Fishing

Last week was a reminder to me about what fishing should really be about. Over the past 20 years I’ve been fortunate to have fished in many places and been a part of many incredible fishing adventures. I think I often lose sight of the great opportunities I’ve been afforded, and in retrospect, many so-called “unsuccessful” fishing trips would have truly been wonders in the eyes of someone else.

Fishing has improved for some folks this week as anglers are beginning to focus on traditionally cold-weather species. Fish such as black and red drum, whiting and speckled trout will still provide a lot of action for folks as the fishing season comes to an end.

One winter fish that has already made a surge is the black drum. Black drum can be caught all year, but they really come to the forefront in the colder months. They are among our most dependable fish when a lot of better-known species have left for warmer waters or aren’t biting in the cold.

It’s been a less-than-spectacular fall season so far for most inshore fishermen. After a good year overall, I had high hopes, but the fishing season has not really kicked into gear. The lack of a protracted spot run has been the biggest worry, although fishing for everything else has been unusually hit-and-miss for autumn in southern North Carolina.

The best fishing has probably been for red drum in the shallow areas or bluefish wherever you find them. The blues won’t last much longer as they aren’t a cold-weather fish, but the drum will stay around all year.

And now to the next phase of the fishing experience. Late fall has officially arrived as temperatures this week plummet into the 30s. Beach water temperatures have fallen to the mid-60s and the fish are on the move. The spots will be running at their peak over the next week or two. Watch for the piers to be lined with fishermen facing north as a sign the bite is on.