Ocean Isle/Holden Beach – June 2023
Jeff, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that black drum fishing has been really good in the ICW and local rivers. It’s been mostly a 2-3 lb. class of fish, with scattered large ones (to 9 lbs.) all feeding on Carolina rigged shrimp or fiddler crabs.
Red drum fishing has been pretty steady for anglers fishing Carolina-rigged live baits.
Flounder action has been (fortunately and unfortunately) stellar. There have been so many flatfish around that it has made fishing live baits for anything else difficult as the flounder are striking anything put on the bottom.
All three inshore species are staged up around docks and the oyster bars between docks.
Plenty of spanish mackerel are around for anglers heading off the beach.
There are also some cobia just off the beach. This time of year, anglers should always be rigged with a sight casting rod in case you spot a cobia cruising around a turtle or a bait pod.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that outside of mother nature making conditions difficult, the Gulf Stream bite is as good as it’s ever been for this time of year, with great numbers of mahi and some big blue marlin.
There has been a good showing of yellowfin tuna back into our offshore waters after a few down years. This offshore action is just peaking before moving into the heat of summer.
Grouper season opened with a bang, and anglers are finding good action over structure in the 80-150’ range. Amberjacks are out there doing their best to keep your bait from getting down to the grouper, but persistence and sore arms have been worth it.
King mackerel have started moving closer to the beach, with action now staged in the 50-80’ range.
Nice concentrations of bait are along the beachfronts, and the prevalence of bait has led to quality nearshore fishing for spanish mackerel, kings, and cobia.
Ken Davis caught this 30″ red drum using cut pogie on a Carolina rig. He was fishing in the waterway near Sunset Beach with Capt. Tripp Hooks, of Capt’n Hook Outdoors.
Tim, of Tideline Charters, reports that red drum action has been pretty good, with the reds taking advantage of all the menhaden around. Anglers are glad to see some upper-slot and just over-slot fish mixed in the action. Target these fish along the ICW or around deeper shell banks near the inlet.
There has been some good action on a smaller class (17-19”) of speckled trout.
Fishing around docks and holes near oysters in the creeks has produced a steady black drum bite.
Runs off the beach are generating some sight casting action at schools of spanish mackerel, and there are also some smaller cobia hanging around the bait pods that are moving into and through the area.
Tripp, of Capt’n Hook Outdoors, reports that the red drum bite has been steady. Most fish are being caught with cut menhaden fished around some of the deeper docks on the lower tide cycles.
Anglers are still picking away at the speckled trout as the area moves into summer conditions. Live shrimp has been tough to come by, but look for this to change in coming weeks as shrimp will show better and in bigger sizes in the creeks.
Both black drum and sheepshead are staged up around structures such as docks, bridges, and jetties. Rigging live fiddler crabs on knocker jigs works well for getting strikes from both species.
Offshore anglers are enjoying some of the best mahi fishing the area has seen in years. These fish are mostly being caught by trolling around weed lines and grass mats in the 400-800’ range, but there are also some scattered fish mixed in on the break (in the 150-200’ area).
Grouper fishing has been good in the 90-150’ depths for anglers fishing both live and dead bait over structure.
King mackerel are being found just about anywhere from the beach out to 100’. Slow trolling a live menhaden provides the best chance of strikes.
Anthony, of Salt Fever Guide Service, reports that mahi fishing has been as good as it gets. There has been really good action for anglers targeting weed mats and current edges in the 200-1000’ range.
Some blackfin tuna and wahoo are mixed in along the break.
Billfish action is picking up moving into our warm weather months. There have been a handful of sailfish and blue marlin released.
Bottom fishing has been really productive, with plenty of grouper, vermilion snapper, and triggerfish around.
Nearshore trips are finding plenty of spanish mackerel along the beachfronts, and these spanish are now joined by some king mackerel that have pushed inshore.
Anglers fishing around the nearshore wrecks have also spotted some cobia.
Olivia Beeker, of Lexington, hooked this speckled trout using live shrimp on a slip cork rig in the Ocean Isle Beach area. She was fishing with Capt. Hunter Williams of Dockside Fishing Charters.
Philip, of Rod and Reel Shop, reports that surf anglers have been doing pretty well with catches of whiting, pompano, croakers, and some nice-sized red drum.
There are also some schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish moving within casting distance, though pier anglers have seemed to have better success.
Nearshore fishing has produced really good spanish mackerel action and some scattered kings. Over the coming weeks, king mackerel hookups should only get better as more fish move in closer to the beach.
Inshore anglers have been catching red drum and some smaller bluefish in the ICW, and hard structures in the ICW and river are holding decent numbers of sheepshead.
Speckled trout have been feeding on live shrimp, with the bite better in the ocean.
Offshore anglers are catching good numbers of mahi and some wahoo out around the 30-fathom line.
Jerry, of Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier, reports that anglers have been catching some spadefish and sheepshead around the pilings.
Schools of spanish mackerel are striking at Gotcha plugs from anglers sight casting at bait balls and to surface-feeding frenzies.
A cobia was caught last week.
