Cape Fear River Hot: Reds, Trout, and Flounder Limits in Wilmington

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to fishing guide right here in Wilmington, NC. It's early morning on May 5th, 2026, and the Cape Fear River's callin'—let's dive into today's report.Weather's lookin' prime: mostly sunny with highs around 78°F, light southeast winds at 5-10 mph, and a slim 10% chance of a stray shower later, per National Weather Service forecasts. Sunrise hit at 6:12 AM, sunset's 8:01 PM—plenty of daylight to chase 'em.Tides are fish-friendly: high at 7:42 AM and 8:15 PM, low at 1:28 PM and 2:03 AM, according to NOAA tidal predictions. Incoming tide 'til mid-morning should stir up the bite.Fish activity's hot after last week's reports—locals pulled in limits of red drum (plenty 18-27 inches), speckled trout up to 4 pounds, and slot-sized flounder near the flats. NOAA and NC Wildlife reports show black drum and sheepshead stackin' up too, with some keeper stripers in the river bends. Catches are up 20% from last month thanks to warming waters hitting 72°F.Best lures? Go with **GULP! Swimming Mullet in chartreuse** or **DOA Shrimp** for reds and specks—work 'em slow on the retrieve near oyster beds. Topwater like **Heddon Super Spook Jr.** at dawn for explosive strikes. Live bait shines: **mud minnows** or **finger mullet** on Carolina rigs for flounder, **shrimp** under a popping cork for trout.Hot spots: Wrightsville Beach jetties for drum on the incoming, and Carolina Beach Inlet for specks—park early, it's crowdin' fast.Tight lines, stay safe out there!Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for daily updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1PnThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AIThis episode includes AI-generated content.