[dropcap]L[/dropcap]et’s hope that spring will FINALLY spring! It has been a tough winter but good times are on the horizon.
Warmer waters will bring the rock back out of spawn and provide a great topwater-targeted fishery – that means loads of excitement throwing Storm Chug Bugs and DOA Airheads rigged weedless into the stump fields and hanging on. This requires patience to not snatch the bait away from a chasing rock. Let him hook up and then get him out of the structure! The legal keeper season closes at the end of April but action continues in the catch/release mode. As I said, this is loads of fun!
Trout will begin to get active with waters getting into the upper 50s and lower 60s. We still have plenty of fish around, even though we did lose some to the frigid weather. Target these fish by throwing soft plastics like DOA CAL and Shrimp or the DOA Deadly Combo cork rig. I am also going to be using a new bait in the hard plastics made by Unfair Lures. The make a mullet and shad in various actions from topwater to sinking that really look great and have already been proven in Florida waters. I will also be throwing these at the rock as well. Do remember that this is a catch-and-release fishery until June 15, due to NCDMF proclamations. The red drum are still limited to one per person and can be found fishing the same techniques at this time of year.
This is also the month to get ready for our annual cobia run. From late April into May we should see these brown fish cruising the waters. Get your gear respooled, cleaned, and ready for the action. I’ll write more on this subject next issue, just get ready!
Be safe on the water and call me if I can help.