The fishing has been fairly good, considering the time of year, but cold temperatures and windy conditions have made the fishing a little difficult. Water temperatures have plummeted to the mid to lower 60s, no doubt affected by the freezing temperatures our area has experienced, and now those temperatures have rebounded and so will the water temps, slowly and slightly. But what do you expect, as it is, after all, the last full week of November.
The speckled trout fishing continues to be strong if you know where to look, although the small, undersized fish have arrived in abundance, making catching a keeper rather difficult. In addition to the small specks, there are plenty of small bluefish that have invaded and will readily tear up any bait intended for a trout. The suggestion from anglers is, if you encounter bluefish, move locations quickly, otherwise be prepared to go through a lot of tackle. The good news in this report is that the larger fish have also arrived, with several fish reported coming from local waters that have weighed in between 5-9 pounds. While those fish have been few and far between, the colder waters normally produce some larger fish and 5-7 pound speckled trout are a common occurrence for anglers throughout the month of December. Most of the larger fish of this size will come from the ocean waters, whether it be from the surf or around the jetties, although some prize-sized trout will also be found in the river. The same soft artificial baits used by anglers fishing the inshore waters are perfectly fine for use in the ocean waters, but some anglers suggest using the larger sized baits in order to entice the larger fish. Live baits will also work and there are still a good number of finger mullet cruising around the creeks and marsh edges, but they will be a little more difficult to find and catch as the waters continue to cool.
Red drum are also being caught in good numbers in both the inshore waters and from the surf. Both artificial baits and natural baits, such as cut bait and live minnows, are working. While there are still some larger over slot fish around, most of those encountered have been within slot size. Areas around the docks and creek mouths are producing good results as are areas around the Masonboro Inlet jetties.
Surf fishing has been steady as well, with good catches of both black drum and Virginia mullet being reported when the surf conditions allow fishing from the beach. Fresh cut shrimp has been a good bait choice but those using sand fleas have been experiencing better luck with larger fish. A few red drum and flounder have also been caught.
Speaking of flounder, new rules and regulations will be going into effect starting in 2016. More on this change will be covered as fishing slows down, before the new regulations begin, but in brief, starting on January 1, 2016, the minimum size limit for flounder will be 15 inches. In addition, flounder fishing will be closed October 16 through December 1 of next year.
