2008 Season Upon Us

After a short winter's nap, the 2008 fishing season is on the horizon. Inshore fishing in the area seems to be improving as temperatures become mild going into March. While winds can be a problem this time of year, the waters will gradually warm and seatrout will start to move out of the deeper holes. Just yesterday I caught and released 10 trout in a shallow creek off Wassaw Sound. About half were undersized, but the largest was a fat 18 inch female. This means that the big roe trout are starting to move up in search of food before the spawn. All the trout were caught on a 3-inch Offshore Angler swimbait in a bunker color. The bait closely resembles a finger mullet, and that is one of a trout's favorite forage foods before and during spawning time.


Redfishing has been somewhat slow, but you should find them on mud flats at high tide in the afternoon. Reds will sun themselves in the shallow water and root for crabs. However, they will also be on the lookout for mullet and mud-minnows, so any bait that mimics these should fool a red if its not spooked. Big bull reds should also start to move back into the sounds after being offshore to spawn.

Sheepshead are still biting well, and most of the baithouses are well stocked with fiddlers. You'll have a good shot at them inshore around dock pilings and offshore at the artificial reefs. Speaking of artificial reefs, black sea bass are still swarming the wrecks. Bigger ones seem to be moving farther out, though. One angler fishing at the Snapper Banks last week caught a limit, including a 19-inch BSB. Interestingly, all his fish came off of a 3-inch Gulp! Pogy bait, and he claims it outfished his co-angler who was using cut bait.