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Wilmington NC Fishing Report - Early Spring Action Heating Up Inshore and Nearshore
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Wilmington NC area fishing report for April 20, 2025.
We’re waking up to classic spring conditions in and around Wilmington. The weather is cool and clear this morning with water temps climbing slowly but steadily, which has the fish waking up hungry. Sunrise is right at 6:28 am, and sunset will be around 7:45 pm, giving you a long window to get lines wet. Tides are moderate today, with a rising tide till about midmorning, peaking just before noon, and outgoing through the afternoon. That morning incoming tide is prime time for inshore action.
On the surf, anglers are reeling in Virginia mullet, bluefish, and the occasional red drum. Most of the drum action is coming around the structure, and the bite is best on that high tide push[1]. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp or bloodworms are putting fish on the sand.
Back in the creeks and ICW, red drum and black drum are still hanging in their winter haunts, but they’re beginning to scatter as things warm up. Anglers fishing the flats and the creek backs are seeing good numbers, with Z-Man soft plastics on Ned rigs and dead shrimp around structure working best. Look for reds to show at the Masonboro jetties too, hitting bottom-rigged shrimp and Gulp baits on heavier jig heads[1].
For the pier and nearshore crew, it’s early season but catches of pufferfish, croakers, and sea mullet are picking up. Nearshore, black sea bass are coming off the deeper wrecks in good numbers, anywhere from shorts up to jumbos. Anglers are also waiting on a full push of Atlantic bonito, but a few schools are already being found off the 80-100 foot wrecks[1].
If you’re after Spanish mackerel, reports are solid for both trolling and casting. Clark spoons trolled just outside the inlets and to feeding surface schools are a top choice right now[2].
Some of the recent standout catches have been trout, with one local reporting a hot bite and personal record numbers, including fish up to 20 inches[4]. For trout, try working soft plastics on light jig heads around creek mouths and deeper bends on the outgoing tide.
Today’s best baits are fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics in natural colors. For hardware, Clark spoons, silver jigging spoons, and soft plastics on Ned or jig heads have been pulling bites from reds, trout, Spanish, and blues[2][1].
For hot spots, put in time at the Masonboro jetties and the Wrightsville Beach surf. Inshore, the flats behind Figure Eight and deep bends in the creeks off the ICW are producing. For the pier action, Johnnie Mercers Pier is a local favorite with early season sea mullet and puffers[1].
That’s your report from Artificial Lure—tight lines and see you on the water.
We’re waking up to classic spring conditions in and around Wilmington. The weather is cool and clear this morning with water temps climbing slowly but steadily, which has the fish waking up hungry. Sunrise is right at 6:28 am, and sunset will be around 7:45 pm, giving you a long window to get lines wet. Tides are moderate today, with a rising tide till about midmorning, peaking just before noon, and outgoing through the afternoon. That morning incoming tide is prime time for inshore action.
On the surf, anglers are reeling in Virginia mullet, bluefish, and the occasional red drum. Most of the drum action is coming around the structure, and the bite is best on that high tide push[1]. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp or bloodworms are putting fish on the sand.
Back in the creeks and ICW, red drum and black drum are still hanging in their winter haunts, but they’re beginning to scatter as things warm up. Anglers fishing the flats and the creek backs are seeing good numbers, with Z-Man soft plastics on Ned rigs and dead shrimp around structure working best. Look for reds to show at the Masonboro jetties too, hitting bottom-rigged shrimp and Gulp baits on heavier jig heads[1].
For the pier and nearshore crew, it’s early season but catches of pufferfish, croakers, and sea mullet are picking up. Nearshore, black sea bass are coming off the deeper wrecks in good numbers, anywhere from shorts up to jumbos. Anglers are also waiting on a full push of Atlantic bonito, but a few schools are already being found off the 80-100 foot wrecks[1].
If you’re after Spanish mackerel, reports are solid for both trolling and casting. Clark spoons trolled just outside the inlets and to feeding surface schools are a top choice right now[2].
Some of the recent standout catches have been trout, with one local reporting a hot bite and personal record numbers, including fish up to 20 inches[4]. For trout, try working soft plastics on light jig heads around creek mouths and deeper bends on the outgoing tide.
Today’s best baits are fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics in natural colors. For hardware, Clark spoons, silver jigging spoons, and soft plastics on Ned or jig heads have been pulling bites from reds, trout, Spanish, and blues[2][1].
For hot spots, put in time at the Masonboro jetties and the Wrightsville Beach surf. Inshore, the flats behind Figure Eight and deep bends in the creeks off the ICW are producing. For the pier action, Johnnie Mercers Pier is a local favorite with early season sea mullet and puffers[1].
That’s your report from Artificial Lure—tight lines and see you on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Wilmington NC area fishing report for April 20, 2025.
We’re waking up to classic spring conditions in and around Wilmington. The weather is cool and clear this morning with water temps climbing slowly but steadily, which has the fish waking up hungry. Sunrise is right at 6:28 am, and sunset will be around 7:45 pm, giving you a long window to get lines wet. Tides are moderate today, with a rising tide till about midmorning, peaking just before noon, and outgoing through the afternoon. That morning incoming tide is prime time for inshore action.
On the surf, anglers are reeling in Virginia mullet, bluefish, and the occasional red drum. Most of the drum action is coming around the structure, and the bite is best on that high tide push[1]. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp or bloodworms are putting fish on the sand.
Back in the creeks and ICW, red drum and black drum are still hanging in their winter haunts, but they’re beginning to scatter as things warm up. Anglers fishing the flats and the creek backs are seeing good numbers, with Z-Man soft plastics on Ned rigs and dead shrimp around structure working best. Look for reds to show at the Masonboro jetties too, hitting bottom-rigged shrimp and Gulp baits on heavier jig heads[1].
For the pier and nearshore crew, it’s early season but catches of pufferfish, croakers, and sea mullet are picking up. Nearshore, black sea bass are coming off the deeper wrecks in good numbers, anywhere from shorts up to jumbos. Anglers are also waiting on a full push of Atlantic bonito, but a few schools are already being found off the 80-100 foot wrecks[1].
If you’re after Spanish mackerel, reports are solid for both trolling and casting. Clark spoons trolled just outside the inlets and to feeding surface schools are a top choice right now[2].
Some of the recent standout catches have been trout, with one local reporting a hot bite and personal record numbers, including fish up to 20 inches[4]. For trout, try working soft plastics on light jig heads around creek mouths and deeper bends on the outgoing tide.
Today’s best baits are fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics in natural colors. For hardware, Clark spoons, silver jigging spoons, and soft plastics on Ned or jig heads have been pulling bites from reds, trout, Spanish, and blues[2][1].
For hot spots, put in time at the Masonboro jetties and the Wrightsville Beach surf. Inshore, the flats behind Figure Eight and deep bends in the creeks off the ICW are producing. For the pier action, Johnnie Mercers Pier is a local favorite with early season sea mullet and puffers[1].
That’s your report from Artificial Lure—tight lines and see you on the water.
We’re waking up to classic spring conditions in and around Wilmington. The weather is cool and clear this morning with water temps climbing slowly but steadily, which has the fish waking up hungry. Sunrise is right at 6:28 am, and sunset will be around 7:45 pm, giving you a long window to get lines wet. Tides are moderate today, with a rising tide till about midmorning, peaking just before noon, and outgoing through the afternoon. That morning incoming tide is prime time for inshore action.
On the surf, anglers are reeling in Virginia mullet, bluefish, and the occasional red drum. Most of the drum action is coming around the structure, and the bite is best on that high tide push[1]. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp or bloodworms are putting fish on the sand.
Back in the creeks and ICW, red drum and black drum are still hanging in their winter haunts, but they’re beginning to scatter as things warm up. Anglers fishing the flats and the creek backs are seeing good numbers, with Z-Man soft plastics on Ned rigs and dead shrimp around structure working best. Look for reds to show at the Masonboro jetties too, hitting bottom-rigged shrimp and Gulp baits on heavier jig heads[1].
For the pier and nearshore crew, it’s early season but catches of pufferfish, croakers, and sea mullet are picking up. Nearshore, black sea bass are coming off the deeper wrecks in good numbers, anywhere from shorts up to jumbos. Anglers are also waiting on a full push of Atlantic bonito, but a few schools are already being found off the 80-100 foot wrecks[1].
If you’re after Spanish mackerel, reports are solid for both trolling and casting. Clark spoons trolled just outside the inlets and to feeding surface schools are a top choice right now[2].
Some of the recent standout catches have been trout, with one local reporting a hot bite and personal record numbers, including fish up to 20 inches[4]. For trout, try working soft plastics on light jig heads around creek mouths and deeper bends on the outgoing tide.
Today’s best baits are fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics in natural colors. For hardware, Clark spoons, silver jigging spoons, and soft plastics on Ned or jig heads have been pulling bites from reds, trout, Spanish, and blues[2][1].
For hot spots, put in time at the Masonboro jetties and the Wrightsville Beach surf. Inshore, the flats behind Figure Eight and deep bends in the creeks off the ICW are producing. For the pier action, Johnnie Mercers Pier is a local favorite with early season sea mullet and puffers[1].
That’s your report from Artificial Lure—tight lines and see you on the water.