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Fishing Report: Black Sea Bass, Bonito, and Trout Bite Heats Up Along North Carolina Coast
Good morning from the coast, this is Artificial Lure bringing you the local fishing report for Sunday, April 20th, 2025, covering the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina.
Sunrise was at 6:44 AM and sunset will be at 7:27 PM, giving us a full day of light out on the water. The tides are moderate today, with a high tide coming around 1:20 PM and low tide set for about 7:24 PM, so you can expect relatively steady but not ripping currents, which makes for comfortable nearshore and inshore fishing conditions.
Weather is cooperating nicely, with mild temps, mostly clear skies, and only a light breeze. Water temperatures nearshore are climbing, putting more fish on the move and bumping up their appetites.
Anglers have been reporting a solid bite for several species. Offshore, the big story is black sea bass. These are showing up in good size and numbers in the 15 to 25 mile range. Bottom fishing out there is steady, with plenty of action for anyone willing to make the run. Out deeper, folks are picking away at blackfin tuna and a few scattered wahoo, though the bite is still a bit slow while we wait for warmer eddies to swing in. A handful of king mackerel are also being caught farther offshore, particularly in the 30 mile zones[1][3].
Closer to the beach, we’re on the cusp of the Atlantic bonito arriving in force, especially as water temps climb above 60 degrees. These fish are just starting to show up around nearshore structure, and the hot action is expected any day now. The false albacore are also hanging around these same spots, putting up great fights on light tackle[3][4].
Inshore, black drum fishing has turned on with anglers having the best luck fishing docks during the higher tides. Speckled trout are starting to wake up as well and should continue to improve with the rising temperatures. Red drum and flounder have also been caught in decent numbers over the last week, especially around the mouths of inlets and creek systems from Wrightsville Beach down to Carolina Beach and Oak Island[2][3][4].
For baits and lures, folks are finding success offshore with squid and cut bait on the bottom for sea bass, while high-speed trolling with bright feathers or jet-head lures is working for tuna and wahoo. Nearshore, try casting small metals and glass minnow jigs for bonito and albacore. Inshore, live shrimp, mud minnows, and soft plastics on jigheads have been the ticket for drum and trout.
A couple of hot spots worth checking today: the 15 to 20 mile wrecks and reefs for black sea bass and possible tuna, and nearshore artificial reefs just outside Masonboro and Carolina Beach for bonito and false albacore. Inshore, the docks along the Cape Fear River and the creeks behind Wrightsville Beach are hard to beat for drum and trout right now.
That’s your local fishing report from Artificial Lure. Tight lines to everyone, and see you out on the water.
Sunrise was at 6:44 AM and sunset will be at 7:27 PM, giving us a full day of light out on the water. The tides are moderate today, with a high tide coming around 1:20 PM and low tide set for about 7:24 PM, so you can expect relatively steady but not ripping currents, which makes for comfortable nearshore and inshore fishing conditions.
Weather is cooperating nicely, with mild temps, mostly clear skies, and only a light breeze. Water temperatures nearshore are climbing, putting more fish on the move and bumping up their appetites.
Anglers have been reporting a solid bite for several species. Offshore, the big story is black sea bass. These are showing up in good size and numbers in the 15 to 25 mile range. Bottom fishing out there is steady, with plenty of action for anyone willing to make the run. Out deeper, folks are picking away at blackfin tuna and a few scattered wahoo, though the bite is still a bit slow while we wait for warmer eddies to swing in. A handful of king mackerel are also being caught farther offshore, particularly in the 30 mile zones[1][3].
Closer to the beach, we’re on the cusp of the Atlantic bonito arriving in force, especially as water temps climb above 60 degrees. These fish are just starting to show up around nearshore structure, and the hot action is expected any day now. The false albacore are also hanging around these same spots, putting up great fights on light tackle[3][4].
Inshore, black drum fishing has turned on with anglers having the best luck fishing docks during the higher tides. Speckled trout are starting to wake up as well and should continue to improve with the rising temperatures. Red drum and flounder have also been caught in decent numbers over the last week, especially around the mouths of inlets and creek systems from Wrightsville Beach down to Carolina Beach and Oak Island[2][3][4].
For baits and lures, folks are finding success offshore with squid and cut bait on the bottom for sea bass, while high-speed trolling with bright feathers or jet-head lures is working for tuna and wahoo. Nearshore, try casting small metals and glass minnow jigs for bonito and albacore. Inshore, live shrimp, mud minnows, and soft plastics on jigheads have been the ticket for drum and trout.
A couple of hot spots worth checking today: the 15 to 20 mile wrecks and reefs for black sea bass and possible tuna, and nearshore artificial reefs just outside Masonboro and Carolina Beach for bonito and false albacore. Inshore, the docks along the Cape Fear River and the creeks behind Wrightsville Beach are hard to beat for drum and trout right now.
That’s your local fishing report from Artificial Lure. Tight lines to everyone, and see you out on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning from the coast, this is Artificial Lure bringing you the local fishing report for Sunday, April 20th, 2025, covering the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina.
Sunrise was at 6:44 AM and sunset will be at 7:27 PM, giving us a full day of light out on the water. The tides are moderate today, with a high tide coming around 1:20 PM and low tide set for about 7:24 PM, so you can expect relatively steady but not ripping currents, which makes for comfortable nearshore and inshore fishing conditions.
Weather is cooperating nicely, with mild temps, mostly clear skies, and only a light breeze. Water temperatures nearshore are climbing, putting more fish on the move and bumping up their appetites.
Anglers have been reporting a solid bite for several species. Offshore, the big story is black sea bass. These are showing up in good size and numbers in the 15 to 25 mile range. Bottom fishing out there is steady, with plenty of action for anyone willing to make the run. Out deeper, folks are picking away at blackfin tuna and a few scattered wahoo, though the bite is still a bit slow while we wait for warmer eddies to swing in. A handful of king mackerel are also being caught farther offshore, particularly in the 30 mile zones[1][3].
Closer to the beach, we’re on the cusp of the Atlantic bonito arriving in force, especially as water temps climb above 60 degrees. These fish are just starting to show up around nearshore structure, and the hot action is expected any day now. The false albacore are also hanging around these same spots, putting up great fights on light tackle[3][4].
Inshore, black drum fishing has turned on with anglers having the best luck fishing docks during the higher tides. Speckled trout are starting to wake up as well and should continue to improve with the rising temperatures. Red drum and flounder have also been caught in decent numbers over the last week, especially around the mouths of inlets and creek systems from Wrightsville Beach down to Carolina Beach and Oak Island[2][3][4].
For baits and lures, folks are finding success offshore with squid and cut bait on the bottom for sea bass, while high-speed trolling with bright feathers or jet-head lures is working for tuna and wahoo. Nearshore, try casting small metals and glass minnow jigs for bonito and albacore. Inshore, live shrimp, mud minnows, and soft plastics on jigheads have been the ticket for drum and trout.
A couple of hot spots worth checking today: the 15 to 20 mile wrecks and reefs for black sea bass and possible tuna, and nearshore artificial reefs just outside Masonboro and Carolina Beach for bonito and false albacore. Inshore, the docks along the Cape Fear River and the creeks behind Wrightsville Beach are hard to beat for drum and trout right now.
That’s your local fishing report from Artificial Lure. Tight lines to everyone, and see you out on the water.
Sunrise was at 6:44 AM and sunset will be at 7:27 PM, giving us a full day of light out on the water. The tides are moderate today, with a high tide coming around 1:20 PM and low tide set for about 7:24 PM, so you can expect relatively steady but not ripping currents, which makes for comfortable nearshore and inshore fishing conditions.
Weather is cooperating nicely, with mild temps, mostly clear skies, and only a light breeze. Water temperatures nearshore are climbing, putting more fish on the move and bumping up their appetites.
Anglers have been reporting a solid bite for several species. Offshore, the big story is black sea bass. These are showing up in good size and numbers in the 15 to 25 mile range. Bottom fishing out there is steady, with plenty of action for anyone willing to make the run. Out deeper, folks are picking away at blackfin tuna and a few scattered wahoo, though the bite is still a bit slow while we wait for warmer eddies to swing in. A handful of king mackerel are also being caught farther offshore, particularly in the 30 mile zones[1][3].
Closer to the beach, we’re on the cusp of the Atlantic bonito arriving in force, especially as water temps climb above 60 degrees. These fish are just starting to show up around nearshore structure, and the hot action is expected any day now. The false albacore are also hanging around these same spots, putting up great fights on light tackle[3][4].
Inshore, black drum fishing has turned on with anglers having the best luck fishing docks during the higher tides. Speckled trout are starting to wake up as well and should continue to improve with the rising temperatures. Red drum and flounder have also been caught in decent numbers over the last week, especially around the mouths of inlets and creek systems from Wrightsville Beach down to Carolina Beach and Oak Island[2][3][4].
For baits and lures, folks are finding success offshore with squid and cut bait on the bottom for sea bass, while high-speed trolling with bright feathers or jet-head lures is working for tuna and wahoo. Nearshore, try casting small metals and glass minnow jigs for bonito and albacore. Inshore, live shrimp, mud minnows, and soft plastics on jigheads have been the ticket for drum and trout.
A couple of hot spots worth checking today: the 15 to 20 mile wrecks and reefs for black sea bass and possible tuna, and nearshore artificial reefs just outside Masonboro and Carolina Beach for bonito and false albacore. Inshore, the docks along the Cape Fear River and the creeks behind Wrightsville Beach are hard to beat for drum and trout right now.
That’s your local fishing report from Artificial Lure. Tight lines to everyone, and see you out on the water.