Carolina fishing report: speckled trout, sea mullet, redfish

[jeffreyweeks]

Although we remain in the 60s and lower 70s during the days, the weather has cooled enough so that water temperatures have the speckled trout feeding. The redfish remain very active and flounder are still very much around, so despite a very disappointing spot season on the piers inshore fishing is very active.



In the last week the speckled trout bite has finally materialized, and some of the trout are schooling in a very nice size up to 20 inches. They are feeding heavily on shrimp and mullet, and while live shrimp can still be found they are by far the best bait. Live shrimp under a float at the jetties or around the bridges are deadly right now for the morning trout bite.



If you don't have live shrimp you can fish Gulp! or DOA imitation shrimp in the same way and still get some hits. You can also try MirrOlures as the larger trout love to hit the plugs that imitate a big finger mullet.

For the flounder and redfish live finger mullet or pogies (or mud minnows) are working, fished slowly on and just off the bottom. The flounder are active and feeding and the redfish have not yet schooled into the huge schools but are roaming in pods of similar sized fish.

There is also solid black drum action around the bridges, piers, and dock pilings after dark. Pinfish are still a problem during the day inshore but you can fish in daylight at the piers for black drum among the pilings with fresh shrimp.

The spot run has simply not materialized which is very distressing. There has been scattered action on some really nice late pompano and big sea mullet. Some surf fishermen have caught some very nice sea mullet on the last hours of the incoming tides.



Spanish mackerel action has died away, probably for the season, but there are still snapper blues in the surf. Anglers continue to look for spot but most flurries have been of small fish and low numbers.

For more fishing reports and articles see my blog A Dash of Salty and my website Surf and Salt