ocean and main river systems.
Schools of red drum out on the beaches will be moving back inshore with the arrival of bait. Both the red drum and trout are being enticed by a variety of Z-Man soft plastics, Gulp shrimp on light-weight jig heads, and topwater plugs.
Sea mullet and gray trout will start showing up nearshore and in the deeper port areas. Sam’s Gitter Rigs tipped with shrimp are go-to favorites for anglers targeting sea mullet. Those looking for gray trout will find plenty of success with metal jigs.
False albacore will start moving into nearshore areas around this same time. Sight-casting metal jigs at these surface-feeding schools is a great way to get in on the action.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are catching decent numbers of black drum and sheepshead around jetties or structured holes near the inlet. Bait shrimp has been best unless you are lucky enough to find live shrimp.
Sea mullet have started to make a good showing nearshore and around the inlet. Spec or bottom rigs tipped with shrimp will provide most of the action throughout March.
Slot-sized red drum are getting more active inshore for anglers fishing soft plastics on light jig heads. Using Pro-Cure scents has been really helpful in getting some of the more timid schools to strike.
Off the beach, bottom fishing has remained steady through the cold weather months. A mix of black sea bass, grunts, porgies, vermilion snapper, and amberjack are all being active on structures.
There is already a fair number of false albacore coming and going from the offshore areas. A temperature change in the nearshore waters should see these schools move in (along with the bait).
Anglers taking advantage of a weather window and running offshore to the break are catching a few large wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel, and the occasional sailfish.
Hunter Wood hooked this 6.9 lb. sheepshead on a Jawbreaker jig tipped with fiddler crabs while fishing near Atlantic Beach.
Justin, of Breakday Charters, reports that black drum, sheepshead, and red drum are being caught around structured areas inshore out to nearshore spots such as the Cape Lookout Jetty. Chunks of shrimp will catch all three species, with the red and black drum also hitting smaller, pearl-colored Gulp soft plastics.
Sea mullet have started pushing into the turning basin and deeper Port areas where hi-low rigs tipped with Fish Bites or shrimp will get strikes. This action only gets better over the next few weeks as warming water temperatures push more schools inside.
Speckled trout are being caught in both the marshes and back up in mainland creeks. MirrOlure MR-17s and soft plastics with lightweight (1/8 oz.) jig heads are having the most success.
Nearshore reefs are loaded with black sea bass hitting cut squid on bottom rigs.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that good-sized beeliners and triggerfish are being caught out in the 25-40 fathom range.
Trolling action is picking up for anglers making a run to the break. This 35-50 fathom range has been producing some large wahoo.
Anglers look forward to spring conditions to push in some mahi and possibly another good run of yellowfin tuna (as seen in past years). Look for reports up around Ocracoke to signal the tuna run will be kicking off in the area.
