Coastal Carolina Winter Fishing Report: Reds, Drum, and Stripers Highlight the Action
26 January 2026

Coastal Carolina Winter Fishing Report: Reds, Drum, and Stripers Highlight the Action

Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina Fishing Report Today

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Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to fishin' expert right here on the North Carolina coast. It's a crisp winter mornin' off the Atlantic, with sunrise at 7:08 AM and sunset 'round 5:30 PM today. Tides at Morehead City show high at 12:55 AM (3.27 ft) and 1:06 PM (2.36 ft), lows at 7:22 AM (0.17 ft) and 7:13 PM (-0.32 ft)—perfect for fishin' the incoming around mid-mornin'. Weather's chilly with small craft advisories out to 20 nm south of Ocracoke to Cape Lookout, winds pickin' up, so bundle up and watch them seas.

Winter patterns are holdin' strong—clear waters got reds schoolin' deep inshore, just like Capt. Keith Logan's Myrtle Beach report says, with steady action on sight-fishin'. Drum are bitin' cut bait in the surf, per Hatteras locals, and stripers schoolin' up for umbrella rigs, swimbaits, or bucktails. Folks been pullin' decent numbers: reds, black drum, slot-sized trout, even some blues holdin' offshore. Fish activity peaks at dawn and dusk with average solunar today.

For lures, go finesse—Zoom Magnum Finesse Worms in junebug or redbug on a Carolina rig with 1/4 to 7/16-oz weights, or soft plastics like Strike King Rage Scounbug for craw imitation. Live shrimp or cut mullet tops bait lists for reds and drum.

Hit these hot spots: the north Grand Strand flats for sightin' reds, or Oak Island surf for drum on the outgoing. Stay safe out there!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI