Southport/Oak Island – December 2022
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers have been having success finding some whiting and a few smaller bluefish.
Speckled trout action has been picking up in the backwaters, with some bigger fish finally starting to mix in the action. This bite should stay good into the new year.
Nearshore fishing action has been focused on the reefs for plenty of black sea bass and some shallow water grouper.
Trey Dillon, of Winston-Salem, caught this 23″ redfish on a live mud minnow in the Oak Island area.
Wayne, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that surf anglers have been doing well catching nice-sized whiting and scattered black drum while bottom fishing with fresh shrimp or Fishbites bait strips.
A few bluefish have been feeding on bottom-rigged cut baits, and some spot also round out the surf action, with the best bites coming on bloodworms or shrimp.
Anglers working back in the ICW and mainland creeks are seeing black drum start to school up. Shrimp or fiddler crabs have been best for targeting deeper holes and structured areas.
A few red drum are mixed in, but they’re mostly staged up in the deeper canals.
Speckled trout fishing has been picking up, with a wide variety of tactics enticing strikes. Anything from live shrimp, artificial shrimp baits (Vudu or D.O.A.), and MirrOlures are having success.
Amber, of Madkingz Tackle, reports that surf anglers have been having success while bottom fishing, with catches of large whiting and some black drum.
Inshore anglers are reporting good speckled trout and scattered red drum action. The top producing baits have been live shrimp and the shrimp artificials (such as Vudu shrimp or D.O.A. shrimp). Most of the trout have been holding on deeper ledges in about 8’ of water.
Black drum are staged up around hard inshore structures such as docks, and some bottom-rigged fresh shrimp is the favored bait for targeting them.
Steven and Amber Spexarth, of Fayetteville, landed this 83.2 lb. wahoo with a live pogie on a downrigger. They were fishing near the Horseshoe.
Hunter, of Dockside Fishing Charters, reports that black drum fishing has been fairly consistent, with fish in the 14-20” range staged up back around structure in the creeks.
The speckled trout bite has been getting better, with a 16-20” class of fish being caught mainly on live shrimp under a slip cork. The artificial shrimp baits, such as those from D.O.A., are also having plenty of success. The bite has been more focused in the ICW before the trout shift to the creeks as the waters cool off.
Red drum are being caught from under docks or deeper holes in the creeks.
Kirk, of Take Up The Slack Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been steady, and at times hit-or-miss with the shifting of weather patterns. Anglers have been finding live shrimp to be the key to a successful trip.
Those fishing out around structure on the waterfronts are still finding a few good-sized sheepshead.
Black drum are another great species to target in these cooler months. Look for these fish to be staged up in deeper areas and around structure, and they’ll be feeding on shrimp.
Robert, of Reelin’ Pelican Fishing Charters, reports that inshore anglers have been finding a good variety of action on speckled trout, black drum, sheepshead, and the occasional red drum. For all these species, and late fall fishing in general, live shrimp has been vastly outproducing other baits while it’s available. As water temperatures cool, anglers will also have some success with the artificial shrimp baits.
The trout, in particular, have been staged up in holes throughout the ICW and back into some of the creeks. Black drum are mostly in schools in the creeks.
Jeremy Perez, of Southport, caught this wahoo on a cigar minnow near the Blackjack Hole.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that as nearshore water temperatures cool, gray trout are feeding on reefs and ledges, with many keepers and even some huge fish mixed in.
The deeper water structures will yield a better variety of species, including black sea bass, American reds, porgies, and the occasional grouper (or even bull red drum). Anglers looking for keeper fish will have the most success targeting live bottom areas in the 50-60’+ range. Squid and a variety of cut baits will get strikes, but jigging bucktails or diamond jigs will generally produce the bigger fish.
Back in deeper holes around the mouth of the Cape Fear River, anglers are seeing some outstanding whiting action.
Anglers looking for some king mackerel action will do best by running out to areas around the Frying Pan Tower area. Dead baits rigged on Big Nic Mac-A-Hoos and Blue Water Candy Shovels will both be successful in enticing strikes. Target areas of warmer water (mid to upper-60s) over ledges or areas of live bottom.
Blackfin tuna are feeding out in this same area, and they will strike the same trolled baits for kings.
Bottom fishing in the 90’+ range is typically excellent in the winter months for anglers getting out on the water. Black sea bass, triggerfish, and vermilion snapper will make up a majority of the fish box counts. Again, the vertical jigs such as Williamson or Shimanos tend to produce bigger fish than cut baits.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that king mackerel have started to migrate out. They’re mostly being found in the 30-40 mile range at this point.
It’s a great idea to fish some bottom areas out in that 30+ mile range, where anglers are seeing a bunch of action on snapper, large black sea bass, and grouper.
Anglers running to the Gulf Stream have been finding a fair wahoo bite, with some chunky blackfin tuna mixed in.
Mike, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that pier anglers have been seeing the clear water conditions as a benefit to the solid bottom fishing.
A lot of whiting are being caught, and they’re alongside croakers and some smaller runs of spot.
A bunch of speckled trout have also been biting.
Donna, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers bottom fishing have been finding good catches of mainly whiting.
Mixed in with the bottom action are black drum, a few sheepshead, and the scattered catch-and-release flounder.
