Southport/Oak Island – May 2021
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers fishing along the beaches and out on piers are catching good-sized whiting with cut shrimp and artificial bait strips.
With water temperatures on the rise, bluefish and spanish mackerel have both begun to show up in better numbers.
Nearshore anglers have been targeting surface-feeding schools of bonito around the shoals and over nearshore reefs.
Most of the bottom fish action is still fairly deep, but anglers are finding plenty of keeper black sea bass and vermilion snapper.
Making the run out the Stream has been producing blackfins and a few yellowfin tuna. A few large early mahi have been landed. Going into May tends to see the first real push of good numbers of mahi.
Joe Newcome, of Wilmington, with a 40+” redfish caught inshore near Bald Head Island using dead bait. He was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Garrett, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that surf anglers have been catching really good numbers of whiting over the last week. Black drum and the occasional sheepshead are mixed in the bottom fishing action from the surf.
Inshore anglers have been finding plenty of black drum around oysters, docks, and other deeper structure. Shrimp has been the top bait for getting bites.
Speckled trout action is steady and will pick up even more with warmer waters and bait pushing inshore.
Nearshore trips have mostly focused on bottom fishing, with plenty of black sea bass around.
Offshore trips are seeing good numbers of wahoo for late spring. Looking forward, these deep-water trolling trips can also expect to be finding mahi as they move into the area.
Mark, of Marine Service Pro, reports that the first few dolphin of the season are showing up in the 65-70 mile range. Yellowfin tuna have been around in pretty good numbers, and a few wahoo are mixed in the offshore counts, too.
Bottom fishing has been great in the 25-40 mile range. The quality of fish has anglers pleased, with coolers full of black sea bass, grunts, and beeliners.
Anglers fishing nearshore areas tight to the beach are seeing the arrival of spanish mackerel.
Inshore waters have been steadily warming up and getting the redfish more active in their feeding.
Speckled trout action has been mixed in some of the creeks, but it hasn’t been consistent.
Whiting and black drum are being caught with bottom-rigged shrimp fished in deeper holes and channels.
Jim, of Keep the Sea Inshore Charters, reports that the inshore bite has been rock solid for red drum and speckled trout.
The redfish are holding tight to dock structure on lower tides and the backs of creeks during high water periods. These upper-slot reds are actively striking lighter (3/16 oz.) Trout Eye jig heads with weedless-rigged Z-Man PaddlerZ.
Speckled trout have been holding in deeper waters and hitting shrimp patterns such as Gulp baits in white or chartreuse.
Off the beach, gray trout have been plentiful at the nearshore structure for anglers jigging with Spro bucktails. Fishing bait on the bottom also works well, but be prepared for the wide variety of critters holding on these same reefs.
There has been a great mix of false albacore, bonito, and large spanish mackerel within three miles. Big Nic Spanish Candy jigs have been the ticket for casting at these surface-feeding schools.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that spanish mackerel showed up along the beaches in both good-sizes and numbers, and Atlantic bonito are still hanging around, though most have been found around nearshore reefs further off the beach.
King mackerel have pushed into the 5+ mile range. Both trolling Drone spoons and live or dead baits will get strikes.
Bottom fishing has already been very good, and with grouper season opening up, expect to see catches of various grouper species, large black sea bass, and beeliners over the next month. With the water temperatures still cool, many of these fish are holding over shallower (80-100’) structures.
Going further into May should see schools of dolphin pushing into the area.
Harper and her father, Jonathan Williams, with a 28.5″ red drum that was caught (and released) using a Big Nic Spanish Candy lure while fishing out of Southport.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that inshore trips have been doing very well with catches of both black and red drum.
Off the beach, the nearshore wrecks are holding spanish mackerel and bonito.
King mackerel are still moving closer to the beaches from offshore, and they will become a more common catch going into May.
Offshore anglers are looking forward to the mahi action that really fires off in May and lasts into the summer.
Lynn, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the whiting action has been really good for anglers fishing cut shrimp on bottom rigs.
With the water temperatures rising, more anglers are staying rigged up with casting setups for when schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish run by the pier. Gotcha plugs are a tried-and-true favorite, with a wide variety of color patterns having success.
Cindy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers are catching good-sized whiting and scattered croakers.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have shown up in the counts over the last few weeks. Going into May, look for both species to be more common as water temperatures are on the rise.
