Ocean Isle November 15, 2012
Kyle Warren, of Shalotte, with a 27″ red drum he hooked on a live mullet in Tubbs Inlet.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the area’s king mackerel are on the move and headed towards their winter haunts offshore. Anglers caught fish as close to the beach as 18 Mile Rocks last week, but action was more consistent at spots in 80-90’ of water like Frying Pan Tower and the Atlantic Ledge (with most fish 15-18 lbs. and some topping 30 lbs.). Live bait got scarce in the area after Hurricane Sandy, but boats that find the fish have been having little trouble hooking up on dead cigar minnows.
The kings have been holding in slightly cooler 65-68 degree water recently. Wherever anglers can find a temperature break with water into the upper-60’s and bait nearby, they’ll find the kings. The action generally stays solid all winter long, but the warm water can push offshore of Frying Pan Tower, so anglers may have to make long runs. Live baits are always a good choice for kings, but they can be tough to locate in the winter time. Fortunately, when feeding offshore, the fish often eat dead baits as heartily as live.
Wahoo action has been a bit slower in recent weeks, but boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are connecting with a few along with some blackfin tuna. Trolling ballyhoo with skirted lures will tempt bites from both fish. As long as there’s 70+ degree water over the break, anglers should have shots at the wahoo and blackfins all winter long.
Pausing the troll to drop vertical jigs to the bottom along the break has been producing plenty of action with amberjacks, grouper, and more.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that the inshore fishing in the area is on fire right now. Anglers are finding big numbers of red drum feeding around oyster bars and potholes in smaller tidal creeks. Some black drum and flounder are mixed in, and all are taking an interest in Gulp baits or live shrimp and mud minnows pinned to jigheads.
Ken Cutbush, of Lumberton, NC, with a flounder that bit a Carolina-rigged finger mullet in Little River Inlet.
Speckled trout are feeding all over the inshore waters, and anglers have found them just about everywhere they’ve cast a line between the Shallotte River and Little River. The larger tidal creeks, ICW banks, Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach bridges, and Coquina Harbor have all been trout hotspots lately. Fishing live shrimp under float rigs is the best bet for the specks, but anglers are also catching big numbers while casting soft plastics and suspending hardbaits like MirrOlures. Trolling MirrOlures and grubs along the edges of the ICW is also an effective tactic.
The specks are still feeding at the Little River jetties as well, and drifting a live shrimp on a float rig along the rocks will produce action with the trout and some red drum.
There are still some live shrimp in the local creeks for anglers looking to cast-net bait, but they’re thinning out, so it may take some searching to find them.
The trout action should stay good as long as the water temperatures stay 50 degrees or better.
Trey, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are seeing big numbers of black drum, sea mullet, puppy drum, and a few spots while bottom fishing with shrimp.
The reds are also taking an interest in live mud minnows, which are attracting attention from some speckled trout as well.
