Catching Report - March 31, 2006

The reds and trout are still biting back in the channels and creeks. Around the inlets, some grey trout are being mixed in. There also have been a few small blues caught. In the surf and on the piers the Mullet bite is picking up with some drum being caught in the surf as well.

Reports from off-shore indicate that bottom fishing in the 20 mile range is still good with reports of some nice Wahoo and YFT being caught 35 or so miles out.

Boats that have been out near shore this week report large schools of bait and water temps of 58 - 60 degrees. Good catching times are right around the corner!

FISH FRY this Saturday at Hampstead Baptist Church from 11am - 5pm. The church is located near the corner of Factory Road and Hwy. 17 in Hampstead. Come on out and get a fresh fried fish dinner for only $6. I'll be there cooking fish and hush puppies, so be sure to ask for Mike and say you saw it on the BLOG.

Tight Lines to all!

Weekly Column - March 27

This is a copy of my weekly printed column in the Topsail Advertiser:

My gear is ready, the boat is ready and I’m long past ready for some spring fishing!

We had a very mild winter but I’m ready for cabin fever to be replaced by spring fever. All the current signs are that we will have a great start to fishing season this year.

I haven’t seen or heard of any major temperature-drop-related fish kills among the drum or speckled trout this winter. They have been biting all winter long, though it was a slow, light bite. With the current water temperatures in the upper 50s, their appetites should be aroused soon as the water continues to get warmer.

Warmer water and baitfish are preludes to the start of the new fishing season. I’m seeing more and more baitfish in the water already. A friend of mine recently caught a bunch of baby spots in his cast net, and I saw several huge schools of minnows on a recent outing.

However for me, a sure sign that spring fishing has begun is the arrival of the Atlantic bonito, (Sarda Sarda). Often confused with a similar looking fish, the False Albacore, bonito are related to the tuna family and are a good tasting fish that put up a great fight for their size.

They show up near our beaches when the water temperature reaches the mid-60s, and the baitfish are in abundance. These fish arrive sometime in early to mid-April and stay until the middle or late May. They like heavily-structured bottoms, so the artificial reefs just off our beaches are productive grounds for bonito.

Soon after the Atlantic bonito arrive, the Spanish mackerel and bluefish will begin to appear on our coastline. While the flounder bite doesn’t get hot until mid-summer, we should start to see some caught on the piers and beaches in the spring.

As winter fishing winds down, I for one will be happy to see the spiny dogfish (a small shark) depart. The National Marine Fisheries (NMF) maintains that the spiny dogfish population is declining, and the group actively manages the fishery. However, some recent studies done here in North Carolina coastal water seem to indicate the data used by NMF may be flawed. While I’m no scientist and my data points are not empirical in nature, it seems the dogfish bite is stronger than ever. For many fishermen, they are just a plain ol’ nuisance. However, they are important to the ecosystem and help to maintain balance in our fisheries.

On the bright side, their seasonal departure is another sign winter is giving way to spring!

The mullet are starting to bite, another early sign of spring. Sea View Pier in North Topsail Beach reports some small mullet already being caught off the pier, along with spiny dogfish and skates. Mullet are being caught in the surf.

Be sure to catch the season opening of the Surf City Pier at 6 a.m. on March 31. As in past years, they will give away a free season pass to the first angler to catch a mullet from the pier.

The Sea View and Jolly Roger piers are already open.

As the catching heats up, I will post reports several times a week on my blog, so be sure to check it for the latest catching report.

Tight lines to all!

Topsail Island Pier Report - March 19th

Here is a brief summary of the catching activity at our local piers. Sea View Pier is open and reports some Virginia Mullet being caught with most on the smaller side. Jolly Roger Pier is also open and reports a few mullet and spots taken but mostly sharks and skate being caught this past week. Surf City pier will open on March 31st at 6AM. The first person to catch a Virginia Mullet on their pier will win a free season pass!

Getting Ready for Spring Fishing

Warm days and sunny skies! Exactly the type of weather forecast that causes many of us to begin daydreaming of putting a line in the water and trying for a fish. Or maybe two or three! Even though it has been a relatively mild winter in eastern NC, fishing activity slows down the first few months of the year. This is the time of year to get ready for the new fishing season. That’s right if you can’t fish at least you can get ready to catch a few once the fish begin to bite. A little time spent now preparing for the season will help you get off to a great start this spring and fish right on through the fall with fewer missed opportunities.

If you make your own rigs, winter is a good time to do that. I like to make my own Flounder rigs and King Mackerel rigs. It saves a little money but the “reel” pleasure is a certain satisfaction I get when catching fish on something I handcrafted. It also keeps me connected to fishing activities when cold or stormy weather forces me indoors. The materials are simple and are available at most well equipped tackle shops.

Maintenance of your gear is very important too. Check those favorite lures to make sure they are still serviceable. Look for cracks or deep dings in the lure body or connecting materials and replace those lures that will likely break when fighting that next smoker fish. You may need to change the hooks if corrosion or rust has appeared. Even if the hook looks fine, it probably could benefit from sharpening. You’ll catch more fish with very sharp hooks. Check your leaders made from monofilament or fluorocarbon material to make sure there are no nicks or cuts and that your knots are still tight, replace the line if needed. Replace any wire leaders that are bent or with loose twists or crimps. Now is a good time to organize them as well. Go ahead and clean out that tackle box and tackle bag, you’ll be happy you did when the bite is hot and you need another terminal rig quickly.

Now is also the time to clean and lube those reels. Check the guides on your rods to make sure the wraps haven’t begun to fray. Also check for nicks on the inside of the guides, these can cause your fishing line to break and let the BIG one get away. If you are using monofilament line on your reels it needs to be replaced each fishing season. Even if it looks okay to the eye, if it was in the water last season, it is probably in a weaken condition. Monofilament fishing line once wet will absorb some of the water then dry out causing the line to lose strength over a period of time. Catching fish also stretches the line and weakens it.

Now once that is complete, take a trip to your favorite tackle shop and treat yourself to that new reel or lure you have had your eye on. You are ready to fish!

Fishing report - Mar 11, 2006

March 11, 2006 9:30am - 1:00pm
Tide: Low at 6:15PM
Water Temp: 56 degrees
Air Temp: 70 degrees
Moon: Waxing Gibbous 93% full
Location: Rich Inlet area
Wind: Calm
Sky: Sunny

What a beautiful day! I had a four hour "window" to go fishing and chose to go on the falling tide with a solunar "major bite" time of 10:10 a few hours before the low tide. I also wanted to do a little exploring around the inlets, esp. Rich Inlet as I hadn't been down that way in while. My friend Jeff M. went with me, our first time fishing together.

We fished the inlet itself, right up on the north shoals. There was a nice slough there that we could get the boat right up in between the sand bars. Looked to be a fishy place. We tried for almost an hour. Another boat with 6 people pulled up and fished near us. None of us caught a thing. We then worked our way back through Green Channel working the creeks as we went. Then we tried the figure 8 bridge area, Finally ended up in the creek near here and caught some puppy drum! Here's a picture of Jeff with his first ever Puppy Drum catch!

Fishing Report - March 4, 2006

March 4, 2006 4:30pm - 6:15pm
Tide: Low at 6:15PM
Water Temp: 52 degrees
Air Temp: 50 degrees
Moon: Waxing Crescent 32% full
Location: Mill Creek
Wind: Calm
Sky: Sunny

More great weather today! Unfortuntely I couldn't get out until late in the afternoon. Fished with JS in Mill Creek. We caught a few Drum. There were plenty of them hanging out in the creek in just a few feet of water. The bite stopped at slack tide and it was getting dark anyway. No pictures, I had my camera but forgot to put the memory card back in it before we left.