Ocean Isle/Holden Beach – November 2026
Jeff, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are still seeing good numbers and quality sizes of flounder while fishing inside.
Off the beach, bull red drum fishing was great near the end of October. Schools were roaming around bait balls and over nearshore structure.
Spanish mackerel fishing was also really good towards the end of the month.
The black drum action should hopefully pick up with temperatures cooling down. The smaller “trash” species also start to work their way out with cooler water, which makes black drum fishing more comfortable as you aren’t throwing bait away.
Speckled trout will be the next fishery to target this fall, but anglers need the water temperatures to come down a little more before focusing on them.
Austin, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that nearshore anglers in October were catching plenty of spanish mackerel around bait pods and near the inlet. Moving water was key, and it mattered less whether the tide was moving in or out.
The end of October also saw a nearshore bull red drum bite that was on fire. These fish were around bait balls and out over structure.
King mackerel fishing on the beach has been pretty good, but just pretty good. Anglers are finding action anywhere from the beach on out to ledges in the 60-70’ range.
The bottom action is picking up. Grouper, snapper, and really all the typical bottom species will be around through November. If looking for vermilion snapper and triggerfish, push deeper this time of year.
The wahoo fishing should be really good following the full moon and moving into November.
Some blackfin tuna are mixed in the action as well.
Leyton Cudar, of Clemmons, NC, with a houndfish caught about 10 miles off Ocean Isle Beach while trolling a dead cigar minnow.
Tim, of Tideline Charters, reports that bull drum fishing was great off the beach in the second half of October. The winds made some days difficult, but as long as there were pogies, the fish could be found hanging out.
Speckled trout fishing is starting to ramp up and becomes the focus moving into November. Live shrimp is an easy way to get strikes, but there’s no doubt that water temperatures have created the opportunity where artificials will catch all the fish you’d want. Sizes of trout vary a lot as we are early in the bite, with plenty of those 14-16” range fish but some big ones (to 24”) mixed in. The quality should only get better as temperatures cool down.
Some red drum are mixed in, with the high tides being best as the reds are moving right up in the grass.
Tripp, of Capt’n Hook Outdoors, reports that the speckled trout bite is getting very good and will only continue to improve until early December. Anglers are catching lots of 12-20” fish along the deeper river banks or shell banks along the ICW on both live shrimp and a variety of soft plastics. As temperatures get colder, look for the bigger fish to start moving into the creeks.
The black drum have been biting well and will continue to bite well through December. The best bet for targeting the black drum is to fish deeper docks around the inlets with a dead shrimp on a Carolina rig.
The red drum action is strong, though most fish are smaller (in the 16-18” range) with maybe a random upper-slot mixed in. Look for the bigger fish to start schooling up way up in the shallow creeks as temperatures continue to get colder.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite is on fire off the beach. Anglers targeting kings will be following the 68-70 degree water temperatures, and live menhaden or dead cigar minnows slow trolled are the best bait options.
The Gulf Stream bite is improving, with both wahoo and blackfin tuna numbers picking up. Focus on temperature breaks, and troll skirted ballyhoo at about seven knots. Both of these species will be a good target right through most of the winter.
Todd, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that there are still some bull red drum nearshore being found under the schools of menhaden. With the churned-up water conditions, anglers in the surf are also catching some red drum with cut mullet.
Those on the beach with smaller bottom rig setups are hooking sea mullet and some pompano using shrimp or shrimp-flavored Fishbites.
Back inshore, the cooling water temperatures have anglers landing speckled trout with shrimp imitation soft plastics or while floating live shrimp under corks. This bite is scattered all over, from the ICW and creek mouths right up into the river.
Offshore, anglers have found that the wahoo bite is picking up, and it only gets better moving into November. Blue Water Candy lures in a black/purple color pattern or Nomad DTX minnows are some of the favorites.
Blackfin tuna will be around in better numbers moving into late fall, with small feathers or cedar plugs being the best choices for them.
Ron Hailey, of Holden Beach, NC, caught and released this 21 lb. jack crevalle at AR-430 off Holden Beach using a free-lined peanut pogie.
Theresa, of Rod and Reel Shop, reports that surf anglers have been catching a good mix of bluefish, spot, sea mullet, and croakers.
With water conditions all stirred up, a nice push of red drum have been caught off the beach.
Nearshore, anglers have seen a good run of bull red drum over the second half of October.
Spanish mackerel are still around, with most being caught off Clarkspoons, but the spanish are moving out.
Inshore, sheepshead are still biting, and the black drum action should pick up in November.
Red drum fishing remains a bit scattered, as it has been.
Speckled trout will be the next species to take off. Trout are already being caught, but the water temperatures are still a little warm.
Jada, of Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier, reports that black drum fishing has picked up, with fish to 14.5” coming over the rails. Also mixed in the bottom action are whiting and even some spots.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish were around in pretty good numbers, but that bite has slowed down.
