Southport December 15, 2011
Chuck Flynt, of Greensboro, NC, with a 26" speckled trout that bit a live shrimp near Southport while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that anglers have plenty to look forward to around Southport over the winter.
The warmer than usual temperatures are producing some solid speckled trout and red drum action, and both fish should be available targets for much of the cold season.
Speckled trout can be found in the creeks and around inshore structure, and leadhead/soft plastic combos or a variety of MirrOlures will produce action with them. Live mud minnows can also produce when the specks are reluctant to bite artificials.
The reds are also feeding in the creeks and on flats in the area bays. Darker mud bottoms absorb the sun’s warmth and attract baitfish and, in turn, attract the drum, so flats with muddy bottoms often produce the best fishing in the colder months. Live mud minnows, Gulps and other soft baits, and spinnerbaits will all tempt bites from the reds.
Schools of reds will also be feeding in the surf zone over the winter, and calm days will allow anglers to fish the back side of the surf from boats. Soft plastic baits on 3/8-3/4 oz. jigheads are ideal for casting to the fish feeding along the beachfront.
Nearshore structure off Oak Island like the WOFES, AR-420, and Lighthouse Rocks is covered in black sea bass, but the fishery is catch and release only right now. Gray trout and large red drum are feeding in the same areas, and they should also provide some action. All three will bite jigging lures like Stingsilvers.
Anglers are eagerly waiting to see if bluefin tuna make a showing around Frying Pan Shoals this winter. If they do, trolling large ballyhoo under skirted lures is the way to tempt them to bite.
Doug Bailey, of Rockingham, NC, with a queen triggerfish that bit a piece of squid at some bottom structure offshore of Frying Pan Tower in 150' of water while he was fishing on the "Too Much Fun."
Offshore bottom fishing is excellent, but anglers need to be familiar with the regulations of what can and can’t be kept over the winter, as sea bass, beeliners, and most groupers are closed to harvest. Triggerfish, grunts, porgies, amberjacks, and more are all open, however, and anglers can fill up their coolers by targeting rocks, wrecks, and ledges in 80-100+’ of water. Bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits will fool the smaller fish, while live baits and vertical jigs are better choices for the amberjacks.
King mackerel will be feeding wherever anglers can find 65-70 degree water holding bait throughout the winter, and the bite is often phenomenal this time of year when anglers find the fish. Trolling dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons behind diving planers is the way to hook the kings.
It can be tough to find a weather window to make it to the Gulf Stream this time of year, but anglers who do should be able to find some action with wahoo, blackfin tuna, and perhaps some other surprise bites.
Tommy, of The Tackle Box, reports that anglers are finding fast action with red drum on the flats and in the creeks around Southport. The fish tend to feed in skinny water as it gets cooler, so anglers with shallow draft skiffs and flats boats can often sneak up on schools of fish feeding in 1-3’ of water by poling or using the trolling motor. Live mud minnows and Gulp baits will tempt the reds to bite.
Speckled trout are on the feed in the local creeks and around inshore structure like marinas. Live shrimp are tough to beat for the specks, but anglers can also hook them while casting Gulps and other soft plastics or hard baits like MirrOlures.
Offshore, king mackerel will be feeding wherever anglers can find water temperatures in the mid-upper 60’s, often within sight of Frying Pan Tower. Live baits are tough to come by in the winter, but trolling Drone Spoons and cigar minnows will produce plenty of action with the kings.
Matt and Grant Shisler, of Columbus, OH, with a pair of wahoo they hooked while trolling the Gulf Stream off Southport with Capt. Butch Foster of Yeah Right Charters.
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the speckled trout action has been excellent lately. Anglers are finding the fish all over the area with particularly good reports coming in from Wildlife and Walden’s Creeks and St. James Marina. Soft plastic baits and MirrOlures are top choices for the specks.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas. Looking for mud flats and oyster rocks that are exposed at low tide, and then coming back to fish them on higher tides will produce action with the reds and specks. Working lures extremely slow will give the lethargic fish more time to find and strike them in the cold water.
