If you're heading out to fish in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina today, December 27, 2024, here's what you need to know:

First, let's look at the tides. For Atlantic Beach, the high tide is at 4:31 AM with a height of 3.86 feet, followed by a low tide at 11:09 AM with a height of 0.44 feet. The next high tide is at 4:42 PM with a height of 2.62 feet, and the final low tide of the day is at 10:34 PM with a height of 0.14 feet[2].

Sunrise today is at 7:12 AM, and sunset will be at 5:03 PM. The moon rises at 4:14 AM and sets at 2:12 PM[2].

December is a great time for catching bigger speckled trout, especially with the colder weather fronts. Redfish are also active, particularly on sunny, warmer days. Other fish you might catch include black drum, sea mullet, bluefish, and pompano[1][4].

Yesterday saw some nice catches of sea mullet, gray trout, croakers, spots, bluefish, and even some black drum. Fish like black drum and sea mullet have been plentiful, with several anglers reporting catches in the 4-9 pound range for black drum[4].

For lures, using jigs and spoons can be effective for speckled trout and redfish. For bait, live or cut mullet, shrimp, and mud minnows are good choices. If you're targeting black drum, try using crab or shrimp[1][4].

Some hot spots to consider are around the inlets, such as Bogue Inlet and the waters near Atlantic Beach. The structure around these areas tends to attract a variety of fish species.

Given the tidal conditions and the time of year, it's a good day for fishing, with high fish activity forecasted according to the solunar theory[3].

So, gear up, check the weather forecast for any updates, and head out to enjoy a productive day of fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina.