Northern Beaches – November 2022
Madison, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers fishing both the surf and sounds have been seeing speckled trout and red drum action picking up, with both artificial and natural baits having plenty of success.
Surf fishing overall has gotten better as the area transitions into the cool weather patterns. Red drum in all sizes, from puppy to over-slot, are being caught with fresh cut baits, and speckled trout in the surf have been of relatively good size. The specks are being caught with a variety of soft plastics and hard plugs.
Schools of smaller-sized bluefish are also pushing within casting range. There are big bluefish (to 10 lbs.) being caught, too, but most of the bigger bluefish have been south of Oregon Inlet.
Bottom fishing from the beach has been producing blowtoads and black drum.
Anglers on the local piers have been catching bluefish, speckled trout, puppy drum, spot, and mullet (and some big red drum when the cold fronts move through).
Little Bridge anglers have been landing drum, bluefish, and sea mullet, and there are some nice-sized speckled trout (to 6 lbs.) also being caught around the Little Bridge. Getting out early or late has been the key to the trout bite.
Soundside anglers are catching red drum, speckled trout, bluefish, and some flounder.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been great for anglers using jigs and soft plastics. Target these trout in the creeks, around the inlet, and in the surf zone.
Expect to see increased numbers of trout and red drum pushed into the surf zone as they follow their late fall patterns. Cut baits will be best for drum fishing, where speckled trout will strike best on MirrOlures or jigs/soft plastics on 1/4 oz. jig heads.
As the water gets closer to the 60-degree mark, get excited about starting to find some of the bigger, citation-class trout around.
Craig Thompson (left), of St. James Fishing Club, and Jeff Briggs landed two wahoo, a skipjack, and mahi using skirted ballyhoos in 350′ of water offshore of Ocracoke Inlet.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that bluefish action has been really good from the inlet down the southern Hatteras beaches, with some good-sized fish (to 7 lbs.) blitzing baits both nearshore and in the surf.
Some good false albacore action is mixed in off the beach, and they’re alongside the last few schools of spanish mackerel hanging around. Sight-casting Stingsilvers at these schools staging around the inlet has been getting strikes.
Some nice-sized speckled trout (20” range) have been getting more active in the sounds. Topwater plugs have been working very well, as will popping corks rigged with Gulp soft plastics.
Red drum are being caught up on the flats with topwater plugs and gold spoons, and fishing around hard structures such as pilings is producing sheepshead.
Les, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that Little Bridge anglers have been finding some speckled trout action. A few striped bass (smaller ones) are also feeding right alongside the trout on similar soft plastics and hard plugs.
Bottom fishing has been producing some spot.
Anglers on the Nags Head area beaches have been catching bluefish, sea mullet, blowtoads, and a few spot.
Red drum action on the beaches has also picked up quite a bit, with puppy drum on the beach and some big drum being caught off the piers during fronts.
Andy, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that tuna fishing has been really picking up moving into late fall. There has been a nice class of blackfin tuna and some yellowfins coming back to the docks. Wahoo are mixed in the action, along with king mackerel.
A few later season mahi are also being caught on these offshore runs, and there are both sailfish and some white marlin release flags being seen as well.
Nearshore trips are seeing a mixed catch of false albacore, bluefish, spanish mackerel, black sea bass, triggerfish, and sheepshead.
Inshore anglers are doing well when targeting speckled trout and red drum, and bluefish and sheepshead round out the rest of the inshore action.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore anglers have been catching some good-sized blackfin tuna. Bigger yellowfin are also mixed in.
The occasional wahoo and mahi are in the mix, too. The mahi are slowly working their way out, but wahoo should be around for a while.
Anglers are still catching and releasing blue marlin and sailfish.
Nearshore trips have been seeing catches of bluefish, spanish mackerel, false albacore, triggerfish, and black sea bass.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that anglers have started to see some speckled trout showing up on the beaches, alongside a scattered puppy drum bite.
Bluefish are being caught by anglers sight casting plugs, and bottom fishing has been producing some black drum.
Cindy, of Avalon Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been the most productive, with catches of sea mullet and pufferfish.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been seeing really good numbers of puppy drum out on the beaches. Speckled trout have also worked their way into deeper holes throughout the surf zone.
Schools of smaller bluefish are moving through the area for anglers casting jigs, and bottom fishing has been producing juvenile black drum, sea mullet, spot, and croaker.
Nearshore anglers are having good sight-casting action on spanish mackerel, false albacore, and a bunch of bluefish.
Inshore anglers are catching speckled trout and red drum in all sizes, with even a couple straggler big reds still around.
Jeff, of Albemarle Fishing Charters, reports that striped bass fishing has been picking up. Anglers are having a bunch of success both trolling and casting. When casting, target areas of hard structure in the sounds and marsh areas, and work these areas slowly with bucktails or hard baits such as Rat-L-Traps.
For trolling, deeper areas around the area’s bridges (to 22’ depths) provide some great opportunities.
