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From: Tiderunner
Date: 3/8/2019
Time: 6:59:11 PM
Name of the game has been Sea Mullets, they showed up in the Beaufort Inlet area last week in pretty good numbers. We ran a few charters last week and all trips came back with plenty of fish. Best action seems to be around the 18 and 19 Buoy area in the inlet. Now, a few were caught back toward the Turning Basin also. Really, the schools of fish can be anywhere from just outside the inlet all the way back into the Turning Basin.
These fish aren’t that big so between the Turning Basin and the Beaufort Inlet that’s a lot of water they can be hiding in. Also, a rule of thumb to keep in mind is if you catch a few more than likely there’s more down there. These fish stay in pretty tight schools, we like to mark the spot as soon as we catch a fish so we can make sure we’re staying in that area. That can make a huge difference in catching a few fish or catching a cooler full of fish.
Now, let’s talked about what to use, that’s easy. Come by the shop and pick up some Sam’s Gitters, they are local made Spec Rigs we have. Yep, you can catch them on a plain ole bottom rig but trust me using these rigs make a difference most of the time. A little color goes a long way in catching these fish a lot of the time. We have the best luck tipping these with Bait Shrimp, also what kind of bait shrimp will make a huge difference. We make sure we keep the best shrimp we can get our hands on and we have some beautiful shrimp that’s been working great. Local caught shrimp can make a huge difference in catching fish. Also, we use Shrimp Fish Bites that works good at times, but never go out without the Bait Shrimp because the artificial just doesn’t work all the time. Sometime these fish can be picky like any other fish in the ocean on what they want to eat. I did see a customer last weekend with a catch of mullets with a few Spots in the mix, it’s a little early for that run to start but maybe that’s a good sign we could actually have a Spot run this spring seeing them this early in the season.
Last week, we saw a huge turn around on the Speckled Trout bite, things were kind of slow up until the water temps started back on the rise and it really turned the bite back on. We had a few customers come by the shop last week with limits of trout. Tim “Trout Man”, from the shop caught 30 or more last week and kept a really nice limit of fish in the 18” range. Crazy enough most of the guys trout fishing also have been catching a few keeper Flounder. The Trout still seem to be back in the creeks along the water way, even had one angler stop in with some nice fish he caught fishing the canals system in the area. Most anglers are having the best luck on our custom 14MR, 17MR and 18MR Mirrolures, Z-Man plastics and been having a good run on the old school Bass Assassin Paddle Tails. I expect with spring coming on strong the trout bite will only get better as the water heats up. Won’t be long, we’ll start seeing some Topwater action on the ole yellow mouths.
Been a few schools of Redfish hanging around the point at Cape Lookout, they always get there this time of the year before making their way back into the backwater areas. Also, been a few working up and down Shackleford Banks. Most that have been catching the fish at the Cape have been putting their waders on and fishing from the beach, the fish seem to be hanging right in the breakers. Casting Kastmasters, Sea Striker Jigs and Clarkspoon Jigs have been working great. You can also find some schools of fish in the backwater, just a matter getting out and looking for them.
It’s that time of the year, we’re starting to see the Gray Trout stack up at the AR Reefs just off the beach before they make their way into the inlet area. Keeping it simple jigging Sea Striker Jig Fish lures and Stingsilvers will the get the job done when fishing the reef. Also, if you hit the reefs make sure you take some Squid and some bottom rigs because we have been catching a few nice keeper size Sea Bass.
Not seen any Blue Fish yet, but I have a feeling once we get into the next warm up, we’ll start seeing the first schools show up off Cape Lookout Shoals and start making their way to the beaches. Usually, we begin to see the first signs of them the last week of March. Then not far behind them will be the Chopper size fish which we have a blast with. Nothing like seeing them crush a Topwater plug and we got the big Topwater’s all stocked up waiting on them to show.