Ocean Isle/Holden Beach – August 2022
Jeff, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that there is plenty of bait inshore, including finger mullet, pogies, and shrimp. The shrimp are great for targeting black drum (to 13.5”+) around hard shell structure and docks.
The red drum action is steady but definitely spread out through the area. A few speckled trout are feeding on the live shrimp, too, but right now the trout are more bycatch than anything.
Flounder fishing has been on fire all year. Casting a live mullet just about anywhere inshore can entice a strike from one of these flatfish.
Caitlyn Garland, of Bakersville, hooked this 42″ cobia while free lining a pogie offshore of Ocean Isle Beach. She was fishing with Capt. Austin Kerr of Fellowship Charters.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that water temperatures are hot and weather patterns have provided much more wind than past seasons.
Nearshore, the spanish mackerel bite has been decent, but most are pushed into deeper (25-45’) and/or cleaner waters.
King mackerel fishing has been a bit scattered in the 50-65’ range and more concentrated out in 80+’. Overall, the king action is off to a slower start from past summers.
Bottom fishing is a stable for North Carolina coastal anglers, and it has been a phenomenal year for larger vermilion snapper when targeting the 90+’ range.
There are plenty of grouper out in this area as well, though getting baits down through all the American reds has proven a tall task.
The Gulf Stream action is hit or miss, but there are pockets of action on tuna, dolphin, and wahoo.
Tim, of Tideline Charters, reports that anglers have been fishing the Little River jetties as often as possible. Live shrimp rigged under corks and fished deep and tight to the rocks has produced good numbers of speckled trout. Inshore, the trout bite has been a bit slow due to the mid- to upper-80 degree water temperatures.
Redfish have been a little more active with all this hot inshore water. Live pogies have been the go-to baits, but larger mullet are moving in by the day and will also produce strikes. Lightly weighted Carolina rigs fished along shell banks during slower moving parts of the tide cycle have produced action. In the creeks, redfish are holding along deeper ledges and channel edges with better current. Using slightly heavier weights and cutting into the bait helps increase scent, which gets the reds fired up.
Tripp, of Capt’n Hook Outdoors, reports that anglers headed off the beach have been finding king mackerel in the 40-100’ range. The top producing baits have been either dead cigar minnows or live pogies slow trolled over live bottom areas.
Bottom fishing remains strong in the 100-200’ range. Anglers fishing with squid will find good action on both vermilion snapper and triggerfish, with live bait producing some grouper.
Mahi are being caught, though scattered, anywhere from 70’ on out past the Gulf Stream. They can be targeted by trolling skirted ballyhoo or fishing live baits.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite has been very hit or miss. The best fishing has come when high tide falls early in the morning, as this tends to present the coolest water possible. Live shrimp floated along deeper grass banks and at the jetties have been producing some action.
The redfish bite has been decent. Most of these slot to over-slot fish are being caught on cut menhaden. It has been best to target oyster banks and/or out around the jetties on lower tide cycles.
The flounder bite remains very strong. They are being caught on Carolina-rigged live menhaden and mullet, and it’s best to target areas (with deeper water) in the ICW, around docks, and along grass banks.
Todd, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that inshore anglers are finding the sheepshead and black drum to be responsible for most of the action. Plenty of larger fish are staged up around the older docks and hard structure, and fiddler crabs or fresh shrimp will entice these fish to strike.
Off the beach, mahi and king mackerel are making a showing in the 70-90+’ range over areas of hard bottom structure. These same areas are still holding some cobia, which will fall for bucktail jigs rigged with larger soft plastic trailers.
Bottom fishing action remains strong, with plenty of vermilion snapper, triggerfish, grunts, and grouper being caught on both live baits and dead cigar minnows.
Anthony, of Salt Fever Guide Service, reports that bottom fishing species have been the main target on recent trips. Great mixed bags of scamp grouper, gag grouper, rose porgies, and vermilion snapper are being caught on both live menhaden and pinfish.
Free-lining menhaden around these same structures will produce the occasional king mackerel, cobia, and some scattered mahi.
Gulf Stream trolling has been a bit slow with so much hot water around. Anglers putting in the effort are finding wahoo and scattered tuna.
Closer to the beach, anglers are hooking some king mackerel in the 60-100’ range.
Logan (left) and Luke Watson hooked (and released) this 31.5″ redfish using a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig in the Ocean Isle area.
Philip, of Rod and Reel Shop, reports that hot and dirty water has led to some slower bottom fishing in the surf. Anglers sticking it out have been finding some croakers and smaller sharks.
A few scattered red and black drum are also in the beachfront mix.
Anglers catching a weather window to head off the beach have been finding a few spanish mackerel and some scattered kings.
Catch-and-release flounder action has been steady just about everywhere in the area, from reefs off the beach to inshore structure.
Jerry, of Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier, reports that anglers doing some bottom fishing are catching whiting, croakers, and a few pompano.
Some speckled trout are around when water conditions are clean.
