Mornin’ folks, Artificial Lure here with your North Carolina coast fishing report. We’re on the edge of a solid day if you’re willing to brave the early chill and work the tide right. Sunrise is around 7:03 this morning and sunset’s about 5:00 this afternoon, so you’ve got a decent window. The weather’s crisp, a bit of wind out of the northeast, nothing too rough, but it’s cold enough that the fish are gonna be holding deep and tight to structure. Water temps are down, so slow and steady wins the race. Tide-wise, we’re coming off a strong high tide this morning at Oak Island, with water levels peaking around 6.4 feet this morning and dropping through the day. That means the outgoing tide is your friend right now, especially around inlets, channels, and around the piers. The coefficient is still high, so we’ve got a good push and pull on the water, which gets the bait moving and the predators keyed in. Down around Cape Hatteras, the bite’s been steady. Speckled trout are still in the mix, stacked up in the deeper bends of the ICW and around creek mouths where the current funnels bait. A few red drum are mixed in, mostly slot-sized, hanging around the deeper cuts and near the jetties. Flounder are still around too, but they’re sluggish—don’t expect a frenzy, just a slow pick along the edges. Jennette’s Pier and the Oregon Inlet area are two hot spots to hit today. Jennette’s is seeing some nice sea mullet, croaker, and a few king mackerel early in the morning on the outgoing tide. Oregon Inlet’s producing some good-sized Spanish mackerel and bluefish, especially around the channel edges and near the lifeboat station where the current’s strongest. For lures, keep it simple. For trout and reds, a 3/8-ounce gold or chartreuse jighead with a soft plastic like a DOA shrimp or a Gulp! shrimp is money in the bank. Slow roll it along the bottom or just under the surface depending on where you’re marking fish. For the macks and blues, throw a small silver or blue chrome spoon or a Gotcha plug on a light spinning rod. A purple haze-style lure can be deadly when the water’s a little dirty or the sun’s low. If you’re live bait fishing, fresh shrimp under a popping cork or free-lined near structure is tough to beat for trout and croaker. Cut bait—pork rind or squid—on the bottom will draw in the sea mullet and some of the bigger drum. Fish activity’s fair to good right now, especially around first light and the last few hours of daylight. The solunar periods are lining up decently with sunrise, so expect a little extra push early. Don’t expect nonstop action, but if you’re patient and work the tide right, you’ll come home with a few nice ones. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
