Can you feel it getting closer? Any day now those big whiting will hit the beach and river. Just hang on a little longer. Right now blowfish are starting to show and they are usually first in and last out for the season. There are some puppy drum showing up in the surf and the shallow flats. They are feeding on artificial lures and shrimp. Offshore, Boston Mackerel are due anytime. Maria jigs and Got-Cha Plugs should work well on them as in previous years. Further out, yellow fun tuna and wahoo have been very good to the charter boats, even with some tuff weather when they get out, they catch fish. The Winner Queen had it’s first trip out this weekend and it was a good one. Lots of Black Bass and Beeliners along with a few grouper. Up the river by lock and dam number one, some shad are showing up but not in great numbers. The catfish are up there for sure and some are rather big from what I am hearing. Live shad and minnows would be the best bait. Why you might even find a stripped bass up there. Hopefully this next warm stretch will turn on the fish and really fire up the season. So freshen up that line, WD-40 those reels, change the hooks and let’s go fishing! Keep fishin and releasin! Steve and Karen Labanec Seagull Bait and Tackle Carolina Beach, NC 910-458-7135