Our Sea Trail Fishing Club Members have submitted some of their catches during the 2024 Fishing Season.
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*** Slide presentations provided by Brian Brumbaugh ***
MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will close coastal and joint waters in North Carolina to both commercial and recreational spotted seatrout harvest effective at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 due to widespread cold stun events.
Cold stuns are natural events that occur when there is a sudden drop in water temperature or prolonged periods of cold weather that makes the fish sluggish. Many fish will die from the cold. Others fall prey to birds and other predators. Studies suggest that cold stun events can have a significant impact on spotted seatrout populations.
The division has confirmed significant spotted seatrout cold stun events or water temperatures as recorded by the division’s water temperature monitoring program have exceeded temperature triggers in seven water bodies from the Little Alligator River to the Morehead City area. The division is still receiving and verifying more cold stun reports and collecting associated environmental data. These efforts will continue regardless of the closure so the division can capture the magnitude of the cold stun event to evaluate management in order to protect the stock.
Under the N.C. Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan adaptive management, if a significant cold stun event occurs, the Division of Marine Fisheries will close all spotted seatrout harvests until the spring.
The intent of the closure is to allow the surviving fish a chance to spawn before harvest reopens. Peak spawning occurs from May through June.
The spotted seatrout season will remain closed until June 15 or the date adopted in Amendment 1 to the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan at the February Marine Fisheries Commission business meeting, when it will reopen by proclamation.
Commercial seafood dealers have until 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 to sell, offer for sale, transport or otherwise dispose of any unfrozen spotted seatrout that remain in their possession from prior to the closure.
For more specifics on the closure in coastal waters, see FF-11-2025.
The public should continue to report any cold stun events they see in Coastal and Joint waters. Cold stun events can be reported at any time to the N.C. Marine Patrol at 252-515-5507 or during regular business hours to the Division of Marine Fisheries spotted seatrout biologist Lucas Pensinger at 252-515-5638 or Lucas.Pensinger@deq.nc.gov. When reporting a cold stun event, please provide the specific location, date, and time the cold stun was observed, along with your contact information.
For More Information
Contact: Patricia Smith
Phone: 252-515-5500
Information on Spotted Seatrout FMP Amendment 1
Draft Spotted Seatrout FMP Amendment 1
A review of the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan is underway. Results of the 2022 benchmark stock assessment indicate the stock is not overfished but is experiencing overfishing. At their November 2024 business meeting, the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission vote to select their preferred management options for the commercial and recreational Spotted Seatrout fisheries.
Division management recommendation for both sectors:
• Statewide harvest closure Jan. through Feb.
Division management recommendation for recreational fishery:
• 14”–20” slot limit with allowance for one fish >26”
• 3 fish bag limit
Division management recommendation for commercial fishery:
• 11:59 p.m. Friday to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday closure from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31
• No changes to Bogue Banks stop net quota, but formalize management in Amendment 1
Division supplemental and cold stun management recommendations:
• Eliminate spotted seatrout captain/crew limit on for-hire trips
• Extend harvest closure following a severe cold stun through Jun. 30
For questions, contact Lucas Pensinger, Lucas.Pensinger@deq.nc.gov or Melinda Lambert, Melinda.Lambert@deq.nc.gov.
Hey Anglers, Don’t give up fishing in the winter. There are still plenty of fish out there. You just have to know where they hang out – especially on those sunny days. Here’s a winter fishing tip from Salt Strong.
Mike
If this was helpful or interesting, give me a “Like”
Last night’s Guest Speaker at the STFC was Captain Chris Bowden of Coastal Marsh Charters. He talked about his strategies for fishing for Speckled Trout, Redfish and Flounder waters around our area from the Shallotte River to Cherry Grove. Coastal Marsh Charters offers a range of inshore, nearshore, and offshore opportunities ranging from three to six-hour fishing trips to family-friendly charters and sunset cruises. Chris fielded a range of questions and signed into our Face Book page.
Check out Captain Bowden’s tips on ‘Winter Fishing Strategies”
https://coastalmarshcharters.com/2024/10/16/winter-fishing-strategies/
This article comes from Kayak Angler on-line magazine with some modifications.
Background
Trey Carden, Charleston SC, loves fishing for redfish because of their strong fight and willingness to take a variety of artificial lures. Redfish are one of the most iconic inshore fish. The dark copper body punctuated with the famous spotted tail appears on T-shirts, bumper stickers and fishing hats. Their fame derives from the drag-screaming runs that put fishing gear to the test. Trey targets redfish with bait, jigs, swimbaits and topwater, but sight fishing is his favorite tactic. Spotting a school of reds in shallow water, landing a perfect cast and watching the fish attack the lure is one of the most exciting fishing experiences.
Prime time is September through October. In winter, redfish look for clear, cold water. In spring, red drum follow the bait inshore, hunting oyster mounds, mud flats, grass lines and creek mouths. In summer, redfish seek refuge from the heat in deep drop-offs.
Redfish are comfortable in water temperature from 60 to 90 degrees but the fish cooperate best around 70 degrees. Clear water makes it easier for the fish to see the lure and for you to see the redfish. Ideal times are an hour on each side of high and low tide. When the water is at a standstill, expect a lull in the action. For a great topwater bite, fish early in the morning. Overcast skies also call for topwater lures. The bite remains active after sunset; fishing dock lights provides a break from the summer heat. When the air pressure is low or the water is moving too fast, anchor in a creek mouth or find a drop-off and fish a bottom rig with bait.
When the tide is high, sight-fishing on grass flats can be successful from shallow drafting boats and kayaks. If the water is too low to get into the grass, you can target creek bends and submerged structure such as wrecks, rockpiles, oyster bars, sandbars and mud flats. In summer, targeting drop-offs and shady spots under docks is a good option. An oyster bed at a creek mouth on the outgoing tide is a great spot to find reds. When fishing grass lines, try to work parallel to the edge and cast to a hole or indention in the grass. If you don’t find redfish in the grass, you can continue fan-casting and targeting structure and moving water.
Trey’s Redfish Story and Redfish Tactics
I love hitting the water just before sunrise and throwing a walk-the-dog topwater. To give the fish plenty of time to find the lure, I make long casts and slowly walk the dog. For sight fishing, my go-to is a Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ with a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce Eye Strike jighead. To avoid spooking the fish, I use the lightest jig that will reach the bottom. I also like to drift a popping cork down a grass line or over a sandbar. Every 30 seconds I give the cork a few short pops.
The first time I saw redfish belly crawling across a flat, I was shoveling mud with my paddle trying to get into a flat before the tide started to rise. From 50 yards away, I watched bait explode and the back of a large redfish come out of the water. I grabbed my Skitter Walk and made the perfect cast about 10 feet ahead of the fish. When I started the walking action, the redfish took off like a torpedo and completely engulfed the bait. The attack led to a drag-screaming, 15-minute fight and a solid 28-inch redfish. After this trip, I learned that I miss the best fishing when I hit the snooze button on my alarm.
Redfish Tackle Box
Sea Trail Fishing Club 
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