Wrightsville Beach April 15, 2005
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Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports that spring fishing has been pretty slow, but with water temperatures rising it could break loose any day. There are a few flounder and puppy drum being caught up most of the creeks–usually on the warm, outgoing tide. The river has yielded a few trout and red drum if you are lucky enough to find them feeding. Not much to report in the surf or off the beaches except a few very small bluefish. Offshore, the bottom fishing has mostly been for black sea bass in the 10 to 30 mile areas and grouper further off. Gulf stream trips haven’t been very productive lately, as the warm water has pushed back out. No consistent king mackerel bite to speak of yet.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports that gulf stream fishing has really slowed after the warm water pushed back off of the usual hot spots. Yellowfin tuna and wahoo action should heat up with some southeast winds to push the good water back in. Nearshore, the bonito still have not arrived, but the bluefish should be biting any day now. Inside, the best fishing has been in the Cape Fear River where redfish are biting artificials tipped with fishbites.
Seth, at Intracoastal Angler, reports redfish biting DOA Cal baits, mostly in the darker colors. Small reds and popeye mullet are very shallow in the creeks off the waterway, and as it warms up the reds should begin to move around and separate from the larger schools. Blues have begun to show on the beaches, and there have been black drum biting cut shrimp on the jetties. Tuna fishing has slowed down from cooler water temperatures, but the next push of water should heat up the action again.
Charlie, at Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports a few bluefish have finally arrived, but otherwise there are only catches of a few whiting, sharks, and rays.
