Inshore Fishing Charters
in Ocean Isle Beach

My Inshore Fishing Methods

I do most of my inshore fishing with artificial lures and light spinning tackle. The exact presentation depends on the species I’m targeting, the tide, water conditions and how the fish are feeding that day. Soft plastics on jigheads are my go-to approach, but I also fish topwater and other hard baits, soft plastics under popping corks and, when it makes sense, live bait.

Fishing Soft Plastics on Jigheads

Soft plastics on jigheads are what I use most often when fishing inshore around Ocean Isle Beach. Lures such as Z-Man DieZel Minnows, DOA shrimp and other soft plastics let me cover water and fish everything from marsh edges and creeks to docks, deeper holes and the Intracoastal Waterway.

I adjust the jighead weight and presentation based on the depth, current and where the fish are holding. I may swim a soft plastic through moving water, work it slowly along the bottom or cast it tight to structure. This is one of my primary methods for targeting Redfish, Speckled Trout and Flounder.

Fishing Topwater Lures and Hard Baits

I also use topwater lures and other hard baits when conditions are right. Topwater fishing can be especially exciting when Redfish or Speckled Trout are actively feeding because you get to see the strike happen right on the surface.

I also fish subsurface hard baits such as MirrOlure MirrOdines when I want to work a different part of the water column. Whether I fish a topwater, suspending hard bait or soft plastic depends on the season, water depth and how the fish are responding that day.

Fishing Soft Plastics Under a Popping Cork

I occasionally fish soft plastics beneath a popping cork when that presentation fits the conditions. The cork keeps the lure suspended at a controlled depth while the sound and surface disturbance can help attract nearby fish.

This can be especially useful when I want to keep the lure suspended above grass, shell or other bottom structure instead of dragging it directly across the bottom. I can adjust the depth between the cork and lure based on the water I’m fishing and where the fish are holding.

Fishing Live Bait Inshore

Although I fish artificial lures most of the time, there are situations when live bait is the better choice. I may fish live mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig when targeting fish holding close to the bottom or around structure.

I also occasionally fish live shrimp beneath a slip-float rig, which lets me control the depth of the bait while allowing it to move naturally with the current. I choose the method based on the conditions, target species and what I believe gives my guests the best opportunity to catch fish that day.