"Carolina Coast Fishing Report: Bonito, Mackerel, and Stripers Abound"

Good morning, anglers! This is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina fishing report for Wednesday, May 28, 2025. We're looking at a beautiful day on the water with temperatures expected to hit the upper 70s and light easterly winds around 5-8 knots. Sunrise was at 5:58 AM, and we'll see sunset tonight at 8:13 PM. High tide is coming in at 11:36 AM with low tide expected around 5:22 PM. Folks, late May is when our fishing really hits its stride here along the Carolina coast. The past couple weeks have been absolutely fantastic, and things are only getting better. Those Atlantic bonito that showed up in early May are still hanging around the nearshore reefs, though they'll be thinning out soon as water temps continue to climb. If you're after them, get out there quick with those Big Nic Spanish Candy lures in the 1/2 to 1.5 ounce sizes. Spanish mackerel are absolutely on fire right now. They're busting bait all along the nearshore waters, particularly around Wrightsville Beach and the inlets. Most anglers are having great success with high-speed retrieves using spoons and Got-Cha plugs. Watch for the birds diving and you'll find the fish. The big news this week is the striped bass migration continuing up the coast. They've been providing excellent action for anglers working the surf and inlets with chunks of fresh bunker, peeler crabs, and sand fleas. Remember your size requirements - most fish are running over the 31-inch limit, so careful release is essential. Inshore, the red drum fishing has been exceptional, especially in the Pamlico Sound and the creeks off the Pungo River. Topwater action has been dynamite in the early mornings, switching to soft plastics on jigheads as the sun gets higher. Speckled trout are showing strong numbers too, hitting MirrOlure MR17s and Vudu shrimp under popping corks. For you folks looking for hot spots, I'd recommend trying around the AR-370 reef for Spanish and maybe some early kings. The Ocean City inlet jetties have been holding nice stripers, and for inshore action, the shallow grass flats around the mouth of the Neuse River are producing consistent redfish action. Bluefish are thick in the inlets, sometimes too many, cutting off rigs targeting other species. They're great fun on light tackle though, smashing metal and topwater plugs with abandon. Remember to check your catches carefully for undersized king mackerel that are mixing in with the Spanish schools. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and tight lines to everyone hitting the water today. This is Artificial Lure signing off until tomorrow! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.