Inshore Report:
December fishing can be very up and down. We’re now into winter and could have major cold fronts come through with winds and temperatures into the 30’s. Then, on the other hand, we could have light winds and temperatures in the 70’s. Typically, though, we have a pretty mild December and some great fishing.
This time of year most anglers have switch over to a “speckled trout” mode. There are plenty of small fish around this year and on some days you can catch all you want. But remember, December is big fish month for trout. As it gets colder, the fish will change their patterns as to where you might find them. December is usually the month that the big boys are caught in our area.
The last three years in the Chasin’ Tails Outdoors Speckled Trout Challenge the winning fish has been caught in December with each winner being over eight pounds. When the water gets cold, the bigger fish will winter over in deep holes or pockets of the creeks and get active on warmer days to feed. When I say a deep hole, it could only be four or five feet deep. So, don’t think you’ve got to find a 20-foot deep hole to catch them.
It’s hard to say what creek or what area to fish because it turns into a hunting game. The anglers that have the most success in the winter keep trying different creeks in our area until they find one that is holding fish. Some good creeks to explore are: Spooners, Gales, Broad, North River and School House. Live mud minnows, MirrOlure 17 MR, Vudu Shrimp, Manic Shrimp, DOA Shrimp, YO-Zuri 3DS Minnows, Rapala Twitichin’ Rap and Storm Shrimp will all be key baits on creek fishing for trout. The key to catching them now is to slow down your retrieve, plus you have to have the right lures in order to do that. The other areas that will be holding fish are the rock jetties: Radio Island, Shackleford, Fort Macon and Cape Lookout, the best spot of all.
The Cape Lookout Jetty can be excellent in December with lots of good quality fish. By this time of the year the majority of live shrimp have moved out and the trout will key in on live mud minnows on float rigs or a Carolina rig fished on the bottom.
If you’re going to the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty it’s a must to take some live mud minnows along for the trip. This time of the year, it can make a big difference in catching fish. I’ve seen boats not catching anything and the boat right beside them casting live bait into the same area and putting them in the boat on every cast.
The Vudu Shrimp and the 3D Manic Shrimp that look so real in the water will work great since there are no more live shrimp in the water. They look like a live shrimp and probably have more action than a live shrimp. These two shrimps have been the hottest trout lures I’ve seen hit the market ever. The new Live Target Shrimp looks like a live shrimp but it doesn’t have as much tail action as the Vudu or Manic…but it has been working well also.
This is the time of year that the redfish will stack up in huge numbers at the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty. If the bite is right, you can easily catch over a hundred fish a day. Live mud minnows or Berkley Gulp will be the “go-to” bait for the best action. Also, the reds will get in huge schools on the shoals, if you can catch the water just right to look for them. During the winter months the water is generally clear so it’s not hard to find them. Look for dark spots in the water and it’s usually a school of reds.
Anglers might think that all the redfish have moved out of the backwaters but that isn’t true. They all don’t leave the shallow water. The Haystacks and Core Creek Bays are great places to look for schools of fish warming up on the mud flats. The best thing about this time of year is the water will be clear, making for some great sight-fishing. The other great thing is when you find them, they’ll be in large numbers. Berkley Gulp, Vudu Shrimp, live mud minnows and cut mullet will be the baits of choice when you can locate the fish.
As for the bottom fish, most have moved on but the pufferfish are still here. Some might say, who wants to catch pufferfish, but they’re some of the best fish in the ocean to eat. The Cape Lookout Rock Jetty is a great place to try for them, plus up and down the beach. Bait shrimp fished on the bottom with a bottom rig will get the job done. You also might run across some hogfish and a few sea mullets that might be left around.
Black drum and sheepshead will still be around the Fort Macon Rock Jetty and Cape Lookout Rock Jetty at this time of year. Bait shrimp fished right along the rocks and on the bottom will get you the best results.