By Andy Pickett
April is normally the month that most offshore anglers begin to get excited. The ocean temperatures begin to rise and so does the level of activity. The number of dolphin should begin to increase, and we can expect some good reports of marlin and wahoo. Black fin tuna action should pick up as well. Winter this year has been colder and longer than the past several winters, so we will have to wait and see how this will affect our offshore fishing. We have already seen some really strong reports of black fin tuna and wahoo during the month of March, so we are very optimistic that April will be a good month.
Nearshore, the reefs will be coming to life with sheepshead, big blue fish, cobia and black sea bass. Make sure you know and understand the fishing regulations before keeping any species. Currently, as I write this, the limit on black sea bass is five per person, but that could change tomorrow. There are plenty of black sea bass on most of the structures offshore, and this can provide some really fun fishing for kids. Inshore, the fishing will be getting really fun. As the water warms up, the schools of redfish will begin to break up, but they will start to eat more aggressively. The trout fishing will begin to pick up and the top-water action should pick up in the early morning and early evening hours. Try a suspending bait for a shot at some larger trout as well. Look for flounder fishing to improve in creeks and inlets as more bait starts to show up. Little menhaden make great bait for all three of these species. This month, try fishing for sheepshead around docks and around the jetties. April is also a great month to catch some really nice size bluefish over the submerged rocks at the end of the jetties. Bluefish will hit a variety of artificial lures; try throwing top-water plugs early in the morning, and then switch to spoons or Mirro-Lures as the sun comes up. We should also begin to see the cobia fishing pick up, especially around the Broad River area in Beaufort.
Remember to check the site frequently for up-to-date information. Thanks to everyone for participating on the site and sharing their reports and fishing knowledge with others. April marks 14 years that our site has been in operation, and we know that it would not exist without all of the great members that visit and contribute to the site.
