09 January 2026
Coastal Carolina Fishing Report: Reds, Trout, and More Biting on the Nearshore Reefs
Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina Fishing Report Today
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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your coastal Carolina fishing report for the Atlantic this morning.
Along most of our central and southern beaches, NOAA’s tide predictions for spots like Wrightsville Beach and Jennette’s Pier show a classic two‑high, two‑low pattern today, with an early morning low, a strong late‑morning high, and another low toward late afternoon. That sets up prime moving water from mid‑morning through early afternoon and again right before dark.
Sunrise along the coast is right around 7:20 a.m., with sunset close to 5:20 p.m., and we’ve got cool, stable winter weather: morning temps in the 40s and 50s, climbing into the 60s, light northwest to northeast winds, and relatively calm seas according to NOAA marine forecasts. That combo usually means clear water on the beach and happier fish on the reefs and nearshore structure.
Inshore and surf, the winter pattern is locked in. Local tackle shops from Atlantic Beach down to Oak Island report **red drum**, **speckled trout**, and **black drum** still biting in the backs of creeks, marsh drains, and along deeper surf sloughs. Most folks are catching a pick of reds and trout with the better numbers coming at the top of the rising tide and first of the fall. Slot reds and 1–3 trout per angler has been common when you stay on the move.
On the beaches and piers, there’ve been scattered **sea mullet**, **puffers**, and a few **puppy drum**, plus small **black drum**, especially where there’s a defined cut or point. Offshore and nearshore reports out of Beaufort Inlet and Masonboro have boats putting decent boxes together with **black sea bass**, **triggerfish**, and the odd **king mackerel** and **false albacore** on the warmer breaks.
For lures, keep it simple and slow. In the creeks and around docks, 3–4 inch paddle‑tail plastics on 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jig heads, MirrOlure 17MRs, and small soft jerkbaits are producing trout and reds when crawled just off the bottom. In the surf and around inlets, a plain double‑drop rig with **fresh shrimp**, **fishbites**, or **sand fleas** is hard to beat for sea mullet and drum. For nearshore kings and albacore, anglers are still getting bites on **dead cigar minnows** on stinger rigs and small glass‑minnow‑style metals.
Best natural bait right now: **fresh shrimp**, **cut mullet**, and small **mud minnows**. Fish them on a Carolina rig or fish‑finder rig around creek mouths, oyster bars, and bridge pilings, especially when the water first starts pushing in.
Couple of hot spots to circle on your map:
• **Beaufort Inlet and the Atlantic Beach Bridge area** – Work the tide lines and deep drops at the inlet for reds, trout, and sea mullet, and hit the bridge and nearby marsh drains on the rising tide.
• **Masonboro Inlet and the Wrightsville surf** – Fish the jetty edges, inlet bars, and the first deep slough off the beach for trout and puppy drum early and late, then slide outside to the nearshore reefs for sea bass when the wind allows.
That’s your on‑the‑water rundown from Artificial Lure. 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
Along most of our central and southern beaches, NOAA’s tide predictions for spots like Wrightsville Beach and Jennette’s Pier show a classic two‑high, two‑low pattern today, with an early morning low, a strong late‑morning high, and another low toward late afternoon. That sets up prime moving water from mid‑morning through early afternoon and again right before dark.
Sunrise along the coast is right around 7:20 a.m., with sunset close to 5:20 p.m., and we’ve got cool, stable winter weather: morning temps in the 40s and 50s, climbing into the 60s, light northwest to northeast winds, and relatively calm seas according to NOAA marine forecasts. That combo usually means clear water on the beach and happier fish on the reefs and nearshore structure.
Inshore and surf, the winter pattern is locked in. Local tackle shops from Atlantic Beach down to Oak Island report **red drum**, **speckled trout**, and **black drum** still biting in the backs of creeks, marsh drains, and along deeper surf sloughs. Most folks are catching a pick of reds and trout with the better numbers coming at the top of the rising tide and first of the fall. Slot reds and 1–3 trout per angler has been common when you stay on the move.
On the beaches and piers, there’ve been scattered **sea mullet**, **puffers**, and a few **puppy drum**, plus small **black drum**, especially where there’s a defined cut or point. Offshore and nearshore reports out of Beaufort Inlet and Masonboro have boats putting decent boxes together with **black sea bass**, **triggerfish**, and the odd **king mackerel** and **false albacore** on the warmer breaks.
For lures, keep it simple and slow. In the creeks and around docks, 3–4 inch paddle‑tail plastics on 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jig heads, MirrOlure 17MRs, and small soft jerkbaits are producing trout and reds when crawled just off the bottom. In the surf and around inlets, a plain double‑drop rig with **fresh shrimp**, **fishbites**, or **sand fleas** is hard to beat for sea mullet and drum. For nearshore kings and albacore, anglers are still getting bites on **dead cigar minnows** on stinger rigs and small glass‑minnow‑style metals.
Best natural bait right now: **fresh shrimp**, **cut mullet**, and small **mud minnows**. Fish them on a Carolina rig or fish‑finder rig around creek mouths, oyster bars, and bridge pilings, especially when the water first starts pushing in.
Couple of hot spots to circle on your map:
• **Beaufort Inlet and the Atlantic Beach Bridge area** – Work the tide lines and deep drops at the inlet for reds, trout, and sea mullet, and hit the bridge and nearby marsh drains on the rising tide.
• **Masonboro Inlet and the Wrightsville surf** – Fish the jetty edges, inlet bars, and the first deep slough off the beach for trout and puppy drum early and late, then slide outside to the nearshore reefs for sea bass when the wind allows.
That’s your on‑the‑water rundown from Artificial Lure. 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