North Myrtle/Little River – December 2023
Chris, of Fine Catch Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding speckled trout everywhere in the Little River area, including inlets, along the ICW, and in the backs of creeks. The top producing setup has been a live shrimp rigged under a slip cork. Fish this bait about halfway down in the water column and drift it over your target area. The best areas to target have been shell bottoms and grass points with rips or moving current.
When you can’t find live shrimp, Vudu or D.O.A. baits will also entice strikes. Drift these baits with the current and use very few twitching motions. Plenty of red drum are mixed in the action, and anglers hare having the best success casting cut baits and shrimp around docks. When fishing shrimp around docks, some black drum are also around. Most have been a smaller class of fish, with the slot-sized black drum only sprinkled in. Sheepshead are still in our backwaters as well. Fishing efforts at the jetties are producing slot-sized red drum, speckled trout, and the occasional over-slot redfish.
Buddy, of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been seeing some great speckled trout action in the ICW and backwaters. Having live shrimp has been key. Red drum are mixed in and feeding on the live shrimp, too. Black drum can be found staged up around docks and other hard structures, and fishing fresh shrimp on the bottom can entice strikes. A mix of all three species will be hanging out around the jetties. Runs out to the nearshore reefs have produced bluefish, gray trout, and black sea bass.
Jamiyo Aaron, of Charlotte, found this queen triggerfish while bottom fishing out of Little River using a piece of squid. He was fishing with Capt. Bevan Hunter of Chilly Water Fishing Charters.
Over the colder months, speckled trout, red drum, and black drum will all remain solid targets. Most of these fish will be back and forth between the creeks and bigger water areas (such as the ICW). Try to stick with natural baits (live shrimp) or utilize Gulp soft plastics if looking to fish artificials.
Bob, of Strange Magic Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite in on, but anglers aren’t quite seeing wide open action. Lower tides have made fishing a little easier as it gives the fish less places to hide. The trout have been staged up in holes in the backs of creeks and in the ICW. Popping corks rigged with live shrimp or soft plastics on 1/4 and 1/8 oz. jig heads have been the top producing setups. With soft plastics, anglers are doing best utilizing the darker color patterns with all the muddy water around and the sun now at a decreased angle. Time wise, the early mornings and late afternoons remain best.
Red drum are still spread out, but the smaller reds are moving into their larger wintering schools throughout the backwaters. Casting anything from spoons to light jig heads with soft plastics will entice strikes. Some flounder are still around, but it won’t be long before the flatfish disappear into the ocean for the winter. Soft plastics, especially with scent, fished in holes in the backs of creeks has been the best. Black drum are also in the backs of creeks, and they’re feeding on cut shrimp on Carolina rigs. Moving into the coldest months, anglers should be focused on areas of structure. Any presence of birds or bait are good indicators when looking for areas to fish, and the fish will be lethargic, so no matter the target species, slow everything down.
Justine Adair, of Ocean Isle, caught this red drum fishing the Little River jetties using cut mullet.
Bevan, of Chilly Water Fishing, reports that there have been plenty of good-sized black sea bass being found staged up on ledges and live bottoms in the 55-65’ range. Some gag grouper are also hanging around these same areas (that need to be released). Both bottom species have been feeding on cut squid, but just about anything you drop will entice a bite. Further out, the 85-100’ bottoms are holding triggerfish, vermilion snapper, porgies, and the occasional scamp grouper. The trolling action over ledges in the 150-200’ range is producing blackfin tuna and wahoo. As the waters continue cooling, expect to see the tuna and larger wahoo action get even better.
Larry, of Voyager Fishing Charters, reports that the nearshore bottoms have seen a jump in black sea bass and porgy action. The black sea bass love these cooler waters that have moved in along the beaches. Offshore trolling trips are catching plenty of blackfin tuna and wahoo when anglers find a nice break of warmer water. Some of the popular spots, such as the Steeples, Blackjack, and Scarp areas, are all seeing steady fishing action. The offshore bottom fishing is strong and will remain strong all through the winter.
The best action will be out in the 130’+ areas, with anglers catching any mix of amberjacks, vermilion snapper, porgies, large black sea bass, and triggerfish. Deborah, of Apache Pier, reports that anglers have been kept busy by the small croakers that have been hanging around. Some whiting are mixed in, and they are feeding on natural baits. A few black drum round out the pier landings, with most of the black drum being smaller.
