Inshore Fishing Archives - Page 153 of 287

May 8, 2026

Reds in the waters around Georgetown are getting up on shallow flats on low tide, hitting white, Fluke-style baits.

Sight-fishing for shallow, low-tide reds sticking cranking along at Georgetown

Redfish are in the shallow waters around Georgetown and Winyah Bay, and according to Steve Roff of Barrier Island Guide Service, fishermen are sight-fishing, doing well on sunny days with a little wind. […]

A good, high-definition depth finder is crucial to being able to locate the outside edges of the Little River jetties where redfish lurk this month.

Picture the bottom

Jeff Burleson

From fishing in 8 inches of water for tailing redfish to deep-dropping for swordfish in 750 feet of water, knowing and understanding what is down below is crucial on a fishing trip. […]

Warm days in late winter and early spring can not only bring out comfortable clothing, but active feeding in redfish.

Weather is a key factor in catching jetty redfish

Jeff Burleson

A nice, sunny spring day on the water feels good to the fishermen, but even more important, a warming trend can actually improve fishing, especially at the jetties that line Little River Inlet. […]

Knowing how the tide runs in a certain area can put you in position to fish productive shallow-water areas like this bay with oysters. Not knowing the tide can leave you stranded.

Fishing the tide

Jerry Dilsaver

Rick Patterson said it is important to know and understand tides before fishing on the flats and bays around Swansboro. […]

A swimbait or flutter-style hook can be rigged to make a soft-plastic bait like this Gulp shrimp weedless.

Fishing weedless

Jerry Dilsaver

It is usually important to keep your redfish baits and lures near the bottom, but guide Rick Patterson said in late winter and early spring there is a marine vegetation growing in almost all of the bays and creeks that will keep your hooks fouled. […]

Give your baits more action and look for pinch points where the water is moving for better slack-tide fishing.

Tips for better slack-tide inshore action

Brian Cope

Experienced saltwater anglers know that the best times to fish are usually when the tide is moving either in or out, but savvy anglers don’t just head to the dock shore when the tide is slack. […]

Red drum are one of only two inshore fish species that haven't been shut down around Cape Lookout by the recent cold weather.

Drum, red and black, are only Cape Lookout targets thanks to cold snap

Jerry Dilsaver

Noah Lynk of Noah’s Ark Charters in Harkers Island said the recent weather has affected fishing around Cape Lookout, and not in a positive way. All he’s finding, Lynk said, are drum, and he’s not alone. […]

You can narrow down the areas you have to hunt to find winter fish like this speckled trout by knowing where the things they're eating hang out when it's cold.

For late-winter success, find the food and you’ll find the inshore fish

Jeff Burleson

Over the past couple of months, the weather has been a little less than suitable for most anglers, but with good weather right around the corner, fishermen read to beat cabin fever can expect some action. […]

Jetties along Little River Inlet are great spots for late-winter, early spring redfish action.

Jerk on a jetty red – As winter gets ready to leave and spring to arrive, redfish action cranks up around Little River jetties

Jeff Burleson

After a long winter, fishermen can find a strong fishery cranking into high gear as the spring thaw approaches. […]

As the weather warms in March, more and more redfish move back into the ICW and the marshes around Swansboro.

Stem the red tide – Learn the tides and you can figure out Swansboro’s late-winter red drum

Jerry Dilsaver

Rick Patterson quickly checked the tide level on the bulkhead as he eased his bay boat away from the dock. He decided it would be wise give the tide an hour or two to rise and bring more water to flats where he’d found redfish, leaving him fishing several nearby creeks and deeper channels. […]