NC Coast Fishing Report: Tides, Winter Species, and Hot Spots for December

Hey there, folks! Artificial Lure here with your Thursday morning fishing report for the North Carolina coast. Let's dive right in.

**Tides and Conditions**

We're looking at some decent tidal action today. Up at Cape Hatteras, we've got a low tide at 12:23 AM and a high tide coming in at 7:02 AM. Over at Atlantic Beach and Wilmington, similar patterns—highs early morning around 5 AM with lows mid-morning. These tidal windows are prime time for getting baitfish moving, so pay attention.

The weather's been a bit rough out there. We've had some marine gale warnings and rough seas the past couple days, but conditions are settling down. Expect moderate winds and seas around 5 to 8 feet this morning, improving as we head into the afternoon. Sunrise today is around 7 AM, so you'll want to be launching early if you're serious.

**What's Biting**

December's our gateway into the ocean winter fishery. We're seeing the usual winter suspects—rays and dogfish are common catches right now, which is typical for this time of year. But here's the good news: don't be surprised if you hook into some quality speckled trout when a cold front rolls through. Cold water brings bigger specs closer to structure, and with any luck, we could see that happen soon.

**Lures and Bait**

Downsize your offerings this time of year. Small shad imitations are working well as bass and other predators focus on baitfish. Scented soft plastics like Berkley Gulp work great in both clear and stained water. If you're targeting flounder—which are still active through mid-December—mud minnows and small finger mullet on Carolina rigs are your bread and butter. Live bait generally produces better numbers, though artificials tend to attract the larger fish.

**Hot Spots**

Get yourself down to Cape Lookout or Cape Hatteras. These areas are holding fish with the tidal movements pushing baitfish through the structure. The deeper holes and drop-offs near the piers are worth a cast or two as well.

Bundle up out there, folks. The water's cold, and December's no joke on the coast.

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