Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington fishing report for Saturday, March 29, 2025. We've got a beautiful spring day ahead of us with temps reaching the mid-60s and partly cloudy skies. The sun's rising at 7:02 AM and setting at 7:30 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to wet our lines.

Now, let's talk tides. We've got a low tide at 1:54 AM hitting -0.82 feet, and another low at 2:07 PM at -0.81 feet. High tide's coming in at 8:10 AM, reaching 4.86 feet, and again at 8:34 PM, hitting 5.61 feet. Keep an eye on that water movement, folks!

The fishing's been heating up as we move into spring, and let me tell you, the bite is on! Inshore, the speckled trout are fire. Anglers have been limiting out using live shrimp under popping corks or soft plastics like Gulp shrimp in new penny color. The redfish are schooling up too - look for them around oyster beds and creek mouths. Gold spoons or scented jerkbaits have been working wonders.

Offshore, the king mackerel are starting to show up. Slow-trolling live menhaden has been the ticket. Bottom fishing's been productive too, with plenty of black sea bass, grunts, and the occasional grouper coming up. Squid and cut bait on bottom rigs are your best bet there.

For you surf anglers, whiting and black drum are biting well on fresh shrimp or sand fleas. The blues are starting to show up too - try casting metal lures or cut mullet.

As for hot spots, the jetties at Masonboro Inlet have been on fire for sheepshead and black drum. Another good bet is the rock wall near the battleship for some nice flounder action. And don't forget about the Cape Fear River - the striped bass fishery is catch-and-release only, but it's been producing some great action on soft plastics or live bait.

Remember, folks, the key to success is matching your bait to what the fish are feeding on naturally. And always check your regulations before heading out. That's the scoop for now, anglers. Get out there, stay safe, and tight lines!