Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Ocean Isle Beach (A Guide)

Ocean Isle Beach is one of the best fishing destinations on the East Coast. Knowing the best seasons and times of day to fish in Ocean Isle Beach helps anglers catch more fish and improve their results during their trips. 

The best times to fish in Ocean Isle Beach are from April to September for barracuda, black drum, bluefish, blue marlin, mahi-mahi, redfish, black seabass, king mackerel, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo. 

The destination offers excellent inshore fishing. The Intracoastal Waterway, the Shallotte, and Tubbs Inlets are the ideal places to visit if you would like to fish in coastal waters. This area is known as the “Inshore Big Three”. In coastal waters, anglers can catch fish such as black drum, flounder, sheepshead, spotted seatrout, and redfish.   

Best Time to Fish in Ocean Isle Beach

Ocean Isle Beach is a destination where fishing is possible throughout the year. However, fishing in the region is more productive at certain times of the year. That’s why it’s incredibly important for anglers to know the best times to fish Ocean Isle Beach. 

It would be better to go fishing in Ocean Isle Beach from April to September. It’s the time of the year when the vast majority of fish species get active in the local waters. So, anglers get the best results.  

It’s getting warmer in the region in the spring. Water temperatures rise and that’s why more fish species are active in the local waters. So, anglers get better results during the warmer months. 

On the other hand, fishing in Ocean Isle Beach is less productive when the weather is getting colder. The peak fishing season ends in the fall. Many fish species are inactive during the colder months.    

Ocean Isle Beach Species Breakdown: Best Time

Barracuda

It’s possible to target barracuda in Ocean Isle Beach throughout the year. The barracuda fishing season starts in the region in the early spring and comes to an end in the early fall. The best season to catch barracuda in the local waters is from April to August.

Anglers can catch barracuda either in the early morning or in the late evening. Little River is one of the best places to target barracuda in the region.      

Black Drum

The best season to catch black drum in Ocean Isle Beach starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall. Anglers often catch black drum in the early morning and in the late evening. Fishermen prefer to target black drum along the jetties at Little River Inlet.   

Black Seabass

Anglers can successfully fish for black seabass year-round. However, the black seabass fishing season is high in Ocean Isle Beach from March to November.

The early morning is the best time of day to catch black seabass in the local waters. It’s a great idea to fish near Holden Beach if you would like to catch black seabass during a fishing trip. 

Blue Marlin

The best months to target blue marlin in Ocean Isle Beach are June – September. Blue marlin bite well during the morning and afternoon hours. Calabash is a good place to target blue marlin.  

King Mackerel

King mackerel fishing is good in Ocean Isle Beach year-round. Fishing for king mackerel is better in the region from April to September.

Summer is the best time of the year to catch king mackerel in the local waters. King mackerel bites well at dusk and at dawn. Little River is one of the best places to catch king mackerel in the region.     

Mahi-Mahi

The mahi-mahi fishing season in Ocean Isle Beach starts in April and ends in October. The best time of the year to catch mahi-mahi is from May to August. Mahi-mahi feed actively in the middle of the day. North Myrtle Beach is the ideal place to catch mahi-mahi.   

Redfish

Redfish fishing is excellent in Ocean Isle Beach throughout the year. So, there is no bad time to target redfish in the region. The best months to catch redfish in the region are December – January.

Redfish feed actively during the morning hours. Holden Beach is one of the best places to fish for redfish near Ocean Isle Beach.  

Sailfish

Sailfish fishing season in Ocean Isle Beach starts in June and ends in September. The best months to catch sailfish in the local waters are July – August. Sailfish feed actively and bite well in the early morning. Anglers often catch sailfish in the waters near Calabash. 

Sheepshead

Sheepshead is active in Ocean Isle Beach year-round. So, there is no bad time to go fishing for sheepshead in the region.

However, the best months to target sheepshead in the region are January – December. Sheepshead bites best in the middle of the day. It makes sense to fish for sheepshead near Oak Island. 

Spanish Mackerel

It’s possible to catch Spanish mackerel in Ocean Isle Beach at any time of the year. Spanish mackerel fishing season in Ocean Isle Beach starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall.

Fishing for Spanish mackerel is best in the region in summer. Spanish mackerel feed actively at dawn and at dusk. North Myrtle Beach is a good place to target Spanish mackerel.   

Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Ocean Isle Beach

These charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a great service. The captains are knowledgeable and professional and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charters	Location
Fellowship Charters	Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Captain Hook Outdoors	Ocean Isle Beach, NC
High Tide Fishing Charters	Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Ol’ Blue Fishing Charters	Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Dockside Fishing Charters	Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Shallotte Outdoors Fishing Charters	Holden Beach, NC
Hey Now Charters	Holden Beach, NC
Capt. Shad’s Coastal Charters	Calabash, NC
Party Time Charters	Calabash, NC
Lucky Strike Charters	Calabash, NC

I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.

Best Seasons to Book an Ocean Isle Beach Charter

Winter

If the weather allows, anglers can fish in Ocean Isle Beach during the winter months. In winter, anglers mainly choose to fish in the island’s inshore and nearshore waters. 

Fishing can be productive in the island’s inshore waters in the early winter. Anglers can catch bluefish, speckled trout, and redfish in the local waters in December.

In January, anglers can go fishing in the nearshore waters and inshore waters. The chance to catch redfish, speckled trout, and sheepshead is high this month. 

It’s possible to go fishing in inshore and offshore waters in the late winter. Anglers can catch black seabass, redfish, sheepshead, and speckled trout in February.    

Spring

The weather is getting warmer in the spring and that’s why more fish species get active. Anglers can fish successfully in inshore and offshore waters during the spring months. Fishermen have a chance to land a trophy-sized fish in the springtime.

It’s possible to catch trophy-sized mahi-mahi, kingfish, tuna as well as wahoo in April. Anglers can also target trout and redfish in the creeks and marshes in May. It makes sense to go fishing in the deep waters offshore in the late spring.   

Summer

Fishing in Ocean Isle Beach is best in summer. Spanish mackerel, tuna, and even sharks are the main targets in the early summer. It would be better to fish near the Gulf Stream in July. Here, anglers can catch marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo, and other species.

Fishing in Ocean Isle Beach is excellent in the late summer. However, it can be difficult to fish in the region in August due to the hurricane season.    

Fall

The peak fishing season in Ocean Isle Beach comes to an end in the fall. The waters cool down and many fish species get inactive during the fall months. Nevertheless, fishing in the region is still possible. Redfish move to the backwaters in the early fall.

Anglers can also go fishing in offshore waters to catch tuna and wahoo in September. It’s possible to fish for redfish, speckled trout, and stripers in the island’s inshore waters in October – November.  

Best Time of Day to Fish Ocean Isle Beach

The best time of day to fish in Ocean Isle Beach depends on different factors. When planning fishing trips, anglers should take into account the time of the year and weather conditions. But most importantly, it’s necessary to go fishing when the fish species that you are targeting bite well. 

The vast majority of fish species in Ocean Isle Beach feed actively in the morning. Also, fishing can be very productive during the evening hours. So, you should go fishing either in the morning or in the evening from April to September. 

It all depends on your preferences. If you are an early riser, then go fishing in the morning. On the other hand, it would be better to go fishing in the evening if you don’t like to wake up early.  

During the colder months, it would be great to go fishing in the afternoon. The weather is getting warmer and water temperatures rise during afternoon hours. As a result, the activity of fish increases.      

Ocean Isle Beach Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Anglers should study the tide times for Ocean Isle Beach carefully when planning their fishing trips. The bite times of fish depend a lot on tide times. Fishing in Ocean Isle Beach is best during strong tides. The higher tidal coefficient is – the better fishing opportunities are created.

Strong tides mean stronger currents. The movement of water positively affects the activity of fish. Many fish species get active and start searching for food during strong tides.  

Storms & Ocean Isle Beach Fishing

Weather also affects the fishing success and angler’s comfort. It’s necessary to avoid fishing during storms and rainstorms. Traditionally, the rainy season in Ocean Isle Beach starts in July and ends in September. So, a lot of rain falls during these months.

Anglers should always check the weather forecast when planning fishing trips in Ocean Isle Beach. By doing so, they can find out what are the best times to go fishing in the region.      

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Ocean Isle Beach?

Winter fishing is less productive in Ocean Isle Beach. The weather is getting colder and the vast majority of fish species stay inactive in the local waters in winter. However, it’s still possible to fish and catch many species of fish in the region during the winter months.

Among the fish species that get active in Ocean Isle Beach during the winter time are redfish, sheepshead, spotted seatrout, amberjack as well as little tunny and black seabass.  

Night Fishing in Ocean Isle Beach

Night fishing is good in Ocean Isle Beach. Summer is the best time of the year to fish in the region during the night hours. It’s comfortable to fish in the region in the local waters during the nighttime. In summer, anglers can avoid heat when fishing at night.

But most importantly, night fishing can be very productive in Ocean Isle Beach. When fishing at night, anglers can catch redfish, bluefish, and king mackerel. Ocean Isle Beach Pier is a good place to go fishing at night in the region. 

Top 5 Fishing Spots in Ocean Isle Beach

Ocean Isle Fishing Pier

Ocean Isle Fishing Pier is one of the most popular fishing spots near Ocean Isle Beach. This place has gained popularity among anglers, who want to fish from the land. It’s also known as a great family vacation.

A license is not required if you are going to fish from the pier. However, anglers need a license if they decide to book a boat to go fishing in deep waters. Summer is the best time of the year to fish from Ocean Isle Fishing Pier. The main targets here are black drum and king mackerel.  

Oak Island

Oak Island offers incredible inshore and offshore fishing. It makes sense to fish in bridge areas, marches, and jetties. The best time of the year to fish near Oak Island is from May to October. The top targeted fish species in Oak Island include redfish, speckled trout, and sheepshead. 

Calabash

Calabash is another good fishing spot near Ocean Isle Beach. Fishing is Calabash is very diverse. The destination provides anglers with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, and Little River. Fishing in the region is best from June to October.

Here, it’s possible to catch amberjack, black seabass, barracuda, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, wahoo, and other species.     

Little River

Little River is a good place to visit if you want to fish in peace. The river makes it possible for anglers to fish in tidal creeks and inlets, near reefs and wrecks.

These places attract a lot of fish. A high fishing season in Little River is from May to October. Little River is home to such fish species as amberjack, barracuda, bluefish, kingfish, and redfish.  

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach gives anglers an opportunity to fish in inshore waters. Anglers can go offshore to enjoy reef fishing and deep-sea fishing. Myrtle Beach fishing season begins in April and ends in August.

Here, anglers can catch amberjack, barracuda, black seabass, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, and redfish.       

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons 

Surf fishing in Ocean Isle Beach is good during spring, summer, and fall months. Summer is the best time of the year to enjoy surf fishing in the region. The piers near Ocean Isle Beach include Ocean Isle Fishing Pier and Ocean Beach Pier.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Holden Beach, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch pompano in North Carolina, check out this guide.