# Winter Surf fishing Tactics?



## keeter (May 10, 2013)

Do they exist? I am a fairly seasoned spring/summer/fall surf fisherman. I haven't, however, ventured to give it a try during the winter. More than likely Ft Fisher or Freeman Park. From what I read, I do know that there are fish around. Am I wasting my time fishing from the surf in December? Will all I encounter be sharks, dogfish and skates? Are most of the other species up the creeks and rivers? I also assume that my bait catching ability will be limited, no sand fleas, finger mullet running in surf etc? 

TOO LONG DIDN'T READ?
Is surf fishing during winter a waste of time? Should I try to find some spots in creeks and rivers instead?
What bait other than probably frozen shrimp should I consider, assuming none in the surf?
Do the same beach reading techniques apply during the winter?

Thanks in advance!


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

Winter surf fishing tactics . . . Head south ( FL is great ) .


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

keeter said:


> Do they exist? I am a fairly seasoned spring/summer/fall surf fisherman. I haven't, however, ventured to give it a try during the winter. More than likely Ft Fisher or Freeman Park. From what I read, I do know that there are fish around. Am I wasting my time fishing from the surf in December? Will all I encounter be sharks, dogfish and skates? Are most of the other species up the creeks and rivers? I also assume that my bait catching ability will be limited, no sand fleas, finger mullet running in surf etc?
> 
> TOO LONG DIDN'T READ?
> Is surf fishing during winter a waste of time? Should I try to find some spots in creeks and rivers instead?
> ...


Little longer drive but I would go to Hatteras and walk out to the North side of Rodanthe, Avon or Frisco Pier and throw Mirrolures at dawn into the outsuck.

December was usually the best month for Specs back in the day, for one reason that it was not crowded.

If you fish with bait you are going to run into a lot of Dogfish and Skates and Dogfish

Trout would stack up in the Winter near shore due to the water being too cold for Bluefish.

If you want to fish bait, go out on the Point up to about Christmas and at times really big Sharks will be feeding and the Dog Fish and Skates will be somewhere else less Sharky....

I never fished SE NC in the Winter so I could not tell you what would go on down there...


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## hokieboy (Jan 19, 2006)

Freeman park would be a good bet during the winter. Trout drum flounder will hang out in the mouth of the inlet. Heard rumors never experienced schools of puppies running the beach around the inlet during the winter


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## Brobrady (Nov 19, 2013)

I was thinking of trying the north side of Wrightsville beach at the inlet. I was going to try out a mirrolure or maybe a buck tail for some founder. Has anyone had any luck there?


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Mirro lures and lead heads with grubs until spring you will catch all the fish you want. Use bait and catch trash fish!


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## keeter (May 10, 2013)

I assume you would want to retrieve the mirrolures and work the grubs a little slower than in the summer time because the fish are more sluggish or is that just freshwater talk?


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Correct a little slow if that doesn't work, try slow


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## hokieboy (Jan 19, 2006)

There is some good trout fishing in the Carolina and kure beach area. Lots of sloughs and holes. Better luck for trout at the south end of wrightsville than the north end.


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## Brobrady (Nov 19, 2013)

What are you using for the trout?


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## hokieboy (Jan 19, 2006)

Mirrolures and grubs are your best bets. There is a lot that goes into it besides the bait. Tide, wind, current, time of day, depth. It all comes with fishing for trout. Find a few good looking holes and fish them hard. My basic go to colors are 3/8 red jig head with smoke or Christmas tree colored grub. Mirrolure 52m in colors 808 or 11 during the day time of purple demon at night. I would suggest going on kure pier during the day time at low tide and looking both ways up and down the beach for holes and sloughs. Trust me you will see plenty!


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## Brobrady (Nov 19, 2013)

Thanks for the great info. I was working some paddle tails down by Masonboro Inlet on a buck tail and had some bites but didn't catch anything. I tried a Mirro lure that I had with no luck. I am going to try again tomorrow.


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

They can be funny.
Some days different color grubs work better than others.
I would fish a tandem 'Spec Rig' with different color grubs till I found what worked best that day.
Sometimes they wanted small, little tiny tube on a jig head...pink, or red and white...another day it was green.
Other days it was gotchas...you never know.


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## drumchaser (Jan 14, 2003)

X raps size 8 have been working out of the boat. Also green gulp curly tail grubs on 1/4 head.


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