Spring Bite Is On Fire: From the Bea

Offshore at 20 miles, we’re seeing vermilion snapper, sea bass, and amberjack, with kingfish hitting best early. Bottom fishing stays strong all day. Grouper are in season until August 2—book now before gag grouper close. American red snapper season runs July 1 to August 31—our first long season in years. Further out, the Gulf Stream is producing wahoo and growing numbers of mahi. Mullet are in, providing top bait. Nearshore, bluefish are still around, sharks are strong all summer, and barracuda will stack up in July and August. Kingfish action stays hot. Book now to catch prime season species.

Spring fishing is firing on all cylinders right now here off the Carolina coast. Gulf Stream trips have been producing consistent wahoo as water temps creep into the high 70s, and mahi are officially starting to show up regularly with catches on our last two stream trips. Bottom fishing offshore has also been strong with plenty of grouper and snapper, and the bigger amberjacks are beginning to arrive — and they’ll only continue getting larger as we move toward peak summer fishing. The biggest challenge lately hasn’t been the fishing — it’s been the weather. Offshore opportunities have depended heavily on finding the right weather windows, so when the ocean lays down, it’s time to go. Closer to the beach, nearshore fishing continues to stay very productive. Shark numbers are increasing daily, black sea bass are still around in solid numbers, and gray trout, red drum, and Spanish mackerel are keeping rods bent. The Spanish bite has been best around sunrise, although fish are still being caught throughout the day. King mackerel are also beginning to show up bigger and bigger nearshore, with reports of 30- and even 40-pound fish being caught right off the beach. Pogies are everywhere right now, mullet will be arriving soon, and from now through late June and into early July, fishing is heating up across the board — nearshore, offshore, and all the way out in the Gulf Stream. If you’ve been thinking about getting out on the water, now’s the time. Let’s go put some fish in the box.

Offshore fishing has been nothing short of amazing, with nonstop action on kingfish while trolling and loads of very big black sea bass on the bottom. Every trip offshore has been producing steady action and quality fish. Nearshore, Atlantic bonito are still running thick, with birds diving and fish actively feeding. Gray trout are biting strong, and both black sea bass and black drum are also running very strong right now, making for consistent action close to the beach. Over the next few weeks, we’ll start to see Spanish mackerel showing up nearshore, followed by bigger kingfish pushing in as the water continues to warm. The next 6 to 8 weeks are shaping up to be some of the best fishing of the entire year, whether you’re heading nearshore or offshore. Book a trip with us and we’ll put you on a load of fish.