Overdue Spring Update!

I first must apologize for my extended absence from my fishing report, as I am long, long overdue to give everyone an update on the inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle and Sunset beach area.  

This past winter and early spring has been the most eventful of my life.  I was given the opportunity to pursue a different career path in January, and have been working toward doing so since.  My wife and I also welcomed a new addition over the winter as well.  This will essentially make me a part-time guide, and my availablity will be quite limited, but I will try to get as many of my great clients on the water as possible during the year.  For those whose schedules don't line up with mine, I will be glad to direct you to someone who will take care of you.

While this was already a great change in my life, the covid-19 virus showed up and altered all of our lives in a way that we haven't seen before.  I hope that everyone out there and their families managed to stay healthy during this time and continue to do so.  As I write this, life is beginning to return to a "new normal"  and hopefully we do not see a resurgence of the virus.

As far as the fishing goes, things are progressing right along as they should be in early May, and the speckled trout, black drum, and redfish have all been providing some action recently.  Our trout fishing was quite good throughout the winter, and they seem to have picked right back up as they enter their pre-spawn time of year.  I honestly havent't been on the water very much recently, but fishermen throughout the area have been seeing some success.

I'll be back out there very soon, and once again while my schedule will be somewhat limited, please give me a call if you're going to be in town and I'll do my best to get you out on the water and pulling on some fish.

Check out a few photos of some of our winter catches below.

- Capt. Kyle 

November Report!

Well folks, we're finally beginning to see some of that fall - like weather that I have mentioned so many times.  In fact, we have a couple of days coming up this week that look down right bitter cold.  But, I think we have a bit of a warm-up coming shortly afterwards, which should stabilize our water temperature and continue to provide good fishing.  

The speckled trout fishing has been very consistent so far this month, with us finding both good numbers and good size fish.  The average fish has been 15 - 18", which is exceptional.  Of course, there have been a few undersized fish around as well, but so far not in the staggering numbers that we see some years.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that this quality of trout fishing will continue for the duration of the month, and at this point I don't see why it shouldn't.

In addition to the trout, we have been finding a few black drum and redfish to add a little variety along the way.  They too should continue to provide some action throughout the rest of the month as well.

I apologize for the short report, but there isn't much to talk about other than that the fishing has been good and will hopefully continue to be for the next few weeks at least.

I still have a good bit of availablity throughout the rest of November, so give me a call if you would like to come down and get in on the action.

Check out a few of our recent catches below!

- Capt. Kyle

September Recap/Early October Outlook

I first must apologize for my extended absence from my fishing report.  I have been fortunate to have been busy fishing, plus adding in a few boat and house projects, and I've found myself spread fairly thin.  We still have plenty of muggy, summertime heat hanging around, but it looks like we have a cold front on the way, which should improve what has already been pretty good fishing overall.  

As always, not every trip has been a barnburner, but overall the redfish have been providing consistent action.  We are beginning to see some really nice bull reds, and hopefully the best of their run is yet to come.  We have all the key factors, including bait and clean water in place, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that a slight cool down will really get them going.  In addition, we found good action from the smaller reds, from 15'' pups up to 30" or so in the backwaters throughout September and continue to do so.  These fish should also begin to school up a bit better as the water cools.

Although I haven't spent a great deal of time with them lately, we have begun to pick away at a few trout as well, although they aren't really in very large schools yet.  The best trout fishing is of course yet to come, but they too should begin to bite better as October progresses.

There have also been a few black drum around that have been willing to bite when the other species were being a bit stubborn.

Sorry for the short report, but I should have an update very soon, as I will be on the water virtually every day in the near future.  Open days in October are getting very scarce, but I still have plenty of openings in November, which usually produces our best trout fsihing of the year, so definitely keep that in mind.  

Check out some of our recent catches below!

-Capt Kyle

Another Dog - Days of Summer Report!

While we certainly enjoyed the cooler weather we had at the end of July, everyone in the Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach area knew that it was destined to end very soon.  The past few days the humidity has built back in with vengeance, and looks to stay around for at least another week or so.  However, this is nothing new for August, and is something that we deal with every year around this time.

I realize that I've said it over and over again at this point, but overall our inshore fishing has continued to be pretty good despite the rebounding heat.  As to be expected this time of year, we have certainly had a few tough trips, but thankfully we have been able to find a few hungry fish most of the time. 

Flounder fishing is often our late summer staple, and they are continuing to be this year.  While they're numbers haven't been huge, we have been finding a fairly consistent bite, and a few nice keepers to boot.  We have been catching them both in the inshore creeks and off the beach on our nearshore wrecks/artificial reefs when we've had the opportunity to get out there.  

We've also continued to find some decent redfish action throughout the area as well.  The schools have been getting pushed around quite a bit due to fishing pressure, but we've been fortunate to have landed on them a few times and experienced some good action.  The reds have been varying greatly in size from 15" pups up to 30+" bruisers, sometimes mixed in the same school.  

Our speckled trout fishing has slowed somewhat due to the water temperatures, but we have still continued to find a few here and there, and are even still seeing a few nice fish up to 4+ pounds as well.

We are beginning to reach the end of the summer vacation season, which will see things slow down a bit around Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches.  This means it is already time to start looking forward 6 weeks or so and begin planning for our upcoming fall fishing season.  I still have plenty of openings from now through the fall, but have already begun to fill some dates in October and November, especially on the weekends.  So once again, now is the time to start thinking about and planning that fall fishing trip.  But in the meantime, if you're going to be in town anytime between now and then, don't hesitate to give me a call either.

Check out a few of our recent catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Early - July Report!

I first must apologize for my absence from my fishing report.  I have fortunately been extremely busy, and many long, hot days on the water haven't left much time to jump on the computer and type a report.  We survived what was one of, if not the busiest July 4th week I have ever seen around Ocean Isle and Sunset Beaches.  While the added pressure and boat traffic certainly didn't make the fishing any easier, we still manged to find some critters over the past couple of weeks.  It seems that we may now be slipping into a weather pattern much like last July, as we have had several stormy days so far this month, but hopefully things will become a little less unsettled in the near furture.

As I have said to many folks over the past couple of weeks, we're in a pretty typical summertime pattern as far as the fishing goes.  This means that the water is hot and the fish can oftentimes be quite unpredictable.  We're still picking away at all of our usual target species, and they may bite well for a couple of days, and then not bite for the next couple.  We have certainly had some great trips recently, but we have also had some that were a little slow as well.  

Overall, our speckled trout fishing remains quite consistent, both in terms of numbers of fish and size.  While we have been covered up by the small trout a few times recently, we're still finding a good many nice ones in the 2-4 lb. range.  We've also continued to find a few redfish and black drum mixed in on many of the spots where we have been finding the trout.  I still haven't spent a ton of time flounder fishing, but we have managed to pick off a few when we have, including a few nice keepers to boot.  I am sure that we will certainly be spending more time focusing on the flounder in the coming weeks however.  

I still have have a few openings left in July and plenty after that, so be sure to give me a call if you're going to be in town and want to do some inshore fishing.

I've actually taken quite a few photos lately, so I'll let them tell the rest of the story.  Check them out below to see how our last couple of weeks have been.

-Capt. Kyle

Weekly Report!

The summer vacation season is off and rolling here in Ocean Isle and Sunset Beaches, and thankfully I have been very busy, and it looks l am going to continue to be throughout the near future.  We're in the middle of a period of unsettled weather at the moment, and have been dodging a few rain clouds and thunderstorms the past few days. But, it looks like the weather is going to shape up in the next few days and get back to a more normal summer pattern.

The inshore fishing remains good overall throughout the area, as we are still seeing some action from all our target species.  I can't say that every trip has been a home run, but we have caught pretty well on most trips, and have seen some nice quality fish to boot.  We're still picking away at the speckled trout fairly steadily, and have been finding some good quality fish on many different spots.  We also managed to find some nice redfish this past week as well, including several over - slot specimens pushing 30 inches.  There also continue to be quite a few black drum mixed in on a lot of the same spots that have been producing the trout and reds.  Finally, while I have to admit that I haven't spent much time flounder fishing, opting to hopefully chase faster action with the trout and reds, there are some nice flounder being caught.  We have managed to find a few nice keepers when we have fished for them, and many other fishermen in the area have been having similar success. 

This type of fishing should only continue throughout the month of June and into early July as long as our weather remains somewhat stable.  As far as open dates go, I do still have a few openings left in June, but they are becoming very limited, so please don't hesistate to call if you're looking to do some inshore fishing during your summer vacation.  Also, I am already filling up quite a few dates in July as well, so keep that in mind if you're going to be in town in July. 

Check out some of last week's catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Mixed-Bag May!

Its hard to believe that we're already halfway through the month of May.  It seems like winter was just yesterday, but here we are with summer right around the corner.  Thankfully, we have had both good weather and good fishing so far in May, which should continue into the near future.

I know I may be beginning to sound like a broken record, but we have still had some very consistent speckeld trout fishing throughout the area.  Once again the fish are mixed in size, but there have continued to be quite a few fish in the 1.5-3lb range, and even a few 5+ pounders still showing up.  We have also been picking away at a nice mixed bag of redfish, black drum, and even a sheepshead or two while we have been trout fishing.  "You never know what you're gonna get" has really held true everytime we've gotten a bite recently.  Also, we are beginning to see a few better quality flounder being caught as well, with several specimens up to and around the 5lb range caught in the area recently, along with quite a few other nice keeper size fish.  Although not every trip has been red hot, I certainly can't complain about the quality of the fishing we had so far this season around Ocean Isle and Sunset Beaches.  I can only hope that it continues on into the summer.

As far as open dates go, I still have a few left in May and plenty scattered throughout June, but fortunately I have been steadily filling them up, so don't wait until its too late to give me a call and plan your inshore fishing trip!  Check out some of our recent catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Spring Break Report!

As is usually the case, the week prior to (and usually the week after as well) Easter has brought quite a bit of life to both Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches.  Thankfully we have continued to have failry consistent inshore fishing for those who have chosen to venture out on the water while they were in town.

Our tides have been a bit tricky the past few days due to a full moon, which has made for higher highs and lower lows, and a ton of current in between.  However we have managed to produce some fish each day.  The speckled trout bite continues to be consistent throughout the area.  The fish still continue to be mixed in size, and while there are still a lot of small ones in many areas, there have been a good many nice 2-3lbers and even a few gator size fish still showing up.  The black drum and redfish have also been biting fairly consistently, with both showing up together in some areas, while other areas have produced more reds or more blacks respectively.  Finally, we are beginning to see the flounder start to bite a little more as well, with even a few keepers beginning to show up, especially in the areas that traditionally produce flounder early in the season.

I still have a few openings for the week after Easter, and plenty from early May onward.  I have been filling up quite a few days for the summer recently however, so don't wait until its too late as you plan your summer vacation.  So if your're going to be in Ocean isle or Sunset beach in the near future or over the summer, give me a call and lets get out on the water.

-Capt. Kyle

Its getting to be that time!

Well folks, winter is nearly over and although we have still had a bit of cooler weather recently, we should begin to slowly warm up from here.  I must apologize for my absence from the fishing report, as endless boat work and home improvement projects have been keeping me pretty well tied up.  With the mild winter we have had, there have been a few fish to be caught throughout the winter, and the bite seems to have slowly been improving over the past couple weeks.  The fishing should steadily improve from here, although there will certainly be some up and down days, and timing each trip around optimal conditions will continue to be important.

The speckled trout have continued to bite throughout the winter, and many of the areas that were holding fish in the late fall/early winter are still holding fish now.  Some areas continue to hold a lot of small trout, while others have been producing a few nicer ones.  There have even been a handful of true gators caught in the past few days, as the big girls are already getting into pre-spawn mode.  This is also the time of year when we start to see the big schools of redfish break up a little and filter out of the back creeks and into the areas where we will fish for them much of the year.  While there may not be as many grouped up, they are usually easier to get to and a little less spooky as the water warms a bit.  Also, there should be some black drum mixed in with the reds in many of the same areas right now, so if we find one, theres a good chance we will find the other as well. 

All in all, the spring fishing outlook looks pretty positive at the moment, and hopefully things will continue to improve.  As I mentioned earlier, one thing to keep in mind is that I still try to fish trips this time of year in as optimal of conditions as possible to improve our chances of success, which includes not only the weather, but more importantly the tide.  So if your looking to do some inshore fishing in the next few weeks, try to give me as much heads up as possible, and we will try to find the day that will give us the best opportunites.  Also, looking forward into the summer, I am already beginning to fill up a few days in June, July, and August, so keep that in mind as you plan your summer vacations. I don't have many recent photos, but below are a couple of a pair of nice reds we caught on a trip over the winter.

-Capt. Kyle 

Pre - Winter Report!

Once again I have fallen way behind on my reporting, but between fishing and several other projects, I have been spread pretty thin lately.  If you have been keeping up with my Facebook reports over the past few weeks, you've seen that we have had some outstanding speckled trout fishing in the Ocean Isle and Sunset beach area.  While the majority of the fish have been on the smaller side, they have made up for it in shear numbers, the likes of which we don't get to see very often.  We had several 100+ trout days in November, which made the days when we caught 40 or 50 seem slow.  Once again, the majority of the trout have been in the 12 - 13" range, but on most days we were able to pick off a good catch of keepers for the frying pan.  We have been finding a few nice trout up to 4lbs or so mixed in as well.

With the trout biting as hard as they have, we haven't spent a ton of time chasing other species, but we have been picking away at a few nice reds and black drum as well.  Most of these have come as bycatch while trout fishing, but they too are begining to bunch up as winter approaches, and someone taking the time to target them has the potential to produce a good catch.  While we don't think about flounder very much this time of year, we have still been catching one here and there while trout fishing.

While we still have some good fishing to be had the moment, we are going to transition into winter mode pretty soon, which will ultimately make things a little more difficult.  The bottom line is that while the fish are schooled up tighter in the winter, they simply don't have to feed as much, and often we need just the right conditions to get them going.  I'm in the process of giving a Ranger Banshee flats boat a refit and a facelift this winter, which will ultimately allow for more access to wintertime fish in 2019 and beyond.  Between this project, finishing a remodel of my house, and try to get a little hunting in, I have a busy winter ahead.  But if your in town over the next couple weeks and want to give the inshore fishing a shot, give me a call.  Check out some of our recent catches below!

- Capt. Kyle

Late-October Report!

Its hard to believe that we are entering the last few days of October.  Another month has flown by, and November is right around the corner.  While our weather has continued to be a little up and down, fall-like temperatures have finally set in, and our water has cooled considerably over the past week or so.

There continue to be a few bull reds around, and they will probably be around at least a few more days, but as the water continues to cool, they will eventually begin to make there way toward deeper water.  Once again this year, we did not have much of a beach bite, with only a few scattered fish here and there on the bait pods.  The bull red action in/around Little River Inlet has remained very consistent overall however.  We have begun to transition from focusing on the big reds to spending more time targeting speckled trout, black drum, and "creek" redfish, all of which are beginning bite well as the water cools.  Not to be forgotten, we have also continued to find a few hungry flounder mixed in with the other species.  

We should be at the very beginning of the best speckled trout fishing of the year, as November is usually the best month of the year to catch them.  There will also be plenty of action to be had from the black drum and redfish in addition to the trout.  I still have plenty of openings throughout the month, including several weekend days, so give me a call and don't miss out on the action.  Check out a few of our recent catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Weekly Update!

I am pleased to be able to report that things are finally begining to return to normal around my home as the flood waters have receded and I have been able to move the operation back to Ocean Isle.  Unfortunately, there are many that are still dealing with the the effects of Florence, and will continue to do so for months in the future.  Once again, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who reached out to check on me during this time. 

I also have very positive news on fishing front as well.  Much as I suspected, it only took a few days for the fish to get their act back together.  The bull reds showed up earlier in the week and have bitten consistently throughout the week.  There have also been some big schools of bull reds seen offshore that will hopefully move into the beaches once we get some north wind and some menhaden show up.  The smaller reds in the creeks have also started to get bunched back up, and a few trout have started to make an appearance as well.  I have been asked countless times in the past couple weeks if the hurricane would in effect ruin the fall fishing.  This is simply not the case.  We will certainly have to adapt to the conditions, but the fish will be here somewhere. 

With all that being said, it is now go time.  Its time to get that fall fishing trip planned, and especially if you want to get in on the bull redfish run, you need to get those plans together sooner than later.  I only have a few openings between now and mid - October, which should be the peak of the run.  After that, our trout fishing and creek redfishing should take off.  Its only to get better from here, so give me a call and don't miss out.  Sorry for the lack of pictures this time around.  Hopefully we will have plenty on the next report!

- Capt. Kyle

Late August / Labor Day Weekend Wrap - Up!

First I must apologize for getting a little behind on my reporting.  I have fortunately been very busy fishing, and coupling that with a few other projects I have going on, has resulted in very little time to do much of anything else.  The 2018 summer vacation season unofficially ended yesterday, after a very busy Labor Day weekend.  I have to thank everyone who made fishing with me part of your summer vacation this year.  I really appreciate your business and hope to see you again in the summer of 2019.

As far as the fishing goes, we are now hung in what I consider to be a "dog-days of summer" type pattern.  The air is hot and humid, and the water is quite hot as well.  This type of situation often leads to some inconsistency in the fishing, but is something that we deal with pretty much every year.  We have had some great trips and some slow trips recently, but on average we have been able to pick away at a least a handful of nice fish each trip.  The redfish have continued to provide some action, and even seem to be starting to school up and move into areas that we would expect to see them later this month and into October.  They have ranged in size from undersize pups up to a few 30+ inch bruisers.  The flounder fishing has also remained fairly consistent as well, with both the inshore waters and the nearshore wrecks/artificial reefs producing some nice catches lately.  We are also continuing to find a few speckled trout and black drum mixed throughout the area as well.  So all in all, fishing has been pretty decent considering the time of year and the amount of boat traffic we have had to contend with. 

We are now only a few weeks away from the beginning of the best time of year for inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach areas.  All we need are a couple of cold fronts and some north wind to get things going.  That being said, now is time to plan those fall fishing trips, because dates in October and November are already beginning to fill up, especially the weekends.  In the meantime, I still have plenty of openings throughout September if you're going to be in the area and want to do some inshore fishing.  Either way, give me a call and lets go catch some fish sometime over the next three months.  Check out a few of our catches from the past couple weeks below!

- Capt. Kyle 

Weekly Report!

I am pleased to finally be able to report that we were able to fish this entire past week and not get rained on a single time, which almost didn't seem right after what we had experienced the three prior weeks.  We returned to a more typical late summer weather pattern, which unfortunately includes a lot of heat and humidity.  Couple that with the extreme tides we have been experiencing due to the new moon, and all of a sudden we have a whole new set of challenges to overcome.  

Fortunately, we have been successful at overcoming those challenges and have still managed to produce some nice fish.  We had some good flounder action on a couple of trips, with both good numbers of fish and some quality fish as well.  The redfish and black drum also continued to give us some action throughout the week.  Most of both species continue to be slot size, with a few undersize specimens and even a handful of over slot reds still showing up.  As I mentioned last week, the speckled trout fishing has tapered off a bit due to the hot water, but we have still managed to find a couple here and there, including a really nice 5lber earlier in the week.  This type of action should continue as August progresses as long as we don't have any kind of crazy weather.

We are beginning to see the summer vacation season taper off as school is starting back up throughout much of the country over the next couple of weeks, which means I have plenty of openings available if you're going to be in town and want to do some inshore fishing.  I'm also beginning to fill some dates in October and November as well, so its not too early to start planning a fall fishing trip!  Check out a few of our catches from this past week below!

-Capt. Kyle

July Wrap - Up!

With only a couple more days left in the month, July 2018 is almost in the history books.  I would like to say thank you to all of my clients for making it a very busy month.  This past week, like the week before, we had rainy, stormy weather to contend with almost every day.  While I was fortunate to get the majority of my trips in, it was certainly a challenge.  The unsettled weather is continuing to have an affect on the fishing, keeping the water dirty in some areas and not allowing us to fish others due to it being too rough.  But, just like last week, I still can't complain too much about the quality of the fishing that we have had, based on the conditions and time of year.

I know I'm probably beginning to sound like a broken record, but we are still picking away at all of our target species at the moment.  The flounder fishing remains fairly consistent when we can find clean water in the right areas, and although we have had to pick through quite a few undersize fish, we have been able to find a few nice keepers as well.  We have also been finding a few redfish and black drum, in a variety of different areas.  Our reds this past week ranged from underslot pups up to a couple of nice overslot fish pushing 30 inches.  Finally, late summer is typically when our speckled trout fishing begins to slow down considerably, but the rain seems to be keeping our water temps down, and thus allowing us to continue to have a little trout action.  The trout have been mixed in size as well, with quite a few undersize specimens, but we're still finding a few good ones in the 2-3 pound range mixed in.  So all in all, fishing hasn't been too bad, and hopefully we'll continue to have this kind of mixed bag action, because as I type this, it looks like we're headed into week 3 of the same weather pattern.

I realize that the summer season is unfortunatley going to begin to wind down soon, but that simply means that we're going to be one step closer to the great fishing that fall brings, so its never to early to start thinking about a fall fishing trip to Ocean Isle or Sunset Beaches.  In the short term however, I still have plenty of open dates in August, especially from mid-month on, so be sure to give me a call in you're going to be in town and want to do some inshore fishing.  Check out a few of our catches from this past week below!

-Capt. Kyle

Mid-July Update!

Well folks, the summer season has continued to fly by, as somehow we're already halfway through the month of July.  It has certainly been an interesting month weather-wise, as we started the month off with blistering heat and unseasonably warm water temperatures.  Fast forward a week later I had to dig out the long sleeves for a couple of mornings, as several days of strong north winds brought us a much needed cool down.  The weather has since stabilized into a more normal July pattern, which unforunately means more heat and humidity, as well as rising water temperatures again.

I have been very fortunate to have been very busy so far this month, and while I cannot say that we haven't had a slow trip or two, I can say that those days have been limited and that I have been very pleased with the fishing that we've had.  We had a strong speckled trout bite at the begining of the month, with good numbers of quality fish, and a couple of true gators thrown in as well.  We have continued to pick away at the trout since then, although the bite has slowed somewhat.  However, our flounder fishing has picked up quite well, and we had several good days with the flounder last week.  As can be expected, we have had to weed through quite a few undersize fish, but have been finding some nice keepers mixed in as well.  We have also continued to find a few redfish and black drum to play with along the way, so all in all things have been pretty good for us.  While it is normal for the fishing to get a little more hit and miss as the summer progresses, I certainly hope that this year will be more of an exception to the rule and and this consistent fishing will continue.

I still have a few dates available in late July, but they are getting very limited, so be sure to call ahead if you're going to be in town later this month and want to do some inshore fishing.  As for August and beyond, I still have plenty of open dates, but as always, be sure to give me a call ahead of time so that you can hopefully get the date that you would like. 

Check out the photos of some of our recent catches below!

- Capt. Kyle

Weekly Wrap-Up!

Even though its still June, the temperatures this past week have made it feel a lot more like late July or August around Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches.  It was the first really hot week of the year, and I think the heat took its toll on everyone who was out in it every day.  Fortunately though, the fish didn't seem to mind, and we had consistently good fishing all week.  Once again, we picked away at all of our target species throughout the week.  We had some good trout fishing a couple of days, some good redfish and black drum fishing a couple of days, and a couple of days when we had a few of each.  We also found a few flounder during the week as well, including a few nice keepers.  All in all, I certainly can't complain about the action that we have had, and hope that it continues.

I still have plenty of openings over the next few weeks, but they continue to fill up quickly, so don't hesitate to give me a call, so that we can get a date booked for you!  Check out the photos of a few of our recent catches below!

Weekend Report!

I hope this report finds everyone well.  I decided I would give you a quick report on the inshore action around Ocean Isle and Sunset Beaches this past weekend.  All in all, it seemed like all of the target inshore species bit well.  We found our first good trout bite of the year, and even though they are still out of season, we enjoyed some great catch and release action, with a few black drum and redfish thrown in for good measure.  There was also a good redfish and flounder bite going on as well, as a local tournament produced a strong leaderboard of both species.  It certainly looks like we have some great fishing in store over the coming weeks.

Speckled trout season opens June 15th, and I still have a few dates open the following week.  As long as we have good weather, we should have some good trout fishing and probably have plenty of action from the other target species as well.  Finally, dates in late June and early July are already filling up, so don't hesitate to give me a call, because its time to go fishing!

-Capt. Kyle 

Springtime Update!

As I write this, it finally seems that winter is behind us and the warm weather is here to stay. It was certainly a rough winter from a fisherman’s standpoint. Starting with the cold and ice we had in January, and then the up and down temperatures we have had since then, have made patterning fish a chore, but thankfully we have been finding a few. We have been finding steady action with both the black drum and redfish, which we usually depend on to get our fishing started for the year. There have been blacks and reds of all sizes around, from under-slot size fish to a few over-slot size brute reds. The flounder fishing is also starting to take off as well, with many of the typical early season spots beginning to produce good numbers of fish. As is normal with early season flounder, many are undersized, but there have been a few keepers mixed in as well. As many of you already know, speckled trout season is closed this year until June 15th due to the tough winter we had. Despite this, there are still a few around that have been providing some catch and release action.

It is still very early in our fishing season, and things are only going to improve from here on, so now is the time to start thinking about that late spring or summer fishing trip! Give me a call as dates are already beginning to fill up.

-Capt. Kyle

Mid-October Update!

Well folks, we are already halfway through the month of October, and what a different October it has been.  We have continued to have unseaonably warm air and water temperatures, which has really thrown us a curveball.  It has been fairly slim pickings on the bull reds so far, although we have some weather coming this week that will hopefully improve things.  We have caught a few of the big bulls, and there have been some big schools of them seen offshore, but they just haven't moved in on the beaches in the numbers that we've become accustomed to.  That being said, we have had some steady action with the smaller reds both in the creeks and around the inlets.  The creek fish have been varying in size from 16 inch pups up to nice upper slot size fish.  We have also been picking at the flounder pretty steadily as well, with a few nice ones mixed in.  The trout fishing is also slowly improving as the water cools, and while we have been catching a few, they should begin to bunch up nicely in the coming weeks.  Finally, we have had quite a few false albacore along the beaches this year, and they have provided some drag screaming action on a few days when things were slow elsewhere.

Looking forward, its hard to say what the bull reds may or may not do.  They may show up late and hang around into November, or things may simply time themselves out and we may not get the big push that we're looking for.  However, the next thing on the radar is going to be November speckled trout fishing.  As I mentioned earlier, they should begin to bunch up in the next couple weeks, and November is almost always the best month of the year to come trout fishing.  I still have plenty of dates open in November, but don't wait too late to call so that you hopefully can get the date that you're looking for!  Check out some of our recent catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Late June/Early July Report

As I type this, I am enjoying the A/C after what has been a busy and hot 4th of July week here in Ocean Isle.  Since my last report, we have experienced what I would conisder to be typical summertime fishing, meaning that the fishing has been somewhat up and down, with some tough days, but still with some great days as well.  We are still picking away at all of our target species, which has been nice because even on the days when the fishing was a little tougher, we have manged to have some variety.  The flounder fishing continues to be quite consistent as long as we have clean water, and thankfully we still seem to have quite a few redfish around as well.  The speckled trout bite has become more inconsistent with the rising water temperatures, but there have still been some days when the bite has been strong.  All in all, the fishing is about normal for this time of year, and should continue for the next month or so.  My availability for July is becoming more limited by the day, but I do still have some spots open, so give me a call if you want to do some inshore fishing during your vacation.  Check out the photos of some of our recent catches below!

Spring Update!

I find myself writing this report with the spring fishing season already well underway.  While things are finally looking up as far as the fishing goes, it has been an up and down road to get here.  As is normal in the early spring, the fishing action has fluctated with the weather and we have had some really good days and some really tough days as well.  Thankfully however, the air and water temps have warmed up and begun to stabilize, and the fishing is becoming better by the day.  We have been picking away at all of our target species, with the flounder fishing having really begun to take off in the last couple of weeks.  There have also been some really nice speckled trout being caught, and we have been finding some action with the redfish and black drum as well.  Things should only get better in the coming weeks, as late May to early July is often one of our best mixed - bag times of year.  So it is certainly not too early to start thinking about a fishing trip during your summer vacation.  I have plenty of open dates, but they will begin to fill up soon.  I've been slack with my photos lately, but check out a few of our latest catches below!

Another "Red"-Hot October!

As I am typing this, we are about to wrap up October 2016, and just like always, it has gone by way too fast.  The past month has provided us with one of the best, if not the best bull redfish season that this area has ever seen, both in numbers of fish and the length of the fishing season.  I have to wonder how many more we would have caught had we not lost nearly a week in the middle of the season to Hurricane Matthew.  While they may be thinning out a little, there are still some fish being caught as I write this, as the warm weather has kept the water temps up throughout the month.  I can only hope that we will have them around for this long next year.  In other news, our speckled trout bite has kicked off nicely, and they are biting well on many of the normal fall trout spots.  There is a nice class of fish around at the moment as well, and hopefully that will continue to be the case.  The trout fishing should continue to be as good as it is, or even get better in coming weeks, so now is the time to come if trout are your primary target.  There are also quite a few smaller reds and black drum in the creeks right now as well, and they have been a welcomed bycatch while trout fishing.  There are even a few flounder still being caught, and a stray flounder or two will remain a possibility for the next few weeks.  I still have plenty of openings during the month of November (although the weekend dates are getting full), so please give me a call if you want to get in on what should be some hot trout action.   Check out the photos below of what we have been up to over the last month.  Finally, be sure to keep an eye on the Facebook page for more up to date photos and reports.

-Capt. Kyle

Dog days of summer report!

Another July has flown by, which means that our summer season will soon begin to wind down for another year.  There is certainly no doubt that the older you get, the faster time passes.  All in all, we were fortunate to have some fairly consistent fishing throughout the month.  We have continued to have steady action with the flounder and trout, although the trout bite has slowed somewhat in the last week or so due to the heat.  We have caught some nice flounder throughout the month, with several nice ones in the 4-5 pound range.  There have been a few real doormats up to 10lbs caught in the area as well.  We also managed to find a few reds during the course of the month, but still certainly not as many as we would have liked to.  There have also continued to be quite a few black drum around, and although many of them have been on the smaller side, they have produced some fast action on some trips.  However, the extreme heat is starting to catch up to us, and has made the fishing tougher over the past week or so.  This is nothing new, as we always have to contend with hot water from late July to early September.  I would expect the flounder fishing to remain decent though, as it normally does, and hopefully a few more reds with filter in and continue to give us some action.  So, although it is generally a tougher time of year for inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle area, all it certainly not lost, and we still have the opportunity to have a great day of fishing at any time.  I still have plenty of openings from the 2nd week of August onward, so give me a call if you're going to be in town and would like to do some fishing.

Also, the fact that it is August means that we are one step closer to the fall, and many of the prime dates in October and November are already filling up.  So please give me a call if you would like to plan a fall trip and get in on some of the great action we typically have that time of year.

Check out the photos of some of our catches from the past few weeks below!

- Capt. Kyle

Summertime is finally here!

Well folks, another spring has flown by and it is once again June.  I apologize for a lack of reports lately, as I have found myself quite busy both on and off the water.  Remember to check out the Facebook page for up date photos and reports in between the reports I posts here.  I can confidently say that this spring has been one of the better ones "fish wise" that we have had in quite a while.  The trout fishing has continued to be strong and should only continue throughout the month of June.  As is normal this time of year, we have been finding trout of all sizes mixed together, including some really nices ones up to 6lbs.  The flounder bite bite has also been pretty good overall, with more and bigger fish starting to show as the water warms.  We have also continued to find quite a few black drum and even a few sheepshead.  The redfish have continued to be a little more scarce than we would like, but we have been catching a few, and hopefully more will show up in the near future.  This type of mixed-bag fishing should continue throughout June, and hopefully into July.  Dates for June and July are beginning to fill up fast, so don't hesitate to call and book a trip if you're going to be in town vactioning in the next couple months.  Check out the photos of some of our recent catches below!

- Capt. Kyle

2015 Wrap-Up!

Well folks, another year and another fishing season has come and gone.  I would like to say thank you to everyone that fished with me this year, as I enjoyed fishing with each and every one of you.  I certainly have had easier years fish wise, but as always, it could have certainly been worse.  Our trout bite coninued on throughout November and into December, and while many of our November and December trout were on the smaller side, they certainly made up for it with their numbers.  We also managed to find some reds and black drum to add a little variety on almost every trip as well.  All in all, we had a great fall, and hopefully we will have a strong crop of trout for next year.  We will have to see what the rest of the winter has in store for us, but the 2016 season could very well get off to an early start.  Once again, thank you to all my clients this year, and I hope to see you again in 2016!

-Capt. Kyle

Ready for some fall inshore action!

September once again proved to be a transition month for the inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle/Sunset beach area.  We continued to have consistent mixed-bag action, much like we did in August, but we just didn't see the numbers of fish that I would have liked to.  However, its officially fall now, and September is about to be a thing of the past.  The fall fishing is beginning to take off nicely, as the bull redfish run is kicking into high gear and the fish in the backwaters are also becoming more and more active.  So instead of dwelling on what has been some tough fishing overall for the past few weeks, I'm looking forward to what will hopefully be some hot action in the near future!  Hopefully the big drum will stay with us for a while, and when they finally leave, I do believe we will see some strong trout fishing later in the fall, hopefully along with some flounder and puppy drum action as well!  Weekend dates for the rest of the year are beginning to get scarce, so call now if you are coming to the beach for a weekend this fall and want to do some fishing.  I also have plenty of weekdays still open from late October-mid November.  I'm running a little short on pictures for this entry, but hopefully that won't be an issue next time around!

-Capt. Kyle

July Catch - Up

Well folks, it has thankfully been another very busy July.  I have been on the water nearly every day recently, which has resulted in a lack of fishing reports.  Overall, we have had pretty good fishing throughout the month.  There have been some really good trips, and some slow trips as well, but such is the nature of the game. We have continued to see some action from all of our target species, and hopefully it will continue as we head into August. I have accumulated quite a few photos over the course of the month, so I will let them do most of the reporting on our recent catches. Be sure to check them out below. I still have plenty of openings for August, so give me a call if you're going to be in town and want to do some inshore fishing.

-Capt. Kyle

Steady June Fishing....

Once again I have fallen behind on my reporting duties, as the last couple of weeks have been wide-open busy.  Overall, the inshore fishing has been decent, as we have been seeing some action from all of the target species.  However, in my opinion the fishing has been just a little slower than it should be for this time of year, but hopefully things will improve soon.  The flounder fishing has provided the most consistent action, and we have had a good ratio of keepers to throwbacks recently.  The red and black drum have also been producing some action as well, although staying on them from day to day has been tough because most of the schools have been comprised of just a few fish.  The trout fishing has also been a little hit or miss, but we have been picking away at a few.  We've had to cover a lot of ground and use a lot of different tactics recently, but thankfully we have managed to stay busy by finding a few inshore critters to pull on.  I still have some openings for late June and July, but don't hesitate to give me a call, as they are filling up fast!  Check out some of our recent catches below!

-Capt. Kyle

Summer is around the corner for Sunset Beach!

As we continue to progress through spring toward summer, both the water and the fishing are heating up, as the two usually go hand in hand this time of year.  We have been seeing some action from most all of the target inshore species lately.  The redfish and black drum continue to produce a good piece of our total catch, as they are continuing to move out of the backwater creeks and stage up on more accessible spots along the ICW.  The speckled trout have also made a good showing on a few spots around the area, which is hopefully a sign of a good trout year to come.  Finally, the first flounder of the year are beginning to be caught as well.  While many are undersized, which is normal for this time of year, there have been some nice keepers caught throughout the area.  Things are only going to get better in the coming weeks, so now is the time to plan your late spring/summer fishing trip!

-Capt. Kyle

November Wrap-Up!

I must apologize for being so slack lately with my reports, but between chasing trout and ducks, I have had a busy month.  We have had a very strong trout season, with plenty of nice ones to be caught throughout our area.  The last few days have been great, so hopefully we will have a few more weeks of good trout fishing before the cold sets in.  In addition to the trout, we have been finding some steady action with both the black drum and redfish as well.  The flounder fishing has wound down, but we are still picking up a few of them as by catch when trout or drum fishing.  I have also been slack with my picture taking lately as well, but the photos below are pretty representative of the action we have had.  Plenty of nice trout, with multiple limits some days.  All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better November.  There are still plenty of fish around, so if you would still like to get a trip in before the end of the year, give me a call!

 -Capt. Kyle

October Inshore Action!

We are finally in the midst of the best time of year for inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle area, which has been proven by the good fishing we have enjoyed over the past couple of weeks.  I will admit, we have had a few more slow days than I would like to have in the fall recently, which was mostly due to several days of strong southwest wind, resulting in dirty water both on the beaches and in the backwater as well.  But thankfully we have had many more good trips than we have had slower ones.  The redfish fishing continues to be our mainstay, and we have continued to catch some big bull reds, although they have been a little more scattered this year than last.  But the ones we have been catching have been nice ones, with quite a few 30+ pounders in the mix.  We have had some great action recently with the spanish mackerel when the ocean was calm enough for us to venture out off the beaches.  Casting swimmings plugs and jigging spoons into schools of feeding frenzied spanish mackerel makes for some fast action and great fun on light tackle.  We have also caught some nice false albacore recently using the same technique, which also makes for quite a bit of excitement with their drag screaming runs.  In addition, the flounder fishing continues to be consistent overall, and we have been able to put together a couple of nice catches when we took the time to exclusively target them.  The speckled trout fishing has probably been the most inconsistent of all the target species, but we are starting to see more of them all the time, and the fact is that the water just needs to cool off more before the trout bite gets into full swing.  All in all, things have been pretty good on the inshore fishing front, and are sure to only improve as the air and water continue to cool.  I still have some available days towards the end of the month and beginning of November, so there is still plenty of time to give me a call and get a fall fishing trip in!

 -Capt. Kyle

Its almost fall!

Well, the busy summer season has come to a close, and things are slowing down around Ocean Isle.  However, as is normally the case this time of year, as the vacation season slows down, the fishing picks up.  The air and water continue to be plenty hot, but a few cool nights recently have us moving in the right direction.  The fishing isn't red hot yet, but is certainly looking up, with all of the target inshore species providing some action over the last few days.  The flounder fishing remains very consistent throughout the area, and the redfish also continue to be more prevalent and seem to be schooling up a little more.  Also, the trout have begun to bite again and we have been picking away at them as well.  All in all, fishing is good and should only get better!  The prime dates for the fall continue to fill up, so give me a call sooner than later if you want to get in on the action!

-Capt. Kyle

On the grind...

Well, we have certainly been faced with some challenging conditions the past week or so.  With a combination of the hot water we already had, plus several inches of rain and a few windy days on top of that, we have had to work hard for every bite we've gotten.  However, on the bright side, we have been able to find some bites from all of the target inshore species.  We have been picking away at the flounder, trout and redfish on many of our normal spots in/around Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches.  The name of the game has been to keep bouncing around and covering as much ground and as many spots as possible in order to put together a decent catch each trip.  We'll be back at it everyday this week, and hopefully the water will continue to clean up and in turn the fishing will pick up as well.  I wish I had a more exciting report for everyone, but sometimes fishing is a grind, and it takes a lot of hard work to find a few nice fish.  However, fall is right around the corner, and the prime weekend dates in October and November are already beginning to fill up, so don't hesistate in you want to get in on some of our great fall fishing action!

-Capt. Kyle

"Catching" Up

Once again, I have been slack on my fishing reports, as I have had a lot of long, hot days in the past couple of weeks.  Overall, the fishing has been and continues to be good.  We have certainly had some up and down days, mostly due to some tough weather conditions, but when we have had good weather and clean water, we have found plenty of hungry fish.  The flounder bite continues to be very good throughout the Ocean Isle area.  We have also been catching quite a few nice ones, with fish up to 5lbs this week.  The redfish action has improved as well, as I am starting to see more fish move into areas where they should be this time of year.  Hopefully, this trend will continue and we will begin to see even more reds move into the area.  Finally, the trout fishing has slowed down a bit, but that is to be expected with the hot water that late summer usually brings.  However, there are still a few areas that are holding some nice trout when we have the right conditions.  So all in all, things are still pretty good on the inshore grounds around Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches.  I only have a few spots left for the rest on July, so don't hesitate to give me a call if you are coming to the area in the next few weeks and want to do some inshore fishing.  Check out some of the highlights from the past few trips below!

-Capt. Kyle

Great Summertime Inshore Action!

Sorry for the lack of reports recently, as I have been on the water nearly every day the past couple of weeks.  Fortunately, I am pleased to be able to report that we have had some good fishing in the past couple of weeks for all of the target inshore species.  The flounder fishing has remained good, as we have been able to find plenty of keepers recently, with some real nice ones up to 5lbs.  There have been some real doormats caught in the Ocean Isle area recently, including at least a couple of 10+ pound specimens.  We got back after the trout this week now that the season has re-opened and we can once again keep them.   Starting Monday morning and lasting all week, we found some great trout action.  Many of the schools of trout have been mixed in size, but we have caught plenty of nice ones, including some "near-gators" up to 4.5lbs.  The redfish have made a few strong showings recently as well, although I admit we have fished for them less in the past couple weeks than we have for the trout and flounder, simply because the trout and flounder have been biting so consistently.  We have also manged a few nice black drum and sheepshead as "bonus" fish while chasing our three target species.  Check out the photos of some of our recent catches below.  I only have a few of openings left over the next three weeks, so don't hesitate to give me a call if you want to get in on the action!

-Capt. Kyle

Summer Kick-off Report!

Well, Memorial day weekend had come and gone, which signifies the unofficial start of the summer vacation season.  Fishing has continued to improve and will hopefully keep doing so in the coming weeks.  The flounder fishing has been strong, and the keeper to throwback ratio has improved greatly, with more and more nice flounder showing up all the time.  The redfish, black drum, and speckled trout have also been biting consistently as well.  Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite has been red hot, and there have been quite a few cobia around on the nearshore structure as well.  I still have plenty of openings for June, but they are filling up quickly, so don't hesitate to give me a call if you're headed to the beach soon and want to do some fishing.  We will be able to keep speckled trout again after June 15th, and you can bet we will be after them thereafter, so come get in on the action!

-Capt. Kyle

Springtime Inshore Action!

It seems like the winter that wouldn't go away might finally be on its way out (except for the cold snap we're currently in). We have been doing our best to take advantage of pleasant weather we've been having lately though.  Fishing has honestly been a little spotty, with some days being far better than others, but we have been able to find a few hungry fish each trip.  Redfish and Black drum have been producing most of our action, and we have started to catch a few of the first flounder of the year as well.  Some of the usual early-spring flounder areas have seen a solid flounder bite over the past week, which should spread to all of the local flounder spots soon.  There continue to be some trout around as well, although we haven't spent a great deal of time fishing for them the last few trips.  However, the time is upon us for the big pre-spawn female "gator" trout to bite, and I expect to start hearing some reports of some big ones anytime now.  Hopefully, the water will continue to warm and the fishing will continue to improve.  The fish really seem to be in a transition phase at the moment, but they should be staging up in their normal spring/summer haunts any time now.  So get ready, some good fishing is right around the corner!

-Capt. Kyle

Mid - Winter Update!

Hello everyone!  Welcome to 2014!  I decided I needed to post an update and let everyone know I'm still here, and preparing for the upcoming fishing season!  I've been stuck indoors all day due to an ice storm, so all I can think about at this point is warmer weather and hot fishing.  There continue to be a few trout and reds to be caught in some of the backwater creeks, and the guys that have shallow draft flats boats have been finding some good wintertime action.  As for myself, the winter serves as vacation time for me, and I have been chasing ducks instead of fish over the past 2.5 months.  With that season now closed, its now time to begin the process of getting the boat squared away for the upcoming fishing season.  I'll be at the Fisherman's Post fishing school in Wilmington on Feb. 8th, which you should check out if you have time,  You can find more info at www.fishermanspost.com.  Speaking of the Fisherman's Post, one of my last trips of the year was with the publisher of the paper, Gary Hurley and his friend Tony.  We enjoyed a warm late-fall morning which produced a great mixed bag catch of speckled and gray trout, sheepshead, redfish, flounder, and tautog.  Gary made the statement early in the trip that he was looking for some fish for a fish - fry, and I think we accomplished our mission.  See the photo below.  I've also included some duck season photos to provide proof of what I've been up to during my absence from the fishing report.  In the meantime, try to stay warm, it will be fishing season soon!

-Capt. Kyle

Steady Action!

The air and water have continued to cool down since my last report, which in turn should result in the fishing continuing to heat up!  The speckled trout fishing is improving daily, but the fish haven't really begun to school up for the winter yet.  However, a few more cool nights should get that underway.  We have been starting to see a few bigger trout show up as well, and more and more should show up in the next couple of weeks.  The bull redfish fishing has slowed considerably, as the bite is nearing its end for the season.  But as the bull reds are slowing down, the smaller reds in the backwater are just beginning to get fired up, as they too are starting to school up well in preparation for the winter.  Finally, we have continued to find some flounder action as well, both in the backwaters and on the nearshore reefs/wrecks.  If things remain on the warm side, we should still see good flounder fishing for a few more weeks at least.  We are in the midst of the best season of the year, and the best should be yet to come, so give me a call and let me get you in on the action!

-Capt. Kyle

Pole bending, drag screaming action!

We were we blessed with some great weather over the past few days, and it couldn't have come at a better time.   The big bull redfish are still around in good numbers and are hungry!  We have had some great action with them over the weekend, with most of the fish being in the 40 - 45 inch range! So, just as the title suggests, we have had a lot of bent poles and screaming drags over the past few days.  While we have spent most of our time chasing the big reds, we did do a little trout and flounder fishing along the way, also with some success.  The trout bite has been o.k., and we have been picking away at them, but they should really begin to bite well in the next couple weeks if we continue to cool down.  The flounder fishing has continued to be good for those who have been concentrating on it, with plenty of keepers and a few doormats still being caught.  We're now in the midst of the best fishing on of the year, and open dates are beginning to run out, so now is the time to call if you want to get some fishing in this fall.  Check out the photos below of some of our catches from the past few days!

Bull Redfish bite in on!!

 One of the best times of the year is upon us, as the bull redfish are finally biting well around the Little River jetties.  Most of the fish have been averaging 40+ inches, so if you want to catch a citation sized redfish, now is the time!  No one knows how long they will stay here, but we should hopefully have some good action with them for the next couple of weeks.  The weather this week looks beautiful, so the bite should be good.  Plenty of smaller reds, trout, and flounder biting in the creeks too if the big boys don't cooperate.  Don't hesitate, because if you do, it will be next October before the bull reds are here again!

-Capt. Kyle

Fall is right around the corner!

The last couple of mornings have been sure reminders that fall is right around the corner, which means the best inshore fishing in the Ocean Isle area is right around the corner as well.  The fishing is pretty strong right now, and it will only get better as we get more cool weather.  In recent days, the redfish bite has continued to be very good throughout the area.  We're starting to find some nice schools in the skinny water of the backwater creeks, and the larger "over-slot" reds have been making a showing around the Little River Jetties.  There continue to be only a few big bull reds mixed in, but the main run of bull reds should only be a couple of weeks away.  While all of this hot redfish action is taking place, there has continued to be a consistent flounder and speckled trout bite throughout the area as well.  On Monday we managed to find several nice flounder up to 5lbs, a couple of nice trout, and a few reds to complete an inshore slam and a great mixed - bag trip, so anything and everything is possible right now in terms of which fish is biting best.  The cooler air and water temps are certainly getting all of the inshore species into feeding mode, and I'm excited to see what the coming weeks have in store.  I've got plenty of openings for the fall, so give me a call and lets get you in on some fall inshore action!

-Capt. Kyle

Bent Poles and Screaming Drags!

Well, it is officially September and we're inching closer to fall each day.  Even though we have still had summer-like weather the past few days, the inshore waters are showing the signs of fall.  The silver mullets continue to be thick and the creeks are still full of shrimp, and the fish are beginning to take advantage of all the food swimming around.  We found some great redfish action in the backwater creeks yesterday, with most of the fish being nice ones from 22 - 30 inches.  It was the first school of really "fired up" fish I've been on in a couple of months, as they ate everything we threw at them.  Mullet, mud minnows, shrimp, and crab chunks all got eaten as soon as they hit the bottom.  It was certainly encouraging to find this kind of action, and it is hopefully a sign of good things to come in the next couple of weeks.  We have also continued to pick away at the speckled trout, and have started to see some gray trout as well.  Both should continue to bite better and better as the month progresses.  The flounder fishing has continued to be good as well, both in the backwater and off the beach, and should also only get better as the water cools.  The best fishing of the year is right around the corner, so don't miss out, and plan your fall fishing trip now!  Check out some of the photos from the past few days!

-Capt. Kyle

Still Catching...

Initially, I must apologize because I am way overdue on updating everyone on our recent fishing action.  August can be one of the toughest months of the year, as it usually brings blistering hot air and water temperatures that put both fish and fishermen into a bad mood.  Although we have certainly had some hot days this month, it definitely hasn't been as bad as it could have been, which has resulted in good, consistent fishing for all of our target species.  We have continued to pick away and the redfish, speckled trout, black drum, and sheepshead by fishing live shrimp under floats at many of the same spots that have been producing fish for the past month or so.  We have the cleanest water around right now that we have had all summer, which combined with the abundance of finger mullet that have finally shown up, has resulted in a good flounder bite recently.  Many of the usual flounder spots have been holding fish, and there have been some true "doormats" around too.  Check out the photo below of 6+ pounder that we caught yesterday.  So all in all, things are still good on the fishing scene, although I am certainly looking forward to those cool fall days and hot fall fishing, which is right around the corner!

-Capt. Kyle

End of Week Update!

After another busy week on the inshore waters, I'm pleased to report that we're still finding some steady action, despite the hot weather and hot water.  The month of August can be unpredictable, with some years having good fishing and other years having some really tough fishing.  But, even though we're only three days in, things are certainly looking up for this year.  I have stuck to pretty much the same pattern of fishing live shrimp under floats, as it has continued to produce some nice redfish and speckled trout for us this week.  We even caught a couple of 4 pound class trout this week, which is unusual for August.  We also have continued to catch quite a few nice black drum and sheepshead while fishing for the trout and reds.  There has also been some decent flounder action this week as well, with some of the usual late summer spots beginning to produce some nice fish.  Hopefully the good weather will continue, as the flounder fishing should benefit if it does.  So even though its hot, the fish are still cooperating, so don't miss out on the action.  I've got plenty of openings left for this coming week, so give me a call!

-Capt. Kyle

More July Inshore Action!

Thankfully, I'm currently in the middle of a very busy week, and I'm very pleased to report that so far we've had some really good fishing this week, especially for the heat of the summer.  The redfish and speckled trout bite has been good the past couple of days, and in most cases we have been catching both species in the same spots, many times on consecutive casts. Most of the trout have been nice 2-3 pounders, while the reds have been a little more mixed in size, from 15" puppy drum to some "over-slot" sized fish as well.  The black drum and sheepshead have also made a showing as well, providing some great mixed-bag action for my clients.  We haven't spent much time flounder fishing since the trout and drum fishing has been so good, but we did catch one on a quick flounder stop this afternoon.  All in all, I'm very happy with the current state of our summertime fishing, and I sure hope it continues.  Check out the photos below of some of our catches from the past few trips!  Next week is already filling up quickly, so don't hesitate to give me a call if you're looking to do some inshore fishing!

-Capt. Kyle

Steady Summertime Fishing...

The steady mixed-bag fishing that we had earlier in the week thankfully continued and we have had a couple more days of good fishing.  On Thursday we found steady action all day with the trout and reds, plus had a couple of black drum and flounder thrown in as well, allowing us to complete an inshore slam on both the morning and afternoon trips.  Yesterday, we were met by heavy rain once again, but my crew decided to grind through it, and while the weather did slow the fishing considerably, we did manage to catch a handful of trout.  We got washed out again this morning, so at this point I'm looking forward to next week and what it supposed to be some drier and calmer weather, which should make for good fishing.  I still have plenty of opening for next week, but don't hesitate to call as I have been booking up quickly once everyone gets into town on Saturday.

- Capt. Kyle

Good fishing after the flood....

After being washed out by rain and thunderstorms for a couple of days, I was able to finally get back on the water yesterday.  I must admit I was very apprehensive about how fishing might be after all of the rain and wind we experienced over the weekend and the first part of this week.  The water around Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach was stained as can be expected with so much rainfall, but was surprisingly less dirty than I expected.  It didn't take us long to find some action yesterday, as we started getting bites as soon as we got the lines in the water at the first stop.  In the end it turned out to be a mixed bag kind of day, as we caught redfish and black drum, trout, flounder and sheepshead on different stops throughout the course of the day, giving us an inshore slam plus some for the day.  Today was nearly a carbon copy of yesterday, as we caught another inshore slam, catching of handful each of redfish, trout, and flounder, plus a few black drum thrown in for good measure.  The weather is supposed to finally stabilize some over the next few days, so that will certainly continue to improve the fishing as the water should clean up even more.  I'll be on the water again over the next couple of days so stand by for more reports or check out the facebook page for pictures and reports as well.  I still have plenty of openings for next week, so give me a call if you want to get in on some inshore action!

Specks still snapping...

I was able to pick up right where I left off at the end of last week, finding a steady speckled trout bite each day so far this week.  The action has been same as I spoke about in my last report, as we have continued to find trout of all sizes mixed into the same schools.  One cast might yield a 12 incher, while the next might produce a 4 pounder.  But regardless of size, the bite has been good and they have provided plenty of action so far this week.  There continue to be a good number of redfish in the same areas as well, and we have caught a few each day in the same areas where we have been catching most of out trout.  I haven't spent much time on flounder grounds this week, but did fish for them a little while on Monday, managing to find a couple of nice keepers.  The fisherman that have been concentrating on the flounder having continued to catch them well, and I'm sure I'll spend a little more time fishing for them later in the week.  So there you have it, mostly a mirror image of my last report, which is a good thing, because it means that the fish are still biting well!  I am continuing to be booked up several days in advance, so don't wait to late to call or you might miss out!

- Capt. Kyle

Mid - Week Roundup!

Fishing has continued to be good the past couple of days, even though it has been a little tough to find a set pattern of what the fish are doing from day to day.  But this is typical with summertime fishing.  I haven't been able to get back on the hot trout bite we had Monday, although we have still managed to catch a few trout the past couple of days.  The last few trips have seen some good flounder fishing, with some nice keepers up to 3 pounds mixed in, which is nice after having to grind through so many undersize fishing so far this year.  We have also found some redfish and black drum action as well,  so all the target species are biting, and if one decides to be stubborn, another has been there to fill the void.  Thankfully, I have been very busy and I'm booking up quickly, so if you'd like to get in on some inshore action don't hesitate to give me a call.

-Capt. Kyle

Latest Inshore Update...

Thankfully, tropical storm Andrea blew through the Ocean Isle Beach area quickly, but still dropped a bunch of rain and the 30+ knot winds really stirred the water in some areas.  However, things have been recovering and the water has been getting cleaner each day since Friday.  We have still managed to find some hungry fish despite the tough conditions though.  The trout and redfish bite have continued to be consistent after the storm in the areas that have had the cleanest water.  The flounder fishing has slowed somewhat due to the dirty water, but there is no doubt that the fish are there to be caught, and the bite should take back off any day now.  I'm going to be out of town for the next couple of days fishing the Big Rock blue marlin tournament in Morehead City, but I'm already anxious to get back to the Sunset Beach area, because by the time I get back to Ocean Isle, I fully expect the fishing to be just as good as it was before the storm. 

-Capt. Kyle

Great trout fishing continues...plus much, much more!

As anyone can probably tell from the name of my business, speckled trout are my favorite of the "big three" inshore species, and I enjoy fishing for them whenever possible.  My most recent clients and I have been fortunate to be able to do just that, as the good trout bite that I reported on earlier in the week has continued to be consistent over the past few days.  We have been getting most of our action fishing live shrimp under slip float rigs,  but we have caught some fish on peanut pogies and mud minnows as well.  Ironically, we haven't had many redfish bites the last couple of days while trout fishing, even though the areas in which we have been catching the trout usually hold good numbers of reds as well.  That just goes to show how unpredictable fish can be. The redfish have been biting well though, and they seem to be staging up on their normal summertime spots, whether it be around docks, in the grass, or around the jetties.  So even though trout have been making up most of our catches lately, it doesn't mean that there aren't reds to be had.  The same goes for the flounder fishing, as it continues to be good as well.  We have even caught a couple on float rigs while trout fishing recently.  It seems all the usual flounder spots around Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beaches, all the way down to Cherry Grove have been producing fish.  With an abundance of menhaden/pogies around now, they have become the most productive baits, and are producing more keeper size fish as well.  Some true doormats have started to show up too, with flounder up to 7 pounds being caught in the area over the weekend.  So there you have it, the early summer fishing is in full swing and there are plenty of options to choose from in terms of fish, areas to fish, and presentation.  Finally, keep in mind that this is my busiest time of year, so be sure to give me a call as early as possible to insure that you get to fish the day(s) that you would like to.

-Capt. Kyle

Memorial Day Weekend Report!

Memorial Day weekend is usually considered the unofficial start to the summer season, and is also the start of my busiest time of the year.  Thankfully, I have been quite busy the past few days and will be on the water at Sunset Beach most of this coming week, so stand by for more reports in the next few days.  The holiday weekend was as busy as ever, and the waters from Ocean Isle Beach to Myrtle Beach were well traveled by thousands of boaters.  While such conditions certainly make the inshore fishing a challenge, we were able to pull off a couple of good catches despite all the boat traffic.  On Friday the speckled trout bit very well, and we spent most of the day targeting them exclusively.  The fish are in full spawning mode now as we caught both males and females (which were full of roe, and released) out of the same spots.  Most of the fish averaged in the 2-3 pound range, but we did manage one gator of around 5 pounds.  I returned to the same area on Saturday to find that the trout bite had gone cold.  I believe this was likely do to the fact that the fish have been spawning during the last few full moon nights we have had.  Thankfully however, the red and black drum took over where the trout left off, and we managed to consistently pick away at them throughout the trip.  I honestly didn't devote any time to flounder fishing this weekend, but I know from several sources that they continued to bite well, and I'm sure I will be able to give a first-hand flounder report in the next couple of days.  Finally, I am already getting quite a few bookings for June, so now is the time to book your trip if your going to be in the area in the next few weeks.

-Capt. Kyle

Starting to feel like summertime...

 First, I must admit I am a little behind on my fishing reports, and have fished several trips in the past few days. Don't forget to "like" the Speckulator Inshore Fishing Charters Facebook page, because I often post updates to that page while I'm on the water, so you will get real-time updates on the fishing in the area.  Now on to the important stuff.  The flounder bite has been very good the past few days, now that the water has both warmed up and cleaned up.  It seems all the usual flounder spots around Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beaches are holding fish.  There are still quite a few undersize fish around, but we are finally starting to pick away at some keepers as well.  The small "peanut" menhaden that are usually prevalent this time of year and are also my favorite flounder bait, haven't shown up in good numbers, forcing us to fish primarily with mud and tiger minnows lately.   While they are certainly great baits, you tend to catch more undersize fish on mud minnows.  But if they're all you have, you just have to grind through the small ones, which is what we've been doing.  The redfish and black drum bite remains consistent in most of the areas which have been producing fish in the recent weeks, and they should continue to bite well, although it wouldn't surprise me to see them move out of some areas and into others as the water warms, and as the fishing pressure increases.  Finally, while once again the gator trout have gone absent so far this year, we have been starting to see more and more trout on the usual early summer spots in the local creeks and rivers.   Most have been averaging in the 2 - 2.5lb range, which are good solid fish for the creeks and without a doubt the best eating size.  With the onset of summer, I'm getting busier by the day, so now is the time to plan your trip!

-Capt. Kyle

Another beautiful day on the water!

I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon on the water at Sunset Beach with Joe, Heather, and Kailei, who have been vacationing in the Myrtle Beach area this week.  Kailei is an avid angler and was looking forward to getting her first taste of inshore saltwater fishing.  We were fortunate again today to find some hungry redfish and black drum to pull on, which not only gave Kailei a good fight, but also gave her two more species she can cross off her list of fish to catch.  While we stuck with the drum fishing throughout the trip, it sounds like there was a decent flounder bite again today as well.  The water temperature got into the mid 70s this afternoon, so the flounder should really start snapping any time now.  The big trout which should be around right now have continued to be elusive, which isn't unusual this time of year.  The only way to catch them is to keep fishing where they should be and one day you will land on them. You never know, tomorrow we shall try Ocean Isle Beach and that might be the day.... 

-Capt. Kyle

Good bite continues!

Well the rain and cool weather finally broke for us, and I was able to fish in shorts and a t-shirt today, which was the first time I've done so this year.  It is was a beautiful day, except for a stiff southwest breeze that kicked up this afternoon.  We got on a bunch of hungry redfish right out of the gate on Sunset Beach, with the first cast of the trip producing a 28 incher.  The redfish bite was wide open while it lasted, but died as the tide went slack, and we were forced to look elsewhere.  We moved to the flounder grounds at Ocean Isle Beach and while we didn't find the fast action we had with the reds, we managed to get a few flounder bites, but we weren't able to find a keeper today.  But, the there were some keepers caught in the area, and I know of a 5+ pounder caught today as well, so the flounder bite is finally getting to where it should be. So give me a call and I'll get you in the action!

-Capt. Kyle

Gator trout time!

As I mentioned in my last report, one of my favorite times of the year is finally here.  For the next few weeks the speckled trout will be in pre-spawn feeding mode, which is one of the best, if not the best, time of the year to catch a truly big trout.  One thing to keep mind is that all big trout are females, which are full of roe this time year.  Practicing catch and release on these big girls is important to ensure that there are plenty of babies to grow into big trout in the years to come.  With that being said, my plan is to shift my focus to trout in the near future, so if you are a big trout fanatic like me, now is the time to come.  In addition, we almost always have plenty of "by-catch" of redfish when targeting trout this time of year, which we certainly don't mind either.  I spent some time back on the flounder grounds at Sunset Beach late last week as well, and again found a consistent bite of smaller fish, but not many keeper size fish.  But, that is certain to change and the flounder will be feeding in full bore in the next couple weeks as the water continues to warm, and the average size will increase as well.  May is when the fishing truly begins to get good in the Ocean Isle Beach area, so give me a call and I'll get you in the action!

-Capt. Kyle

Early Season Flounder Fishing

Yesterday my Dad and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and struck out on an early season flounder scouting mission.  We chose to concentrate our efforts on the Ocean Isle Beach, as it is usually one of the first areas to see a good flounder bite each year.  The water temperature was around 60 degrees when we started fishing shortly after high tide, but as the sun rose and the tide fell, the water began to warm, and I saw it as high as 67 in the early afternoon.  This warming trend was just what we needed, and while the bite wasn't red hot, we picked away at the flounder throughout the day.  Also characteristic of early season, there were quite a few undersized fish at Sunset Beach, but there were some keepers mixed in as well.  It seemed like most of the other boats in the area had similar results, as we saw several of them catch fish during the course of the day.  We also managed to get onto a small school of redfish, which provided a good time as they always do. It was certainly encouraging to see the signs of life that we did, because you can be assured that things are only going to get better in the coming days!  In addition to the flounder and redfish action, the trout have begun to make a showing in a few areas in the past couple of days as well, so it seems that the backwaters are coming to life with the warming weather.  So it is finally upon us, time to hit the water!

-Capt. Kyle

Spring is finally here!

I don't want to speak too soon, but it sure seems like we may finally be done with winter and can expect the springtime fishing to take off any day now.  This past weekend's warmer weather resulted in good redfish fishing throughout the Ocean Isle Beach areas.  There were also quite a few nice black drum and even a few trout and flounder mixed in as well.  It was very encouraging to hear good reports from many different sources.  The long range outlook is now showing beautiful, warm weather next week with plenty of sun and air temperatures in the 70s.  I expect to see the spring flounder bite begin to take off next week in the Sunset Beach, Cherry Grove/Hog Inlet and Tubbs Inlet areas, along with other historically good early season flounder spots.  So hopefully the forecast will hold and everyone will see some good fishing.  I'll be on water in the next couple of days, and will be able to provide an even better fishing outlook for the coming days. 

-Capt. Kyle

Spring fishing beginning to take off!

          While the calendar says its officially spring, sometimes the fish don't get the memo and take a while to get out of their winter mode.  However, I’m excited to see the water temperatures begin to climb and that we are making steps in a positive direction.  On my last prospecting trip a couple of days ago, I saw water temps as high as 61 degrees, which means spring fishing certainly isn’t far away.  The redfish bite has been consistent all winter in the shallow water creeks, but the warming water has them on the move and they are beginning to stage in their usual springtime areas, making them much more accessible to everyone.  There have also been a good number of black drum mixed in with them in many of the same areas.  Also, the trout will continue to become more active as the water warms as well.  We have been seeing quite a few in the creeks while chasing redfish, but most hadn’t been in a feeding mood, but they have begun to bite in a few areas in recent days.  Our annual springtime flounder fishing isn’t far away either.  I would except the usual early-season spots like Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach to start producing flounder consistently in the next couple of weeks.  So it won't be long before things are cranking full swing, and now is the time to start getting you 2013 fishing plans in order, so give me a call and I'll get you on the water.

-Capt Kyle