Southport/Oak Island – July 2022
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that speckled trout have been running in the surf zone and being caught off local piers. The low light hours, both early and late, have been best for this bite.
Bottom fishing in the surf has produced spot.
King mackerel are still around nearshore, though more scattered from last month. However, the reports of kings being caught off the piers still shows there’s a scattered bite in the area.
Nearshore anglers have been catching a ton of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling the beachfront with spoons or live bait.
Schools of false albacore have also started to move in and are being found near bait balls out around the Hot Hole.
Lauren Mitchell, of Winnabow, caught this 25 lb. king mackerel on live menhaden while fishing 9 miles offshore of Oak Island.
Josh, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that there has been a good run on speckled trout from the piers early in the mornings. Anglers are having the most success with live shrimp or artificial Vudu shrimp.
There have been some good-sized flounder being caught from anglers fishing just behind the breakers, and bottom rigs tipped with smaller cut baits are producing whiting and pompano.
Surf anglers using fresh sand fleas are catching good numbers of pompano and whiting in deeper channels just off the sand.
Inshore anglers are catching red drum just about anywhere in the ICW. Targeting areas with deep drop-offs around docks and oyster bars has been best.
A few speckled trout are being caught by anglers out on the waterways in the early mornings.
Nearshore anglers are having plenty of success trolling for spanish and king mackerel, with both spoons and live bait enticing strikes, and the nearshore reefs are holding good numbers of flounder for anglers fishing Carolina-rigged live baits.
Jennifer, of The Tackle Box, reports that inshore anglers are catching good numbers of red drum, speckled trout, black drum, and lots of flounder while fishing the waterways and back up into mainland creeks.
Nearshore anglers are finding plenty of spanish mackerel schooled up along the beaches.
King mackerel are scattered close to the beach. While a few are being caught off the local piers, most schools have pushed further offshore.
Hunter, of Dockside Fishing Charters, reports that red drum have been biting very well. Anglers are finding most of the redfish holding in deeper holes and under docks, and recently the bite has been better on the falling tide cycles. Live shrimp and mud crabs fished on jig heads or Carolina rigs have produced most strikes. There have been multiple fish holding tight in these areas, so finding one redfish tends to mean there are more in the same area.
The speckled trout bite has gotten better. Most have been a good-sized class of 16-20” trout, and all are coming from live shrimp fished under a cork in the ICW.
Black drum fishing has been pretty consistent. These 14-20” fish are staged up around docks along the ICW and back in mainland creeks. Carolina-rigged cut shrimp will produce the drum bites.
Anglers fishing fiddler crabs around docks are catching good numbers of sheepshead.
Nearshore anglers have been finding good action on both spanish and king mackerel. The spanish have been as shallow as 20-25’.
Most king mackerel action has been in the 5-10 mile range. The majority are schoolie-sized and hitting live baits.
Kirk, of Take Up The Slack Fishing Charters, reports that inshore anglers are catching decent numbers of speckled trout while fishing with live shrimp around shell structure during falling tide cycles.
The red drum are scattered in smaller groups and are staged up around structure and deeper areas with light boat traffic.
Black drum are holding around oyster beds and deep pockets throughout the creeks. Fishing shrimp, either bottom-rigged or under a cork, during times of moving tides will provide the most action.
Nearshore anglers are seeing good spanish mackerel action while both trolling and casting at surface-feeding schools off the beach.
Out in the 7-15+ mile range, anglers fishing live baits have been landing a few cobia and some quality king mackerel.
Robert, of Reelin’ Pelican Fishing Charters, reports that red drum are feeding well inshore, though scattered in their summer pattern. Anglers are having success fishing live pogies around rock piles, docks, and other hard inshore structures.
Black drum will also be staged up around these same hard structure areas and feeding on fresh dead shrimp.
A few speckled trout are being caught, though mostly during low light times with live shrimp.
Anglers targeting the area’s bridges and docks are catching some quality sheepshead while fishing with live shrimp or fiddler crabs.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been good from the beach out to the nearshore reefs.
Further out, anglers targeting nearshore structures in the 10+ mile range are seeing good bottom fishing action alongside some cobia and good-sized king mackerel.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that spanish mackerel action has been awesome off the area’s beaches. Anglers are having plenty of success trolling Bowed Up spoons under planers or trolling sinkers. This tactic has provided many keeper Spanish, with a few scattered large fish still in the mix.
King mackerel have pushed back out off the beach. Most of these schools are holding in the 8-10+ mile range.
Bottom fishing remains solid, with anglers landing some really nice-sized black sea bass, vermilion snapper, and grouper. Many of these grouper holes are also loaded with American red snapper.
Anglers pushing out to the 25+ mile range should find king mackerel and some mahi while slow trolling live baits.
Todd Lewis, of Rigged & Ready Fishing Center, caught this 7.4 lb. sheepshead with a live fiddler crab in the ICW.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are thick along the beaches. They’re feeding on all the schools of bait moved into the area.
King mackerel have been moving in and out, from 7 miles out into the 20-mile range.
Bottom fishing in the 25+ mile range is producing large black sea bass and gag grouper. Anglers are also finding tons of American red snapper, almost to the point of becoming a nuisance.
Some mahi are already moving into the 20-25 mile range, though this bite is very scattered with most fish being caught by drifting baits while bottom fishing. This same tactic will also produce cobia and king mackerel.
Troy, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that speckled trout have made a recent showing for anglers fishing live shrimp, and bottom fishing with shrimp or sand fleas has been producing croakers, pompano, and some large whiting.
King mackerel fishing is scattered, but some large fish (to 33 lbs.) are being caught.
Steve, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers fishing live baits off the end have landed a few kings in the last week (to 24 lbs.).
Bluefish are showing up more consistently and are being caught with casting plugs thrown around bait balls.
Bottom fishing has been producing tons of croaker and scattered whiting, and a couple pompano are also showing up for anglers fishing with sand fleas.
There has been a run of speckled trout being caught at first light. This bite has been best for anglers rigged with live shrimp.
