OIFC fishing report 4-7

[Fishing Report]

If you missed it"" | Tiberias - 22' | 04/06/11

Just in case you missed my seminar recently here at the OIFC during our Spring Kickoff. I have had a few questions from a few that did miss it. Here is one of my responses.

Targeting speckled trout? You said you have had lots of success using the gulp shrimp on a jighead, but catching other species as well. That is why I enjoy using artificials. It is not uncommon to pick up flounder and red drum trying to target trout. Trout, from my experience seem to be the most tempermental of all the inshore species. One day they are there, next gone. One day extremely aggressive, next barely pick up the bait. Couple of things that may help. Remember, red drum and flounder are primarily bottom feeders. Red drum are use to grubbing or rooting up the bottom looking for crabs, shrimp, or scaring minnows out of the oyster shells. Flounder usually lay completely still and ambush minnows that get too close. If you drag the bait or short hop it is when red drum and flounder will get the bait. Getting a bait to fall slowly and suspend just a few feet off the bottom will usually pick up mostly trout as they tend to feed upwards. Look closely at your fish when you catch them next time. Red drum have eyes in the middle of the head and mouths are pointed downward. Flounder of course are flat and lay on the bottom. Trout have eyes positioned close to the top of the head pointed upwards and their mouths look like a largemouth bass or tarpon's. When trout get aggressive they will often fall for a topwater bait. They are designed for it.

My technique to keep it in the trout's strike zone. Trolling motor is my ticket to success on trout. I guess you could call it a reverse trolling technique. I point my boat into the current and adjust my speed so the boat is drifting back slowly. I toss my lure roughly 45 degrees down current and let the current suspend the bait while working the bait in a one two jig and pause motion. Letting the bait drift back to the fish then jerking it up quickly and then falling back to the fish. Trout will hit it on the fall 9 out of 10 times. I use 1/8th ounce jighead for this technique with my choice of soft plastic. Some of my favorite soft plastics are Bass Assassins Sea Shads in 4" paddletail. This soft plastic has great action and comes in several different colors. Deep Creek Lures has developed a 4 inch mullet shaped more like a pogy with great action and smell. I have had great success with this bait on several outings this year. My favorite colors....because I think the trout like them too...chartreuse diamond, rainbow trout, space guppy, and shrimp. Colors vary depending on water clarity and conditions. Rootbeer and new penny get the nod after a little rainstorm usually. Chartreuse has been hard to beat so far this year. I look for the natural colored baits to start producing as more bait shows up. Looking back at last years reports...the last part of April into May is the best time to catch a nice trout and lots of them. They have already started to show up in numbers, but are small. I expect to see some two and three pound fish show up consistently around the third week in April. Water temperature will have a lot to say about that. It is looking good and right on track for now. I hope this didn't blow your mind and helps you out on your next trip. Stop by and see me in the shop sometime. See ya on the water!


-Capt. Jacob Frick

| Get Busy | 04/05/11

Well, Capt. Jacob and I have been theorizing recently that the BIG BULL Redfish might be hanging out in the surfline and inlets. Sunday morning, our theory was confirmed when local legend and longtime friend of the OIFC Tony Honeycutt (a.k.a Floundertony) showed up at the fishing center with his future son in law Sean Miller carrying camera's and great big grins on their faces. They were taking advantage of the Blue Bird weather Sunday morning to run their Carolina Skiff outside the inlet for some Whiting. Shortly after arriving in the area of the Shallotte inlet sea bouy, they hooked a monster redfish using cut shrimp on light tackle. I have included some pics that they sent me. Thanks for giving us a heads-up and great job on a super fish.
-Capt. Amy McMullan



"Updates and such...." | OIFC World Cat / Carolina Cat | 04/05/11

This Saturday, April 9th -- the weather looks good and the fish should be biting. I am looking to mount a trip to the Stream and need volunteers. Cost is $375 per person and there are 4 spaces open at this minute. Call me direct at 910 367 2945 to reserve your spot- LET'S GO FISHING

New Vertical Jigging school date- Capt. Steele has filled his first class to be held April 16th pm with fishing the 17th. As such, we have added another class date for April 30th pm with fishing the 1st (yes, the 1st is the opening day of Grouper season). Call 910 575 3474 to reserve a spot.

Man is it blowing! 30kts + from the southwest. That's the bad news. The good news is it might just blow itself out. I hate to even say, but "possibly" the weather looks really good from Thursday through the weekend. There have been a couple days over the past week and a half that boats have made trips offshore to the Stream and every trip seems to be reporting better catches. Wahoo, Blackfin and yes, Yellowfin Tuna as well. I have it from a good source there were Yellowfin caught at the Steeples recently. The water temperatures looked good last week, and as soon as the clouds get out of here, we should be able to take another look. Maybe we'll have something good to fish to. However, even if not, there's always the vertical jigging. That will produce Blackfin and the occasional Wahoo along with all the bottom monsters you want. I'm looking forward to getting on the water later this week. Come on down and join us.

-Capt. Brant McMullan



""Diving for Fishing Poles"" | Tiberias - 22' | 04/04/11

Took a couple of buddies fishing today. As always any day on the water is an adventure. That is why we call it Capt. Brant's Fishing Adventures. Today was nothing short of an adventure. We headed for the cement canals looking for a little action. First stop was a bust. We headed to another and found the bluefish. Landed a few and had several cut offs. Just as we were about to move away because of the blues, the first keeper flounder of the season came to the boat. Things were just getting heated up. Then one of my buddies decided to toss my fishing pole overboard. We won't mention any names for that purpose. Both of us were in shock for a few seconds as we watched it slowly sink to the bottom. I made a quick decision, not always the best decision. I dove in after it! Again, not the smartest thing I have ever done. I was unsuccessful in retrieving my fishing pole, but very successful in blowing up my cell phone. Hilarious! I managed to regain my composer and we landed several more trout before heading for dry clothes. After the break in action, the tide was getting ripe. We headed for the redfish grounds. We hit the first creek and landed some 15" to 17" reds, along with a few trout. The wind started to howl and was making things difficult. I was losing my confidence as we continued looking for bigger fish. Finally, it happened. A nice redfish slammed the bait, but shortly released itself. It was not long before another one slammed the bait. This time we landed a nice 25" red. Then another quick hook up and yet another quick release. Finally, I got a bite. I set the hook! I put it through the steel plate in his head. He wasn't going anywhere unless he broke the line. I win! Another 25" redfish was landed and we headed for the house. See ya on the water!
-Capt. Jacob Frick



"House Bill 421" | OIFC World Cat / Carolina Cat | 04/04/11

Thank you to all the folks that have made contact with the Reps we listed on the March 31 report in support of HB 421 which will allow marinas to pass on to you at point of sale the gas tax refund, thus saving you 15-30cents/gallon at the pump. We need more contacts to be made with the committee members shown on the March 31 report as well as your own local Reps. Everyone remembers how this works with the passing of the menhaden net ban. The elected officials want to be responsive to their constituents, they just need to hear from you so they will know an issue is of importance. With the ever increasing cost of gas for boats, this is a good bill and will pass a savings on to you when you buy your fuel at a marina. Please make contact with the Reps. Thanks. Rube McMullan
-Rube McMullan



""Its a Beautiful Thing!"" | Tiberias - 22' | 04/03/11

My wife and son joined me on a short trip today. As we entered the creek one boat was already there. I asked the gentleman if he had any bites. He shook his head no. I eased on around him to the back of the creek and proceeded to hit the little cuts feeding into the main creek. On about our fifth cast Mandy was hooked up on a nice red. A few more cast and another, then another, another....Jake was netting them as fast as we could get them to the boat. Finally, another slot red and we decided to give them a rest. We brought them home in the livewell for a few pictures and then released them here at the dock. It doesn't get any better than this. Sharing something you love with you family! I love it! See ya on the water!

-Capt. Jacob Frick



"Gettin Jiggy With It" | OIFC World Cat / Carolina Cat | 04/03/11

We have filled 3 out of 4 slots for the upcoming Vertical Jigging School. If this is something you have considered doing, its time to jump on the bandwagon before the class fills up. In case you missed the previous info reports, this is a 2 day school, the first day is a couple hour seminar in the evening on Saturday the 16th of April to learn all of the basics followed by a Gulf Stream trip on Sunday the 17th to put the info you gather to the test on a variety of species. Cost is $450 per person and as I mentioned, there is one spot left. Give us a call at 910.575.3474 to schedule for this school. Turns out, Brant didn't kill me for offering a discount on Jigging Tackle to those who sign up. We will provide all the tackle for the trip but if its something you want to do moving forward, anything you buy that is jigging related will be 15% off here in the shop. Look forward to turning you guys on to this VERY exciting fishery.
-Capt. Steele Park



Ocean Isle Fishing Center- Ocean Isle Beach, NC – for more reports and upcoming fishing news visit www.OIFC.com ---
910-575-FISH