Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday, September 20, 2025, fishing report for Wilmington, North Carolina and the surrounding waters.

We’re starting the morning off with perfect late-summer conditions. Sunrise came at 6:58 AM and we’ll have a sunset at 7:11 PM—that’s just over twelve hours of daylight to chase your target species. The weather forecast this morning predicts mild temps, a light breeze from the east, and humidity that’s a notch lower than last week—ideal for both the early risers and those hitting the afternoon bite.

Tide action is running **high** today: the first low hit at 3:37 AM, the morning high at 9:17 AM just shy of 5 feet, then another minor low at 3:49 PM, followed by a strong evening high near 4.9 feet around 9:38 PM. According to tides4fishing, the tidal coefficient is a robust 88—currents will move bait and keep predators active, especially as we swing from the morning high into the falling tide early afternoon.

Inshore, the **flounder** bite has been solid, especially near Masonboro Inlet and the Carolina Beach State Park creeks. Several locals pulled keeper flatfish on Gulp! 4” Swimming Mullet in glow or chartreuse and live mud minnows rigged on a Carolina rig right on the drop-offs near oyster beds. Red drum are also chewing—western banks of the Cape Fear River have given up slot reds on cut mullet and Z-Man paddle tails in new penny. Best action for reds has been around low tide up onto the first push of incoming.

Speckled trout have begun to perk up with cooler water temps. The topwater bite was on at first light, with Mirrorlure Top Dogs and Rapala Skitter Walks accounting for blowups in the Wrightsville Beach marshes. Later in the morning, shift to soft plastics or MirrOdines suspending baits. If you find glass minnows stacked up, that’s where the trout are hanging.

Off the beach, the Spanish mackerel are balling up bait along the shoals, best early, with silver Clarkspoons and casting jigs around birds. There’s been reports of king mackerel around the AR 425 artificial reef, with most fish hitting slow-trolled dead cigar minnows or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers. Nearshore, schools of bluefish are thick off the jetties hitting anything shiny.

Freshwater bite in Greenfield Lake and the NE Cape Fear remains steady. Bass are sitting in the shade mid-day, but will chase spinnerbaits or small frogs thrown close to cover at dusk and dawn.

Hot spots for today:
- **Masonboro Inlet:** For flounder, slot reds, and a few surprise specks.
- **Snow’s Cut:** Excellent for drum on the falling tide, and occasional trout lurking near the ledges.

Top baits and lures of the week: For live bait, you can’t go wrong with mud minnows and finger mullet. Artificial wise, Gulp! Swimming Mullets, Z-Man Diezel Minnowz, and silver Clarkspoons are consistent producers. For trout, MirrOlure MirrOdines and Top Dog Jr. early are dynamite. Spanish macks prefer flashy metals and planers to get down when the sun’s high.

The fish counts this week reported flounder up to 22 inches, reds in the upper slot, and several boat limits of Spanish. The most consistent action has stayed just off the main current lines—watch for birds and nervous bait.

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It’s Artificial Lure here with your September 19th fishing report for Wilmington, North Carolina and surrounding waters.

The day kicked off with a **mild early fall start**—sunrise rolled in at 6:57 AM, and sunset’s due at 7:12 PM. We’ve got a **strong tidal swing** out there today. Low tide hit at 2:38 AM at about 0.4 feet. Your first high tide crested at 8:16 AM, up over 4.8 feet, and you’ll want to keep an eye out for the afternoon low around 2:47 PM, only a quarter foot, before the evening incoming flood tops out at 8:49 PM with a healthy 5.1 feet. That’s a big exchange, and it’s driving strong currents and bait movement all morning and evening according to Tide-Forecast.com and tides4fishing.com.

Wilmington’s been waking up to **late-summer warmth**, with lows in the upper 60s and highs expected near the low 80s, moderate humidity, and a light southwest breeze making for comfortable conditions. Skies look mostly clear with patchy clouds, and water temps are holding steady in the upper 70s.

**Fish activity reports** have been pointing towards solid inshore action. Folks are catching plenty of **slot reds**—that’s red drum—around the creeks and marshes, especially up toward the high tide. Flounder have been filtering into the backwater pockets, and the speckled trout bite is starting to pick up, especially on the early outgoing tide. According to local guides and bait shops, Wrightsville Beach piers and the mouth of the Cape Fear are both giving up Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and some scattered pompano right in the deeper holes.

For numbers, anglers this past week have been stringing together half-dozen flounder catches on short trips—with keepers mixed in—and double-digit trout mornings aren’t out of the question for folks drifting MirrOlures or live shrimp. Red drum are being seen and caught in small schooling pods, especially in the flats near Masonboro and up around Carolina Beach Inlet.

If you’re wondering what’s working best right now, **live bait is king**—finger mullet and mud minnows under popping corks are lights-out for reds and flounder. Soft plastics in natural colors—think Z-Man or Gulp! swimming mullets—on 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigheads are putting plenty of trout in the boat. For the mackerel and blues, cast metal spoons or flashy Got-Cha plugs from pier or surf. Topwater lures like the Rapala Skitter Walk have been turning heads in the first daylight hour, especially when tossed over oyster beds and flooded grass banks.

**Best hot spots today:** Target the main jetty at Masonboro Inlet on the rising tide for mixed bag action and consistent drum; or slide up into Hewletts Creek and the Sunny Point area for trout and flounder on the dropping tide. For surf fishing, try the stretch from Johnnie Mercers Pier down to Crystal Pier—those cuts and troughs are holding pompano and whiting.

Summing it up—today’s conditions are primed for some quality action. Work those **high-current windows and bait transitions** around the tides, and you’ll be in the meat. Grab your favorite popping cork or a handful of 4-inch soft plastics, and get ready for bent rods.

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Good morning y’all, Artificial Lure here with your September 17th Wilmington, NC, fishing report. We’re stepping into a fine late summer morning with just a hint of salt in the air and great prospects on the water.

**Tides and Sun**
At Wilmington Beach today, high tide hit early at 4:42 AM, low tide rolls in by 10:33 AM, you’ll get another high at 5:20 PM, and we cap off with a late low at 11:41 PM. That means prime sunrise action at 6:56 and a golden sunset at 7:14 this evening. Today’s tidal coefficient is 59 – right on the favorable side of average, so you’ll see decent water movement, especially around those changing tides, which always stirs up the bite.

**Weather and Conditions**
The weather's sitting near perfect this morning—expect mild temps climbing into the mid-80s by afternoon, light breezes from the northeast, and humidity tapering off as that fall edge starts sharpening. Cloud cover is thin, so pack your sunscreen and keep an eye out for heat haze around noon. Water clarity’s been solid after a string of calm days.

**Fish Activity and Recent Catches**
Inshore’s where the early risers have cashed in—reds schooled up around grass edges and oyster bars, with nice slot drum and occasional overslot reports this week. Flounder numbers are up, with several keepers landed drifting live mullet near Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach Inlet. Speckled trout are showing more in the surf and marina cuts, especially early. Stripers are biting up the Cape Fear above the Battleship, mostly on topwater at first light.

Off the piers and surf, Spanish mackerel hit hard at dawn and dusk, smacking Got-Cha plugs and Clarkspoons. Spot runs are gaining momentum, and pompano are around on sand fleas and shrimp tidbits. Cobia sightings have trickled in from Johnnie Mercer's and out near the Masonboro jetties.

Offshore, king mackerel are the star—folks doing well trolling live menhaden or dead cigar minnows in the 5-to-10 mile range, especially near AR 425. Amberjack and snapper are still hot on structure, with a few mahi still straggling in.

**Best Lures and Baits**
- For reds and trout: topwater poppers (like Spook Juniors early), gold spoons, and white paddletails are all go-tos. When the water’s clear, try natural patterns to match local baitfish.
- Flounder love a live mullet or a Gulp! jerk shad on a jighead.
- Pier and surf: pink or chartreuse Got-Cha plugs for Spanish, fresh shrimp or Fishbites for spots and pompano.
- Offshore: live menhaden for kings, butterfly jigs or bucktails for bottom fish.

**Hot Spots**
- Carolina Beach Inlet: flats and channel edges for red drum and flounder.
- Wrightsville Beach’s north end and jetties: solid for trout, Spanish, and flounder on the falling tide.
- The Battleship drop-offs up the river: striper action, especially first light.

**Quick Tips**
Stay mobile—fish are transitioning, and finding moving bait schools makes all the difference. Adjust depth as the sun rises, especially for trout and reds. If pier fishing, walk the length and chat with regulars; it’s how you get the scoop on current baits and best spots.

That’s it for today—thanks for tuning in! Remember to subscribe, and keep those lines tight. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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You’re out early with Artificial Lure, spinning up a Wilmington fishing report for Sunday, September 14, 2025. It's a fine late-summer morning, and here's what you need to know if you’re wetting a line in and around the Port City today.

**Tide and Weather:**
High tide hit at 3:23 a.m. at around 4.4 ft. Low tide will settle in at 9:45 a.m. near 0.3 ft, then expect the next high at 4:09 p.m., peaking up past 5 ft before the second low at 10:55 p.m. The sunrise was at 6:54 a.m. and sunset will be just after 7:19 p.m. These are big tides: tidal coefficient is up at 71—currents are strong and feeding windows are well defined. The morning’s cooler and partly cloudy, with light NE wind that’ll make inshore spots comfortable, but keep an eye out for breezier gusts by afternoon (tides4fishing.com and tide-forecast.com).

**Fish Activity & Recent Catches:**
Recent trips—according to Captain Experiences—are reporting red drum fired up inshore. Anglers are boating solid reds up to slot and above, especially on early falling tides. There have also been plenty of flounder caught in the creeks and around docks, plus scattered trout now showing up as water begins to cool. Spanish mackerel and a few blues are showing off Wrightsville Beach and on outgoing tides at the jetties. There’s been chatter about a late-season bull red run heating up the Cape Fear River and the barrier island surf. Folks working live bait under popping corks have found solid action, but artificial lures—Z-Man soft plastics in new penny or opening night, and gulp shrimp in chartreuse—are out-performing the rest for numbers.

**Best Bait & Tactics:**
If you’re a live bait purist, you won’t go wrong with mud minnows or finger mullet, especially fished along grass edges on a Carolina rig. For those slinging hardware, topwater plugs at dawn have drawn explosive hits—walk-the-dog styles like the Heddon Super Spook, or a MirrOlure She Dog in bone. As the sun rises, switch to paddle tail soft plastics jigged slow along oyster bars or creek mouths. If targeting Spanish, cast silver Got-Cha plugs or small Clarkspoons, especially on an outgoing tide in the inlets.

**Hot Spots:**
Two classics for you:
– **Masonboro Inlet:** Always reliable, especially on those strong tides for trout, reds, and Spanish. Work the jetty rocks and tip your jigs with gulp for bonus strikes.
– **Snows Cut:** On a morning like today, you can find the intersection of clean water and bait schools here, with flounder, red drum, and the occasional striper mixed in. Bounce jigs on the dropoffs and work live bait near the channel edges.

**Insider’s Note:**
With the tidal swings so pronounced this weekend, plan your start and finish around the slack tides for easier boat handling and best casting conditions. Locals are prioritizing the first couple hours of falling tide this week for redfish and trout, and the beach anglers are chasing blues and Spanish with metals right at first light and sundown.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Wilmington fishing report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily on-the-water intel, and tight lines until next time. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure checking in with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Saturday, September 13th, 2025.

Sun’s up at 6:53 this morning, setting tonight at 7:20. Expect partly cloudy skies and steady temperatures in the mid to upper 70s—perfect early fall conditions. The tidal swings are healthy today, with a low at 6:00 AM, a solid high tide rolling in at 12:50 PM up around 5.6 feet, and the evening low at 7:16 PM. Those moving waters are pushing baitfish and shrimp all through the marshes and creeks, so you know the bite’s on.

Inshore action’s been hot this week. Folks plugging around Bradley Creek and the banks near Wrightsville Beach have been pulling good numbers of speckled trout, especially on the early morning outgoing. Popping corks rigged with live shrimp or soft plastics in natural hues have been the ticket, but a lot of locals are quietly crushing it on MirrOlure MR17s slow-twitched around docks and drop-offs. Red drum are working the grass lines on that midday high, especially around Figure Eight Island and the spoil islands behind Masonboro. Cut mullet and fresh menhaden are money, but if you want extra sport, toss a topwater like a Skitter Walk or Spook Jr. as the tide comes up—some explosive blowups right at the edge.

Flounder are hanging near the inlets and creek mouths, with Carolina-rigged mud minnows or Gulp! Swimming Mullets getting love. You do have to weed through some throwbacks, but several keepers in the 18-22 inch range came from Carolina Beach Inlet just after the last high tide, according to reports from the local shop.

Surf anglers working the outgoing at Kure Beach have had steady bites on pompano, whiting, and the odd bluefish. Sand fleas, fresh shrimp, and Fishbites are your staples here. Fish heads at Tex’s Tackle are saying the Spanish mackerel are still blitzing just outside the breakers—a 3/4oz silver gotcha plug or a small Clarkspoon behind a #1 planer gets you all the hits you can handle when the birds start diving between Johnny Mercer Pier and Masonboro inlet.

If you want to run offshore, boats trolling the 10–15 mile range are routinely coming in with king mackerel and some nice mahi. Any bluewater slingers, hit those temperature breaks and look for weed lines: a pink or blue skirted ballyhoo will do the trick.

For hotspots today, don’t skip the ICW stretch between Mott’s Channel and Airlie; the moving tide around these bends is stacking trout and reds. Also, Masonboro Inlet’s north jetty is holding good numbers of flounder and some late-season sheepshead—just bounce a fiddler crab or shrimp along the rocks and hang on.

Quick tips on tackle: with water clarity holding up, go stealth with your leader and keep your retrieves on the slower side as the mullet run ramps up. Always match your bait to what’s in the water—shrimp, finger mullet, and small menhaden are everywhere.

That’s your real-time report for Wilmington—expect plenty of fishable action today, whether you wade, paddle, or drift. Thanks for tuning in, be sure to subscribe for tomorrow’s rundown! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here, checking in with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Friday, September 12th, 2025. Sunrise came at 6:52 AM and sunset’s set for 7:21 PM, giving us about 12 and a half hours to wet a line. We’ve got a strong tidal swing today: low tide at 5:08 AM, a whopping high tide rolling in around 11:50 AM at nearly 5.8 feet, and then the evening low settling near 6:10 PM. According to Tide-Forecast.com, those big coefficients mean we’re seeing strong current—perfect conditions for red drum, flounder, and the tail end of the summer speckled trout bite.

Weather’s been classic late-season coastal: warm, a touch humid, mostly clear skies early before typical afternoon sea breezes kick up from the southeast. No major storms in sight, so the water clarity’s holding steady in the creeks and nearshore. NOAA did flag a minor coastal flood advisory, so if you’re working the marsh edges at high tide, don’t be surprised if the bite’s pushed into the grass.

Fish activity’s been solid all week, with ramped-up inshore action. Local guides and everyday anglers are bringing in good numbers of slot reds from the banks of the Cape Fear River and Masonboro Sound. Soft plastics in root beer and electric chicken colors—especially Z-Man paddletails—have been the ticket for those reds. The topwater bite around daybreak’s been sporadic but worth trying, particularly with Rapala Skitter Walks or Heddon Spooks in bone color. Flounder are staging near docks and deeper oyster ledges; Gulp shrimp (white or new penny) on a 1/4 oz jig head have been working wonders. Just remember: state regs keep flounder catch-and-release until further notice, but folks are reporting nice 16-20 inchers.

Offshore and nearshore, Spanish mackerel are still thick around the Wrightsville Beach jetty and out at the three-mile reefs. Fresh-cut mullet and Clark spoons trolled behind planers are getting it done. King mackerel action’s heating up; early-season reports show some bigger ones pushing 20 lbs around the AR 425 wreck using blue runners and live menhaden. Bluefin tuna are in the mix—charters are reporting catches with fish between 300 and 700 lbs out past 10 miles. Drifting live bait and trolling lures like BWC Ballyhoo Rigs have been most effective according to local charters.

Hot spots to circle for today:
- **Masonboro Inlet:** Early morning trout and reds on a moving tide. Try DOA shrimp or MirrOlure 52M for trout—the bite here usually peaks as tide tops out.
- **Snows Cut:** Active flounder and drum. Hit the deeper drop-offs with scented baits or live mud minnows.
- **Wrightsville Beach jetty:** Mackerel and bluefish chasing glass minnows near the rip. Metal gotchas and small spoons should be in your arsenal.

For bait, nothing beats live finger mullet this time of year—especially for reds and flounder. If you’re fishing for specs, try live shrimp or mud minnows under a popping cork as the tide shifts. Offshore, it’s all about fresh menhaden and blue runners.

That covers the bite for today around Wilmington. Thanks for tuning in, y’all—don’t forget to subscribe for regular updates and tips straight from the dock! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC area fishing report for Wednesday, September 10th, 2025.

Sunrise kicked off at 6:49am and sunset’s due at 7:29pm, so you’ve got plenty of daylight to work with. Tides are running big today: early low hit around 3:45am, with a solid morning high tide peaking near 9:51am right off the Carolina Beach Pier. Expect another low late afternoon around 4:14pm and an evening high a little after 10pm. According to the folks at Tides4Fishing, we’re seeing a big tidal coefficient—over 100—so strong water movement and current are the themes today. That means fish are on the move through the marshes and creek mouths; if you know your spots, play the water, not just the clock.

Weather-wise, National Weather Service Wilmington calls for north winds at 15-20 knots early, backing off to 10-15 by afternoon, with seas around 2 to 4 feet and lingering NE swells. Nearshore it’s manageable, but offshore you’ll want a heavier rig and keep an eye on those rollers.

Recent catches around Wilmington and out towards Wrightsville Beach have been excellent according to Captain Experiences. Nearshore boats are putting up limits of slot red drum and picking up some bull reds in deeper bends and drop-offs. Skinner trout are showing in the creeks at first light, especially with that falling tide pulling bait. Flounder are being found on sandy drop-offs and deeper docks around the Cape Fear River. If you’re headed south toward Kure or Carolina Beach, the surf bite’s on for pompano and whiting in the wash, plus short runs of mullet schools attracting blues and Spanish mackerel on the outgoing.

Local captains report plenty of action with light tackle and live mud minnows. Artificial lures are working magic, especially paddle-tail plastics in chartreuse/white and rootbeer colors. The classic MirrOlure 17MR and Z-Man Minnowz on a quarter-ounce jig head are top picks for specs and flounder. Red drum are hammering gulp shrimp and gold spoons near grass lines on the flats when the water’s moving.

Best live bait right now? Finger mullet, especially with all this current. Rig them freeline or on a Carolina rig for bigger reds. Mud minnows on a jig are perfect for the flounder if you’re hopping docks or pitching to oyster bars.

Hot spots for today:
- **Masonboro Inlet:** Perfect for trout and reds with the strong morning tide and outgoing.
- **Snows Cut:** Flounder and drum feeding hard with the current. Work the mouths and eddies.
- **Wrightsville Beach rocks:** Spanish and blues blitzing bait schools—throw out gotcha plugs or flashy spoons when the tide’s flowing.

A quick reminder from local experience—when tides are pumping this hard, focus on ambush spots: creek mouths, oyster bars, and points where moving water meets cover. Fish will line up waiting for bait to come to them. Adjust your lure weight to reach the strike zone; too light and you’ll just skim the surface.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s fishing report! Don’t forget to subscribe for up-to-date local tips, rig ideas, and the best places to wet a line in Wilmington. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Sunday, September 7th, 2025. Sunrise hit at 6:49AM, with sunset coming up at 7:28PM, giving us a solid 12 hours and 39 minutes of daylight to hunt that late summer bite. Tides today are rolling strong: low tide showed in the early morning at 1:40AM and will hit again at 1:44PM, while highs marked up at 7:46AM and will swing back in at 8:12PM, so target slack water for topwater action and let those currents work for you during peak movement according to Tide-Forecast.com.

Weather’s classic September—starting off mild and calm around dawn, then warming up into the 80s as light winds pick up by midday. Got a bit of haze early, but skies clearing toward the afternoon, making fish a little less skittish on the flats. The remnants of last week’s storm have faded out, but the water’s still moving with a good tidal push, giving bait schools reason to hug the marsh lines and oyster beds.

Now, for the fish activity and recent catches. Local chatter from the Landing and even some dock talk coming in on the Wilmington NC Fishing Report Daily podcast is all about Redfish and Flounder heating up just off the Cape Fear marshes and Carolina Beach Inlet. This week’s action saw slot reds thick around flooded grass edges on higher tides—most anglers reported solid numbers with fish in the 20"-26" range, and a handful of upper slots in the mix as well. Flounder are still holding inside the creeks around the rocks and drop-offs—most keepers in the 16"-19" range, with a couple of doormats hit near the Snow’s Cut bridge.

Mullet and menhaden schools are everywhere inshore, meaning the predators aren’t far behind. Sheepshead are getting dialed into the bridge pilings and deeper dock posts, with fiddler crab and sand fleas the best bait. Spanish Mackerel numbers picked up just off Wrightsville Beach, especially around the tide lines, with folks pulling them in trolling Clarkspoons and Got-Cha plugs—the bite’s best an hour after sunrise as the water clears.

On lures, soft plastic paddle tails in new penny and chartreuse are killers for Redfish, especially rigged weedless over the grass. Try popping corks with a live shrimp around the creek mouths for an extra edge or toss a gold spoon along the drop-offs. Flounder are still hitting Gulp! 4" swimming mullets on a jighead, best worked slow off sandy bottoms. For Spanish, silver diamond jigs and flashy spoons are the ticket—keep your retrieve fast to stay above the bluefish.

If you’re hunting hot spots today, check out the mouth of Bradley Creek at high tide for Redfish pushing bait, and for big Flounder, don’t overlook Masonboro Inlet on the outgoing tide. Wrightsville’s south jetty continues to produce both Spanish and the occasional King Mackerel if you’re tossing bigger plugs.

That about covers it for today’s rundown. Thanks for tuning in to your Wilmington, NC fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the latest updates on tides, weather, and fish activity.

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Artificial Lure here, coming to you live with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Saturday, September 6th, 2025. Let’s get right to it—expect some classic late-summer action across the area.

**Tides & Weather:**
Today, Wilmington sees a **high tide around 8:16 AM** and another at sunset, with **low tides just after 2:46 AM and again at 2:49 PM**, per Tides4Fishing. We’re dealing with a pretty high tidal coefficient, peaking at 90, so expect robust currents and active feeding along marsh edges and creek mouths. Weather’s shaping up to be a beauty—mild morning, warming in the afternoon, plenty of sun between **sunrise at 6:48 AM** and **sunset at 7:32 PM**. Light NE winds early giving way to ESE breezes by midafternoon. Humidity will make it feel warmer, especially deep in the creeks.

**Fish Activity & Recent Catches:**
The bite’s been lively. Folks have been putting good numbers of **speckled trout, red drum, and flounder** in the cooler this past week. Flounder are a hot topic right now—remember, the recreational season opened on September 1 and runs through the 14th, but you can only keep one per day and it’s gotta be at least 15 inches, as noted in the NC Division of Marine Fisheries updates.

Recent reports out of Masonboro Sound and Wrightsville Beach show **speckled trout** taking live shrimp and soft plastics early in the morning, while **slot reds** have responded well to cut mullet and Gulp! shrimp near oyster beds and grasslines. Flounder catches are up in area creeks and docks—folks targeting them with live mud minnows or finger mullet have seen consistent action, especially on falling tide.

According to Coastal Review, most of the flounder being caught inshore this week are the southern variety. They recommend a cautious approach—don’t be surprised by a few short fish, so measure twice before you keep.

**Best Lures & Bait:**
Artificial bite has been solid. Locals are scoring with:
- **MirrOlure 17MR** and **Z-Man EZ Shrimpz** for trout.
- **Gulp! Paddletails** rigged on a ¼ ounce jig for reds.
- **Bucktail jigs tipped with strip bait** for flounder—white and pink have been the magic colors, especially during high tidal swings.
Live bait is your best bet for flounder and reds. Shrimp and mud minnows fished on a Carolina rig or a simple jighead work around structure and current breaks.

**Hot Spots:**
If you’re looking for numbers:
- **Masonboro Inlet:** Early morning rising tide has produced mixed bags—cast near rocks for trout and reds.
- **Bradley Creek:** Steady flounder and drum action mid-morning as the water drains out. Don’t be afraid to fish tight to docks.
- **Snow’s Cut:** Always worth a look for larger reds and flounder; fish the deeper edges at slack tide.

**Tips from Locals:**
- Work your lures slow and keep them close to the bottom.
- Pay close attention to falling tide on the back side of creeks as fish ride the flow toward deeper holes.
- Watch for surface nervous water—schools of mullet and shrimp are being pushed by gamefish, especially early and late.

That wraps it for today’s Wilmington report. Good luck to everyone hitting the water—remember the flounder rules and play it smart around the tides. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for your daily dose of local insight. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your September 5th, 2025 fishing report for Wilmington, North Carolina and the surrounding waters. Let’s dive right in.

Today’s **tides** for Wilmington are prime for morning anglers, with the first low tide rolling in at 2:37 am and the first high tide peaking at 8:10 am at 4.38 feet. The second low happens at 2:34 pm (0.35 ft), and the final high rolls in just before dark at 8:44 pm (5.11 ft). The sun broke the horizon at 6:48 this morning and will ease down at 7:31 this evening, giving us a solid window for late-day bites. According to Tide-Forecast.com, the moonset was at 4:15 am, with moonrise predicted for 6:33 pm, adding that bit of lunar pull for you night anglers.

Weather is breezy: **NE winds 15 to 20 knots, with gusts up to 25 knots** off the beach and seas running **3 to 5 feet**, according to the National Weather Service’s marine forecast for our coastal waters. Plan on a chop if you’re heading out for Spanish macks or kings just past the breakers. On land, it’s typical early September; warm, a little muggy, but that northeast breeze keeps things bearable out on the water.

Fish activity is on the uptick. On the creeks and marshes around the Cape Fear and up at Masonboro Sound, folks have been landing steady catches of **red drum, speckled trout, and flounder**. The last few mornings have seen slot reds tailing at first light on falling tides, especially near oyster beds and creek mouths. **Live mullet and mud minnows** free-lined or under a popping cork have been getting hammered. Don’t discount artificials; gold spoons and paddle-tail soft plastics in natural or chartreuse have drawn aggressive strikes, especially as the water warms up after sunrise.

**Inshore and nearshore**: Several solid flounder up to 22” were reported this week, mostly on mud minnows and finger mullet bounced on a Carolina rig. Speckled trout action is best around deeper holes at creek junctions during moving water, with MirrOlure 52MRs in pink or opening night chart colors drawing bites. Topwater plugs early have fooled a few bruisers as well—walk-the-dog style spooks are always a crowd favorite.

**Surf and pier**: The surf bite is steady for slot drum and bluefish. Fishbites and fresh shrimp are pulling in pompano early, while cut mullet landed some sharks and bigger blues overnight off Kure Beach Pier. Spanish mackerel are chasing glass minnows just beyond the breakers at Wrightsville Beach when the water clears up—try a 1/2 ounce silver Got-Cha plug when birds are diving.

**Offshore**: Choppy conditions have kept smaller boats inshore, but those making it to the 10-20 mile range are catching king mackerel by slow trolling live menhaden over structure. A few mahi have been caught east of the Frying Pan on days with cleaner water.

**Hot spots** for today:
- **Masonboro Inlet**: Early incoming tide for specks and red drum.
- **Snows Cut**: Flounder holding near bridge pilings and creek mouths.
- **Wrightsville Beach surf**: Blues and Spanish macks are best at sunrise or right before sunset when bait is thick.

If you’re picking lures today, think natural colors in clear water and something louder in the stained. For live bait, you can’t go wrong with fresh finger mullet or mud minnows.

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