Southport/Oak Island – June 2023
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that local piers have seen a good run of bluefish and schools of spanish mackerel. The first few scattered king mackerel have also started to be caught, a great sign that these fish have begun moving inshore.
The nearshore anglers are seeing this same action, both good numbers of spanish mackerel now joined by scattered kings.
Surf anglers have been enjoying steady action while bottom fishing, with catches of whiting, croakers, and bluefish.
Wayne, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that anglers fishing the ICW have had good successes catching red and black drum. Both species have been hanging around structure in the waterway, and they’re feeding on fiddler crabs (black drum) or live bait/menhaden (reds). The red drum are also striking at topwater plugs in the mornings on the ICW shallows.
Sheepshead action has really been heating up. While the early season was seeing good numbers but mostly smaller fish, anglers fishing docks and other pilings are now finding a much better quality of size.
Surf anglers have been glad to see a nice push of pompano showing up for those casting sand fleas and shrimp into the wash. The cleaner water has been key for this action. Some whiting are also mixed around for the bottom fishing anglers.
There are schools of bluefish and spanish mackerel running near the surf, with pier anglers having a bit more success sight casting their spoons and Gotcha plugs.
Nearshore trips have seen a lot of action on spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons and mackerel trees.
Anglers running out by the Tower have caught some good-sized king mackerel (to 37 lbs.) and mahi.
Kevin Horn, of Rocky Mount, NC, caught this bonito on a 6″ Drone spoon while fishing four miles offshore of Ocean Isle Beach.
Jeffery, of Mad KingZ Tackle, reports that surf anglers have started to see some action on both bluefish and spanish mackerel while casting metals from the shoreline towards these schools feeding on bait pods.
Both of these species are also plentiful for anglers trolling off the beaches.
Offshore runs have been producing good numbers of mahi and scattered wahoo.
Back inside, sheepshead fishing seems to be the most reliable bite.
Hunter, of Dockside Fishing Charters, reports that red drum have been a little hit or miss now that these fish have spread throughout the area. Sizes have been pretty good, though, with some over-slot fish around. Cut pogies fished on and near ICW docks and rocks have been a good tactic for these warmer days.
Fiddler or mud crabs fished in these same areas have been producing black drum.
There are a few speckled trout being caught, mostly by anglers fishing shrimp under floats.
Nearshore anglers have found some king mackerel showing up in the 5-8 mile range. This 10-15 lb. class of kings are responding really well to live pogies.
There has been a really good spanish mackerel bite, as these schools crush the glass minnow pods along the beach.
Kirk, of Take Up The Slack Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding some red drum action in the mainland creeks and bays behind the barrier islands.
There are a few scattered trout in the catch, with a rising tide in the morning being best.
Nearshore action has been pretty good, with spanish mackerel aggressively striking both sight casted metals and trolled spoons.
There hasn’t been much word of nearshore kings yet, but there is a bunch of bait on the beaches, so the kings could kick off any time now.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that nearshore anglers have been finding plenty of spanish mackerel out along the beaches. Both trolling Clarkspoons and sight-casting jigs (such as Bowed Up Lures) are generating strikes while targeting schools breaking around birds or bait balls.
King mackerel are slowly making their way into the nearshore areas. It shouldn’t be long before we start to see the big push of kings as the beachfront water temperatures break into the 70s.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that nearshore trips are seeing a steady spanish mackerel bite, with sizes varied from throwbacks to 3+ lbs. The best action has been in the 20’ range, with bigger spoons seemingly attracting strikes from the bigger fish.
For anglers fishing cut baits around the Hot Hole and other nearshore structure, there are a bunch of hard fighting sharks nearshore.
There have been a couple 20 lb. class king mackerel starting to show up on the beaches.
Further off the beach, structure in the 25-mile range has been holding king mackerel and some cobia.
There are also some mahi and scattered blackfin tuna out in that range. Most of the nearshore fish have been a bit smaller so far.
Bottom fishing has been great out in the 100’ depth range. There has been a nice mix of gag, scamp, and hind grouper being caught on cut and live bait (with live bait being best). Also mixed in are large vermilion snapper, black sea bass, and triggerfish.
Scott Hull, of Oak Island, caught and released this 28″ redfish while fishing in the Southport area.
James, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers fishing off the end were glad to finally deck their first king of the season.
Casting plugs has been hooking a lot of bluefish and some spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing has been producing pompano, spadefish, and the occasional bluefish, and anglers out on the planks in the early mornings have been seeing a really good speckled trout bite.
Cindy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that there has been a really nice trout bite, with anglers catching some limits of both gray and speckled trout.
Bottom rigged baits have been producing pompano, sea mullet, and croakers.
Casting anglers are seeing pretty good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish, and those fishing off the end are seeing the first few kings being caught as the warmer water and bait move these fish onto the beachfronts.
