Southport/Oak Island – May 2025
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that nearshore action for Atlantic bonito has been great, with bluefish and some spanish mackerel now showing up, too.
Surf anglers are seeing a mixed bag of whiting, croakers, and bluefish.
Scott, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that anglers getting off the beach and trolling Clarkspoons are catching a mix of Atlantic bonito and spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing from the surf or the local piers with shrimp is producing whiting, black drum, and a bunch of croakers.
Inshore anglers are catching sheepshead and black drum with fiddler crabs.
Hunter, of Dockside Fishing Charters, reports that inshore anglers are having success targeting black drum and red drum. These fish have been pushing out of the creeks and scattering throughout the waterway. Structure has been key in finding action from both species, and casting around docks and oyster rocks with a Carolina-rigged live shrimp is the top tactic.
Anglers can land a few sheepshead when using shrimp around structure, though fiddler crabs are the top bait.
Atlantic bonito fishing has been excellent. This bite has been focused around nearshore structures, such as Yaupon Reef, or by running the beach and looking for feeding birds. Trolling Clarkspoons has been the best tactic overall for putting numbers in the boat, but smaller Yo-Zuri deep divers are also enticing strikes.
A few spanish mackerel are starting to show up. When the bonito move on, the spanish mackerel will already be here and will fill that void.
Grant Coghill, of Greensboro, caught this bonito offshore of Southport using a diamond jig.
Zane, of Falling Tide Fishing Adventures, reports that Atlantic bonito has been the hot bite, with anglers having success sight-casting First Flight Lures to surface-feeding schools.
Some spanish mackerel are being found about a mile off the coast, and schools of big red drum are off the beach as well.
Inshore, the red drum action has picked up as the schools start to break up. Oyster beds in the creeks and near creek mouths are still the best areas to throw Carolina-rigged live mud minnows or dead shrimp.
If fishing shrimp around shell bottoms, anglers should also hook into some black drum.
Sheepshead fishing has been excellent for anglers putting in the effort of dropping live shrimp around pilings.
Steve, of Reel Em Up Charters, reports that the red drum are moving out of the creeks and breaking into smaller groups. Live pogies or mud minnows are the top baits right now.
Anglers are also finding some flounder while fishing these same live baits on the bottom.
Both sheepshead and black drum are being caught with fresh shrimp fished around docks.
Deep holes (10-30’) are holding really good numbers of whiting.
Nearshore anglers have been focused on Atlantic bonito and spanish mackerel.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that offshore anglers can expect to find blackfin tuna and wahoo, along with the possibility of scattered early mahi.
Bottom fishing has been reliable and becomes even more worth the run as grouper season opens at the beginning of May. In addition to grouper, cut or live baits will produce catches of black sea bass and vermilion snapper.
Ava Schigur, of Southport, caught (and released) this over-slot red drum in a Southport area creek using cut bait.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that Atlantic bonito have been all over the place. The bigger fish are coming from natural bottoms and ledges that are away from the crowds at the ARs. This season has been more of a trolling bite, with mackerel tress behind planers being the best producer. While there hasn’t been much sight-casting opportunity, anglers should have a diamond jig handy for when the fish pop up.
A few spanish mackerel are starting to mix in.
May 1 is the opening of grouper, pinkies, and cobia. Anglers will be focusing on structure in the 80-100’ range where both live and cut baits should have plenty of success.
King mackerel should be moving in soon as water temperatures hit the 66-67 degree mark.
May is also a favorable month for mahi, so watch the sea surface temps for the chance to find these fish in the 30-40 mile range.
Steele, of Catherine Anne Sportfishing, reports that May is usually when Gulf Stream trips will be catching a mixed bag of mahi, wahoo, and blackfin tuna. A strong tactic is to run baits with 60 lb. fluorocarbon leaders to up the chances of strikes, and the favorite color patterns for skirts are blue/white, green/chartreuse, or simply a naked ballyhoo.
Anglers pushing deeper (100+ fathoms) will also see some billfish mixed in.
Grouper season opens in May, and the 80-110’ depth bottoms will be holding gags and keeper vermilion snapper.
Anglers bottom fishing in the 10-15 mile range will occasionally see cobia.
Closer to the beach, Atlantic bonito fishing has been excellent, but the bite will be slowing down with warmer water temperatures pushing these fish to the north. Spanish mackerel will be the more common nearshore catch moving forward.
Troy, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers are catching good numbers of whiting and croakers.
The casting action is starting to pick up. Anglers are already landing some of the first spanish mackerel of the year, with bluefish mixed in.
Steve, of Oak Island Pier, reports that bottom fishing with cut shrimp has been best, with catches of whiting and bluefish.
Any time now the casting action should fire up as more bluefish move onto the beach, and shortly behind them will be spanish mackerel.
