Southeast NC Archives - Page 70 of 117

B.J. Gaither caught this nice Lake Waccamaw largemouth bass last spring as fish moved into the shallows to spawn.

Spring bass in the shallows – North Carolina’s Lake Waccamaw provides bass fishermen with some unique opportunities in the spring

Forget what you know about early spring bass fishing in North Carolina. Lake Waccamaw is different. Broad and shallow, Lake Waccamaw is a natural lake in rural Columbus County, and it affords anglers some unique opportunities not available on man-made lakes across the Tarheel State. […]

Spanish mackerel are one of the first major gamefish to show up in the waters off Brunswick County each spring, usually around the full moon in April.

The Spanish mackerel moon

Dan Kibler

Hunter McCray isn’t about to give some kind of amazing scientific explanation of why Spanish mackerel suddenly show up off the coast of Brunswick County every April around the full moon. […]

Anthony Ng shows off the kind of huge wahoo that show up in blue-water hotspots south and east of Frying Pan Shoals.

Feeling blue(water) not that bad

Jerry Dilsaver

The run from inlets in southeastern North Carolina to the Gulf Stream is a long one, but when the water begins warming in the spring, a lot of fishermen make the trip. […]

Do some fishing, kayaking, shooting, and a host of other outdoor activities on March 30 during the NCWRC's Outdoors Day at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education.

NCWRC holding Outdoors Day on March 30 in Currituck County

North Carolina Sportsman

How would you like to get some experience and practical knowledge while fishing, kayaking, shooting a bow, or an air rifle? How about checking out activity stations like Game Species, Talking Turkey, Backyard Bass, Birding Basics, and Sea Turtles? […]

James Grimes’ 6-pound speckled trout is a big one for anywhere on North Carolina’s coast, but the New River holds some much bigger.

Next state-record might be a New River speck

Craig Holt

Although the New River has a reputation for yielding giant spotted seatrout, the state-record trout of 12 pounds, 4 ounces came from Wrightsville Beach and has held up for 55 years. […]

Soft-plastic lures like this Billy Bay Halo Shad will produce speckled trout around the New River’s artificial reef.

New River’s artificial reef is prime spring fishing spot

Craig Holt

After four years, the New River’s artificial reef is cranking out good numbers of seatrout and other gamefish and plenty in trophy sizes. […]

Tasty whiting are among the earliest fish to arrive around Cape Fear and the latest to leave, providing fishermen battling cabin fever with some great action.

Whatever you call them, whiting are among North Carolina’s tastiest inshore fish

Jerry Dilsaver

Whiting are found along most of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and their sea mullet and Virginia mullet monikers to a disservice to these mild-flavored fish, which have none of the oily qualities of mullet species. […]

A cooler full of whiting when the early spring run is on will usually contain some fish pushing or breaking the 1-pound mark.

All hail North Carolina’s king(fish)

Jerry Dilsaver

Whatever nickname you prefer to use, whiting, sea mullet or Virginia mullet are properly named kingfish and are members of the croaker family. […]

Conner Grimes, 11, a sixth-grader from Hobbton, caught this early morning New River speckled trout last March.

Special winter specks – New River speckled trout are special creatures; cold weather doesn’t slow them down

Craig Holt

Two oval-shaped bobbers bounced on the New River’s surface during the outflowing morning tide. Standing near the stern of Ricky Kellum’s boat, James Grimes of Mount Olive and his 11-year-old son, Conner, intensely watched the multi-colored floats, waiting for the rising sun to warm a beautiful coastal morning. […]

Butch Foster catches whiting two at a time when he finds them along the Cape Fear River’s shipping channel in early spring.

Cape Fear white out – Targeting whiting in the Cape Fear area this month

Jerry Dilsaver

One of the finest-tasting panfish along the Cape Fear coast has to deal with a bit of an identity crisis, but it might be a good thing, as stocks of whiting, aka kingfish, sea mullet or Virginia mullet, are in good shape and not managed by any regulations. […]