55.1 F
Wrightsville Beach
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Hook, line and sinker

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The first week of fishing for the month of May was pretty impressive and with the water temperatures finally hitting the 70-degree mark, which the weather service mentions is right where we should be this time of year, things are only bound to get better. Inshore and offshore is taking off as is the near shore and pier fishing. Seems just about anywhere you wet a hook, there is something that can be caught. And as water temperatures continue to get into their prime in the very near future, plenty of other opportunities will show up. If all holds together, as mentioned a few weeks ago, this could be a very memorable year of fishing and maybe even one for the record books.

Offshore, the dolphin fishing has been pretty fantastic with some decent-sized fish being found as close as 35 miles out, but the better fishing is found closer or in the Gulf Stream. Those fishing in the Gulf Stream are having plenty of luck with wahoo, blackfin tuna and even yellowfin tuna here and there as well as some sailfish in the mix. The Same Ole Hole and the Steeples have all been producing fish but those that have been the most successful are getting the surface temperature charts and fishing those areas.

The bottom fishing has been very good in the 20- to 30-mile range, with the deeper water producing more quantity and quality of fish than the shallower areas. Black sea bass, snapper, triggerfish and grouper are all being reported in fairly good numbers. Those throwing light lines off the back of their anchored vessels are finding some hungry king mackerel and even a stray dolphin or two. As the waters continue to warm in the coming weeks, the dolphin will continue to move inshore.

Closer to the beach, the Spanish mackerel fishing has been on fire with anglers catching their limits in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Trolling Clark Spoons in water depths between 25 and 35 feet has been working very well while sight casting to the schools early in the morning has also been good. Some of the fish are still pushing 5 pounds or more but there have also been a lot of smaller — but legal — fish in the mix. King mackerel have been reported as close as 10 miles but finding the warmer water and baitfish are key. Remember these small kings sometimes resemble Spanish mackerel so know how to properly identify the difference if putting them into the cooler. Some good information can be found on the NCDMF website. The Atlantic bonito fishing is still there but has started to dwindle as the waters are warming. First thing in the morning is your best bet if these are your target.

The pier anglers have started getting into the action with the Spanish mackerel using Got-Cha Plugs and small spoons. Plenty of bluefish are around and will also readily attack the same baits. Bottom fishermen from both the piers and the surf have been finding some decent Virginia mullet along with some hefty pompano weighing up to 4 pounds. A few black drum and even sheepshead have also been reported being caught and these fish should start showing in good numbers in the coming weeks.

Inshore, it’s red drum, flounder and black drum. Some of the flounder have been fairly large for this time of year. Artificial baits are working but now that the baitfish have started showing up, some anglers have elected to start using those.

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