Northern Beaches – October 2023
Cameron, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been doing well on the local piers catching sea mullet, spot, and some red drum (especially when water conditions have been stirred up). Surf anglers found it tough to hold bottom with the run of higher surf and winds, but patient efforts are producing puppy drum, spot, and sea mullet. A few speckled trout have also shown up on some of the calmer days. All of the surf and pier anglers are fishing with some variation of cut finger mullet, bloodworms, or shrimp. The soundside efforts have been yielding red drum, flounder, and speckled trout. Live bait works well, as do soft plastics in white or “root beer” color patterns. Nearshore anglers are catching bluefish and at times finding a school or two of the big red drum. Offshore catches have consisted of blackfin tuna, mahi, a few wahoo, and yellowfin starting to show.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that storms fired off the red drum bite, with both slot and over-slot fish actively feeding on cut baits. Anglers are having success just about everywhere from the surf and nearshore back into the sound. On calmer days, anglers are staying busy targeting speckled trout with topwater plugs and soft plastics. The inshore trips are also finding sheepshead and some flounder in the mix.
Ben, of Salty Waters OBX, reports that when nearshore conditions allow, there have been a bunch of red drum out along the beaches. These schools range from upper-slots to bulls. Some schools of big bluefish are mixed in this nearshore sight-casting action. False albacore are starting to show up in better numbers, and this bite only continues to improve moving through October. Red drum are being caught in good numbers on the flats inside the inlets, and when fishing near the inlets, anglers have found some quality flounder. Speckled trout are starting to become really active with cooling off water and air temperatures.
Billy, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that Little Bridge anglers have caught some flounder alongside red drum and a few speckled trout. The Nags Head area piers have seen an excellent run of red drum with the water all churned up. Catch numbers broke the triple digits just on reds alone. Anglers fishing the soundside shorelines out around Manns Harbor are catching some good numbers of slot-sized and puppy drum.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that inshore anglers have bene doing very well targeting red drum, with some over-slot fish in the mix. The reds are everywhere from out in the surf and inlet back to the shoals and drop-offs inside. Speckled trout are mixed in throughout the area. As water temperatures cool, the trout bite only gets better. Targeting them with Gulp baits on lighter jig heads is a solid tactic, and look around some of the deeper grass banks and points. Flounder are scattered all over the area, and they’re striking at Carolina-rigged live finger mullet. Creek mouths and drop-offs are good areas to target the flatfish. Any of the inshore hard structures with a little deeper water (4’+) can be holding sheepshead. Nearshore anglers look forward to the false albacore action kicking off with the cooler water that will settle in.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that anglers have found the offshore action to be pretty hit or miss when catching the window to run out. Most trips are able to have some success catching mahi and scattered billfish.
Andy, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that boats are finding really good numbers of mahi, with some larger fish (to 47 lbs.) hitting the docks. Some good-sized blackfin tun are mixed in the trolling action. Billfishing will be slowly cooling off, but for now the billfish action has been steady, with releases of blue marlin, white marlin, and a handful of sailfish. Nearshore catches have included Spanish mackerel, bluefish (to 9 lbs.), false albacore, amberjacks, and triggerfish. Inshore anglers have been finding some great red drum action, with over-slot fish in the mix. Some bigger speckled trout and a few gray trout are also part of the inshore action.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore anglers have seen some nice catches of mahi, blackfin tuna, and wahoo. Billfish are still very much in the mix, with releases of sailfish, blue marlin, and white marlin. Inshore anglers are finding a bunch of red drum and scattered speckled trout. Nearshore anglers have been catching good numbers of Spanish mackerel, with bluefish, false albacore, and ribbonfish mixed in. Bottom fishing is producing black sea bass and triggerfish.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that red drum action has been on fire for anglers taking advantage of the stirred-up ocean waters. Anglers are seeing a ton of the over-slot drum being caught in the low light and evening hours. Bottom fishing anglers have done well catching spot, sea mullet, black drum, flounder, and large croakers. Kenny, of Avalon Pier, reports that they have seen some scattered over-slot red drum action. Bottom fishing has been producing spot and croakers, and some Spanish mackerel are in the mix as well.
Paul, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that red drum have been the big talk of the beach, with quite a few puppy drum and some slot-sized fish mixed in the choppy surf. There are big drum around, though most of the action has required getting out on the local piers. Surf fishing with smaller bottom rigs is producing spot, croakers, and flounder. Bluefish are in the mix, too, and they’re hitting just about any cut baits.
