Ocean Isle/ Holden Beach – July 2023
Jeff, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers have been seeing an unreal flounder bite. The amount of flatfish makes it almost impossible to drop a smaller finger mullet down anywhere near the bottom and not get a strike. These fish have been pushing in from off the beach, and deeper holes around and just inside the inlet are the hot spots.
Black drum fishing has been hit or miss, with the fish moving around due to more pressure from anglers and boating. Target the area’s oyster beds with fresh dead shrimp.
Nearshore runs are producing a bunch of spanish mackerel.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that wahoo are scattered along the break, and smaller “schoolie” dolphin are mostly being found under floating debris anywhere from inside the break on out.
Bottom fishing in the 100’ range is producing vermilion snapper, grouper, and triggerfish.
Closer to the beach, king mackerel have been staging up in the 60-100’ range.
Spanish mackerel are plentiful along the beachfront, with the bite being best when weather patterns are stable and clean water moves in.
Kurt Powell caught this 38″ cobia using a live pogie. He was fishing 30 miles offshore of Holden Beach.
Tim, of Tideline Charters, reports that red drum fishing has really started picking up. Anglers are having success bait fishing around docks, with a moving tide (either direction) really being key.
Speckled trout fishing is a bit hit or miss, and the fish seem to be really picky on which tides they’ll feed on. There is a bunch of shrimp around, though, and this is helping prop the bite up. Targeting deeper holes closer to the inlets has been better than most other inshore areas.
Flounder (released) are absolutely everywhere in the inshore waters.
With all of the bait pods around, spanish mackerel fishing remains strong.
The menhaden are so plentiful and tightly packed that anglers will find any mix of cobia, king mackerel, sharks, and tarpon feeding on these bait balls.
Tripp, of Capt’n Hook Outdoors, reports that inshore anglers have found the speckled trout fishing to be steady while casting live shrimp around oyster beds in the ICW and Shallotte River. Rigging these shrimp under a slip float to suspend the bait gives the best chance of success.
The flounder bite remains strong, with many healthy releases being found with live menhaden fished anywhere along the bottom.
The bite for both red and black drum species has been a bit slow, with both occasionally being caught on the live shrimp fished for trout.
Off the beach, anglers are doing well finding king mackerel from the beachfront out to 100’. Slow-trolling live pogies remains the top tactic for the kings.
Bottom fishing has been really good over structure in the 80-100’+ range. Mixed grouper, vermilion snapper, and the occasional cobia are all being caught on bottom-rigged live baits. Dead cigar minnows also work if live bait isn’t available.
Todd, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite along the beach has been good for anglers trolling #1 planers and Clarkspoons.
Scattered king mackerel and some nice cobia are in the 10-mile range off the beach, with both species feeding on live menhaden.
Offshore bottom fishing has been excellent in the 90-150’ depths, including plenty of vermilion snapper and some nice-sized grouper.
Some smaller mahi (and kings) are wandering into areas in that same 80-150’ range.
Inshore anglers are catching red drum, mostly on cut baits.
Speckled trout are around and hitting both soft plastic paddle tails and live shrimp.
Sheepshead and black drum are staged up around some of the older dock pilings, and they’re feeding on fiddler crabs.
Anthony, of Salt Fever Guide Service, reports that the big spring push of mahi has started to slow down a bit as we move into summer. Anglers will be finding handfuls of these fish still around, just more scattered in the hot waters.
Vermilion snapper, triggerfish, amberjacks, and the occasional cobia are all a part of the mixed bag produced on bottom fishing trips.
Grouper fishing has been on fire in the deeper bottom areas.
King mackerel are just about everywhere from the beach to offshore. The best numbers have been out in the 85-100’ range.
A good swordfish bite rewards those making that long run 120 miles offshore.
Capt. Austin Aycock, of Captain Austin’s Fishing Adventures, caught this 21 lb. scamp in 100′ of water off of Ocean Isle Beach. He was using a live pogie.
Philip, of Rod and Reel Shop, reports that there are some nice red drum being caught around docks and grass lines in the ICW.
Bottom fishing structure or deeper holes along the ICW and out near the inlet is producing whiting, black drum, and sheepshead.
Surf anglers are finding good numbers of whiting, croaker, bluefish, and pompano while bottom fishing. Occasionally there are schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish moving within casting range of those fishing from the sand.
Nearshore anglers are catching plenty of spanish mackerel in the 20’ range with Clarkspoons pulled behind #00 planers. If the fish are feeding, casting metal jigs into the frenzy will also produce strikes.
King mackerel have basically been scattered all over the place. Anglers are finding the best action to be on the deeper side and out towards the Tower.
Some nice cobia are mixed in over these deeper reefs, and bottom fishing has also been producing plenty of nice-sized black sea bass.
Jerry, of Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier, reports that conditions haven’t been the best, with anglers landing mixed bags of mostly smaller bottom species.
Some nice speckled trout are mixed in the catches by anglers out in the early mornings or late evenings.
Some spanish mackerel are around and showing up much better when waters are cleaner.
