Southport/Oak Island – October 2023
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that inshore anglers have been doing well finding red drum in conjunction with all the bait running throughout the area. Plenty of keeper flounder have been caught during their open season. Anglers fishing rocks, oysters, and bridges are catching black drum and sheepshead. The surf zone action has been pretty spotty as a result of the less than favorable weather conditions. Nearshore anglers anticipate the king mackerel action picking up. The local piers have been landing some kings, which typically is a sign they have moved onto the beach. Anglers trolling and casting spoons to surface busting fish are finding bluefish and Spanish mackerel.
Josh, of Oak Island Sporting Goods, reports that anglers found some really nice flounder action for the keeper season. Red drum are being caught by anglers fishing live baits around docks. A few black drum are feeding on crabs and shrimp. Some large sheepshead have been caught around structure in the Southport area. The area is seeing bait (both finger mullet and menhaden) all over the place, which is a great sign as we move closer to fall fishing. Off the beach, there have been a few releases of the big bull red drum as they start to move into the area. Schools of Spanish mackerel are feeding well along the beaches. A couple of king mackerel are being caught, with most of the action still out in the 10+ mile range.
Jeffery, of Mad KingZ Tackle, reports that flounder and scattered red drum are being caught everywhere inshore with live baits. Anglers targeting the inshore hard structures, such as bridges, oysters, or rocks, are hooking sheepshead and black drum. Some smaller red drum have started being caught out in the surf zone, and a few bull red drum are being found around nearshore structures. Anglers look forward to that beachfront king mackerel action coming closer. For the time being, most of the better king action is holding out in the 15-mile range.
Robert, of Reelin’ Pelican Fishing Charters, reports that the inshore waters are absolutely loaded with bait. Anglers can quickly find anything they need for a day’s fishing efforts, from finger muller to menhaden to shrimp. The big news has been the success of anglers targeting flounder during the keeper season. There’s been some quality fish this year (to 10 lbs.) when bottom fishing live baits or Gulp soft plastics. On higher tides, target the flatfish along grass banks, and then on the lower tides, drop back and fish the docks. Fishing hard structures with large fiddler crabs is producing nice-sized sheepshead and black drum.
The speckled trout action continues to be an early morning affair, with the topwater bite most days shutting down before 8:00 am. Red drum action has stayed steady throughout these changing weather patterns. Anglers have done best by targeting areas holding bait, with some nearby structure of some sort being a bonus. Nearshore runs have found Spanish mackerel, with king mackerel now starting to show up close to the beach. Some schools of big red drum are off the beach, with nearshore reefs being good areas to target.
Hunter, of Dockside Fishing Charters, reports that flounder fishing has been the hot ticket for anglers getting out on the water over the last weeks of September. Plenty of fish are and were around, and this has allowed anglers to fish larger (5-6”) mullet in order to make their one keeper fish a quality one. Anglers fishing live baits inshore are also finding some red drum mixed in the action. Speckled trout have stayed pretty quiet. As water temperatures cool and clean up after these storms, we should start seeing more fish staging in their fall areas. The nearshore waters are pretty stirred up following a run of storms. Anglers look forward to conditions settling and schools of Spanish mackerel popping up around bait balls. The fall king mackerel bite should also be showing better, as the cooler water will draw them in from offshore to feed on the bait pouring out of the inlets.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that a larger class of Spanish mackerel have been showing up, and they’re feeding on cigar minnows and mullet anywhere from the beachfronts out to 10+ miles. Scattered kings are in this same range, and numbers only pick up with these fish moving into the cooling nearshore waters. Bottom fishing over the deeper structures in the 90-120’ range has been excellent all summer. Anglers loading up fish boxes on the mixed bag of species will find that action only gets better as fall moves in and species start staging up over shallower areas. Some mahi are still around, and the blackfin tuna bite should be settling in.
Troy, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that some really good flounder fishing occurred over the season. Live baits have been best for landing the keeper flatfish. Bottom-rigged finger mullet have also enticed strikes from some red drum. When the water has been less churned up, casting plugs is producing Spanish mackerel. Cindy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that before the recent passing storms, anglers have been catching Spanish mackerel. A few king mackerel were also caught, a good sign that fall king fishing is right around the corner. Fishing cut baits has produced bluefish and some keeper flounder.
