While the fishing is not what it was a few weeks ago, anglers are definitely not complaining that it’s going into mid-December and there’s still plenty of fishing and catching to talk about. Now, fishing opportunities have dwindled, but with air temperatures forecast to reach into the mid 70s this week along with water temperatures that are still reading in the mid 60s, fishing in short pants a couple of weeks before Christmas doesn’t sound all that bad.
Offshore fishing, unfortunately, has taken a back seat the past couple of weeks as ocean conditions have not allowed a lot of boats to venture out past the mouth of the inlet. But you can bet there are plenty of anglers waiting for the conditions to improve so they can see what is biting and that opportunity might just present itself this coming weekend. A lot can change between now and then but fishermen will fish when given the chance.
Inshore, the trout fishing has remained steady, with a lot of reports of smaller fish being caught in the inside waters. There are still some larger fish being found mixed in, but it has become more difficult to find keepers while fishing the creeks and channels, particularly around the Wrightsville Beach area. That’s not to say that there aren’t any keepers, because there are, but expect to catch a lot of small fish before finding a keeper, not to mention the small bluefish that are still prevalent and will destroy your trout lure. Anglers are finding some bigger fish near the inlets, and when conditions allow, from the surf and around the Masonboro Inlet jetties.
The surf is also producing some hefty-sized Virginia mullet the past couple of weeks, but it has really fired off the past week with lots of fish being reported. Mullet in the 1-2 pound range have been common along the beach, with fresh shrimp and sand fleas being the prime baits. Most of the anglers who are successful are fishing the deeper sloughs and holes at low water and remaining in their spot through the high tide. There’s no specific tactic other than a two hook bottom rig and some like making their own rather than using a store-bought rig with a lot of hardware on it. Another reason anglers are fishing starting at low water is so they don’t lose their spot when the water rises and covers the hole they found. Some anglers will set up at a prime location and remain there for hours until conditions get right. Then again, when the air temperatures are more like springtime, who’s blaming anyone for getting out and enjoying Mother Nature?
Elsewhere, a few red drum and other species such as black drum, flounder, and some croaker are still being encountered. Conditions have not plummeted to the point that nothing is biting and fishermen are still having luck with something, although it may not be what they were expecting to catch. Blowfish have also made a big showing and a lot of anglers are targeting them this time of year because of their tasty table fare. Sooner or later conditions will decline to the point of no fishing, but until then, enjoy what we’ve been given!
