Atlantic Beach Winter Fishing Report: Speckled Trout, Redfish, and Stripers

If you're heading out to fish in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina today, December 21, 2024, here's what you need to know: First, let's look at the tides. For Atlantic Beach, the first low tide is at 5:22 AM, followed by a high tide at 11:39 AM, and then another low tide at 6:11 PM[2]. Sunrise today is at 7:10 AM, and sunset will be at 5:00 PM, giving you a good window of daylight to get out on the water[2]. December is a great month for catching bigger speckled trout, especially with the colder weather fronts. Redfish are also active, particularly on sunny, warmer, and light wind days. You can find them schooling on oyster rocks, sand bars in the surf, and shallow flats just off the Intracoastal Waterway[1][4]. For speckled trout, hard baits like MirrOlures, specifically the 17MR and 22MR suspending baits, have been effective. For redfish, scented grubs like the Berkley Gulp Dragon Tail or shrimp work well. Rig these grubs with thirty-pound fluorocarbon and darker colored jig heads for better results[4]. If you're targeting striped bass in the Cape Fear River, which is just a bit inland, use swim bait lures like Berkley Power Bait Cull shad. However, note that the Cape Fear River Striped Bass Fishery is currently catch and release only[4]. Hot spots include the shallow flats and oyster rocks around Atlantic Beach and the sand bars in the surf. For striped bass, focus on drop-offs and grass lines on the edge of the Cape Fear River. Yesterday's fishing was good, with several reports of larger speckled trout and schooling redfish being caught. The tidal coefficient is average today, which should provide decent tidal movement and currents, but keep an eye on the weather as it can affect tidal amplitude[3][5]. Overall, it's a great day to get out and enjoy some winter fishing in North Carolina's Atlantic waters. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.