Winter. Some say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For those who enjoy sipping hot cocoa snuggled up in a blanket, in front of a warm fire, it certainly can be. For those who enjoy fishing, not so much. The thought of standing in the surf in January can leave one cold, literally. To some degree, those naysayers are right. The water temperature drops and the fish slow down along with the bite. But does this mean we need to put away our gear till spring? Not entirely. Though the action may not be as good as it was only a few months ago, there are still fish around. The bite certainly won’t be like it was in early November when all you had to do was drop a live minnow into the surf and hold on. Catching fish in the winter requires a little more finesse. For starters, it is best to target the species. This means fishing for a specific fish, in a specific location, and using a specific bait. DecemberDuring December, fish start to move out of the surf to seek warmer waters in the backwaters. On Oak Island, this means fishing the ICW and Davis Canal. One of the best fish to target during this time of the year is the speckled trout. Though there are some public docks to fish from, having access to a boat or kayak can improve your chance when targeting speckled trout. Trout will hold up near oyster beds, especially when located near a deeper drop off. Trout will hold up in the deeper water waiting to ambush bait in the shallows. Trout can be caught on both live shrimp and soft plastics. Suspending a live shrimp under a float works well. Another method is to suspend an artificial shrimp under a popping cork. A third method is casting soft plastics such as paddletails or Gulp. Many fishermen find the morning to be the best time to catch trout. Chances are also improved when the water is moving. Fishing during the middle of the tide is usually better than at the top or bottom when there is less current. Fishing where a small creek dumps out into deeper water may also prove to be an ideal spot. JanuarySurf Fishing in January on Oak Island isn't something many people do. In fact, you can practically have the beach to yourself. And, on those rare, warm afternoons, you can even catch a fish or two. Nothing fancy is required for surf fishing in January. Fishing with frozen shrimp or squid on a double drop bottom rig is all you’ll need. The target species, whiting and puffer. The standard surf fishing rules apply. First, find the holes and you’ll have a better chance at finding the fish. Second, pay attention to the rod. Neither whiting or puffer are very large so don’t expect those monster hits one gets when fishing for bluefish or black drum. Instead, feel for the pecking that comes when small fish try to knock the shell off the shrimp. Finally, be patient. Fish will take the bait but they may be reluctant at first to do so. After all, it’s cold which, for cold blooded animals, translates to slow. FebruaryTo be honest, February is a good moth to clean your gear, read up on spring fishing tactics, or attend a fishing seminar. It is not such a great month for fishing. However, if you’re dying to cast a line, and you can tolerate the cold, then you might want to head to the ICW or the Davis Canal and fish for silver perch. When fisherman imagine the pictures he’ll post on his social media account, he probably envisions a gator trout or citation black drum. He probably doesn’t think about the silver perch. After all, silver perch aren’t very impressive. However, on light tackle, these little fish can lead to a fun and exciting afternoon of fishing. Plus, they’re good table fare. Silver perch are easier to identify and differentiate from other panfish such as spots, croakers or pinfish. Their bodies are silver with no other markings. In the canal, silver perch can be caught closer to the grass in shallow waters. They are often in schools so if you catch one, chances are good that you’ll catch a few more.
The same bait and rig set up used to catch other panfish will work equally well with silver perch. Frozen shrimp on a double drop bottom rig with a #1 to #1/0 circle hook will get the job done. If you’re using light tackle, don’t be surprised to discover these fish put up a good fight. They are quite feisty for their size. Fishing on Oak Island, NC
2 Comments
Joseph Koziol
12/20/2021 12:27:44 pm
Thank you for a helpful and energizing post.. Recently, my sister unexpectedly gave me a very nice kayak. I live on Oak Island. I hope to get out and target trout...Montgomery Slough? Kindest regards. Joseph.
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12/20/2022 09:11:29 am
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Ian SandsFish along with Ian Sands of 'Sands in the Surf' on beautiful Oak Island, NC. We’re fishing the surf and surrounding areas targeting everything from puffer, to blues, to black and red drum, to sharpnose and bonnetheads. Archives
February 2021
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