By Capt. Aaron Kelly
Rock Solid Fishing • www.rocksolidfishing.com • 252-441-6575
Drive to the East side of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center’s parking lot. You will see the giant bronze ship propeller. Get your waders on and walk along the saltmarsh a couple hundred yards ‘til you line up the red and green buoys marking the fishing center entrance and the lighthouse. When all three align you should be pretty darn close to a drop-off we call, “prop slough”. It’s a 3-7 foot deep slough that meanders out along the grass flats and finally meets the channel on the north side of the inlet around the pond, or even more precise, Jet’s point (cool story for another day Vietnam Vet Mr. Frucci). Toss a huge popper and work that thing like there is no tomorrow. Try your sneaky chug-chug, spit, and your splash-splash, pause, and of course your best walk the dog. Then and only then will the giant April tarpon rise up like the great pumpkin and reward you with a glimpse of a behemoth mouth as she engulfs your plug! You’re on and the silver king is hooked! Try to not whoop and holler too much because you don’t want the bridge workers to discover your new sneaky spot!
I know I am laying things on a bit heavy. But in the spirit of April fools I have to at least keep one on his or her toes. The prop slough is real and is an ideal place to try fishing in April. The shallow waters warm quick and entice trout and redfish to hangout. Other traditional spring hotspots can be Kitty Hawk Bay, the little bridge, and behind the Bodie Island lighthouse. Light spinning and ¼ ounce jigs fit the bill for most of this fishing. You could encounter little stripers, flounder, reds, and trout. If you are more of a bait fisherman, it seems redfish will find your fresh cut bait. Or if you like try a pier or surf with some fresh shrimp or even squid to capture the tasty, wily and elusive blowtoad! Try smaller hooks for these guys but normally when you find one you can catch a mess of ‘em. Another spot you could try is over on the south side of the Bonner Bridge along the area we call the “catwalk”. If you do go down to the catwalk, don’t forget to beep the horn at the fellas casting big poppers in the prop slough!!!