March wasted no time getting anglers excited for the upcoming spring season. With very warm summer-like temperatures, calm seas and rising water temps, the conditions earlier this week were perfect and provided anglers an opportunity to capitalize. Judging from the reports, they didn’t waste the chance they were given. Water temperatures are reading in the upper 50s, and with temperatures forecast to reach the mid 80s just before this report is published, there’s a good chance the water will finally hit the 60-degree mark or above and stay there. But we do still need to remember that we’re in the month of March and the forecast this weekend and a few days beyond will dip high temperatures back down into the 60s and the lows into the 40s, along with some rough conditions. Hopefully that impact will be short lived.
Offshore, the calm conditions allowed anglers to head to the blue water and many found the fish, with reports of a good wahoo bite around the Steeples, Black Jack Hole and Same Ole. While these areas all proved to hold some fish, the area around the Steeples was also holding blackfin tuna. There were also a few sporadic reports of dolphin being caught as well.
Bottom fishing was good, mainly for black sea bass, but most of those that were found in water depths between 80 and 100 feet didn’t need to be measured as they were obviously well over the legal mark. Triggerfish and snapper were also caught in these depths. Fishing closer to the beach, between 5-15 miles, also produced black bass, and while there are some keepers being caught, the majority of those fish are undersized but put up a good fight.
Inshore, the speckled trout fishing is really starting to turn on with lots of fish being reported between Topsail Island and Brunswick County. The creeks and deeper channels with current flow are some good places to try your luck. Red drum are also starting to show up in the same locations as well as around the area docks and piers.
Along the beaches, fishermen are reporting good quantities of pufferfish being caught on fresh shrimp. While not everyone fishes for this species, it’s a good indicator that Virginia mullet are also around, and this is exactly the case, as those catching puffers are also reporting good catches of mullet. With the very warm temperatures we’ve had the past week and with a front forecast to come through this weekend, that might just be enough to spark a good bite from the surf.
Not to be outdone, the striped bass fishing in the upper Cape Fear River has also kicked off once again with those fishing having multiple fish days. Jigs, bucktails and deep swimmers will all work, it’s just a matter of finding the fish. Areas around the mouth of Smith Creek have always been a good place to start.
Also this weekend, with the weather turning a little sour, that might be a great time to check out the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo being held at the Wilmington Convention Center. For more information, check out their website at www.capefearwildlifeexpo.com
