It’s a fishing day

Holden Beach fishing conditions · North Carolina

Tomorrow, 1 pm–4 pmBluefish

The bite peaks at 90. Water is 69°, close to the 70° bluefish like best.

Log a trip here
Right now: 80 for bluefish, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Bluefish, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 804 pm
  2. 80
  3. 80
  4. 807 pm
  5. 75
  6. 75
  7. 7510 pm
  8. 75
  9. 75Sun
  10. 751 am
  11. 75
  12. 75
  13. 754 am
  14. 75
  15. 75
  16. 757 am
  17. 75
  18. 75
  19. 7510 am
  20. 75
  21. 75
  22. 901 pm
  23. 90
  24. 90
  25. 824 pm
  26. 80
  27. 80
  28. 707 pm
  29. 70
  30. 70
  31. 6510 pm
  32. 65
  33. 67Mon
  34. 821 am
  35. 90
  36. 90
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
69°F

Bluefish range 60–80°

Wind
7 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:15 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
68°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are North Carolina regulations for these waters.

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

90GoTomorrow, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

69°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Right in bluefish's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum size. 5 fish/day from shore or private boat; 7/day on for-hire vessels.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

90GoTomorrow, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

69°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in spotted seatrout's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 20" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14–20" slot, 3/person/day, with one over 26" allowed. DMF can close the fishery by proclamation after a winter cold stun.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

69°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside red drum's active range. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 27" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18–27" slot, 1 fish/day. Anything over 27" must be released.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

69°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside summer flounder's active range. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 1 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 2026 season Sep 1–14 only (Proclamation FF-27-2026): 15" minimum, 1/person/day, hook and line or gig, and every flounder kept must be reported to DMF. A separate ocean-only Gulf flounder season ran Mar 9–22 south of Portsmouth Island. Seasons are set each year by proclamation.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on summer flounder

The water

  • Water temperature69°F
  • Barometer29.94 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:15 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:38 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. NC Wildlife Resources Commission has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A Brunswick County barrier-island beach between Lockwoods Folly and Shallotte inlets. Red drum and speckled trout in the surf and sloughs, summer flounder in summer, bluefish in spring and fall.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Oak Island Beach11 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–5 pm
90Go
North Myrtle Beach22 mi · South CarolinaBest tomorrow 11 am–7 pm
100Go
Kure Beach23 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm
94Go
Carolina Beach25 mi · North CarolinaBest Monday 1 am–4 am
94Go
Wrightsville Beach36 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm
94Go
Myrtle Beach36 mi · South CarolinaBest tomorrow 11 am–7 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Holden Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Holden Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Holden Beach?

Holden Beach is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Spotted Seatrout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Holden Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Holden Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Holden Beach have?

Holden Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Holden Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Holden Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Holden Beach tidal water?

Yes. Holden Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.