Inshore Fishing Archives - Page 155 of 287

July 15, 2026

Smaller black drum can often be found in pods or schools during the winter, in part because the amount of available habitat is smaller.

Chumming can be very effective

For most inshore fishing, anglers locate and then cast to them. Offshore, anglers fish areas where the fish should be and will frequently deploy chum to get the fish focused on the angler’s baits or lures. […]

Black drum are very tolerant of cold-water conditions, even when the majority of forage has left inshore waters.

Look for jumbos closer to ocean

Jeff Burleson

Fishing for black drum over the winter is a staple activity for anglers living along the coast, but many of the big schools of fish are filled with either sub-adults or young adults that will weigh between 2 to 15 pounds. […]

Darcy Hill locates pools deep in the marsh and backs of creeks where redfish can be isolated at dead low tide, and she catches plenty of fish there.

High and dry isn’t necessarily bad in fishing for winter reds

Justin Kiser

With winter redfish often moving as far back as they can in creeks to avoid predation from porpoises, they sometimes find themselves trapped in little backwater pools by the receding tide. […]

You’re going to get wet if you fish from a kayak, so take precautions during the winter by dressing correctly.

Winter paddling primer

Phillip Gentry

February is a deterrent to a lot of anglers regardless of the craft used simply because of the cold weather. […]

Big schools of redfish have been in bays off the ICW and New River in the Sneads Ferry area, and getting the to bite hasn't been terribly difficult

Despite being in huge schools, redfish are biting in Sneads Ferry area

Jerry Dilsaver

Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures in Sneads Ferry said there are red drum in the shallow bays off the Intracoastal Waterway and New River around Sneads Ferry, in schools of anywhere from 50 to 200 or 300 fish – and most of them are hungry. […]

How you handle a fish between the time you catch it and return it to the water will go a long way to helping or hurting its chances for survival.

Make your releases work

Jerry Dilsaver

Hopefully everyone realizes there is more to properly releasing fish than simply taking them off the hook and throwing them back. […]

Big, bull black drum are more likely to be caught closer to or in the ocean because of their love for waters with a higher salinity level.

Beat the black drum slowly – The waters of lower Brunswick County will be filled with hungry black drum throughout the winter

Jeff Burleson

February is the coldest month, and most North Carolina fishermen are either dreaming on the couch or gliding stealthily across a narrow lens of saltwater with a school of red drum in their sights. […]

Guide Tom Siwarski uses extremely light line and checks it thoroughly when targeting speckled trout in the cold, gin-clear waters of winter.

Winter trout require finesse; make sure your terminal tackle is up to the task

Jeff Burleson

If you’re a fisherman who can tolerate cold weather, now is the time to get on the water, with solid action on speckled trout reported from up and down the South Carolina coast. […]

Southern flounder remain overfished and overharvested, but an NCDMF report that outlines the problems has been rejected by a peer-review board, thus sidetracking mandated moves to improve the fishery.

NCDMF’s stock-assessment report for southern flounder is sidetracked

Craig Holt

Southern flounder, according to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, have been in trouble for more than 10 years, and a potential big step toward ending overfishing and overharvest of the species has turned into a big stumble. […]

Mark Stacy of Ocean Isle has been catching red drum and trout when he can find clean water.

Find clean water and find reds, specks in lower Brunswick County waters

Jerry Dilsaver

Capt. Mark Stacy of Ocean Isle Fishing Charters said there are some schools and scattered redfish and speckled trout biting in the marshes and creeks between the Shallotte River and the South Carolina state line, despite plenty of dirty, discolored water from runoff. […]