Cool Wilmington Fishing Report for Early Winter

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Wilmington-area fishing report. We’re sitting on a cool, clear early-winter pattern around the Cape Fear this morning. Light northwest breeze, highs pushing into the upper 50s to low 60s with decent sunshine and just a little chill on the water, according to the National Weather Service out of Wilmington. That means comfortable fishing, but you’ll want a jacket at first light. NOAA tide predictions for Wilmington show a pre-dawn **high tide around 4:15 a.m.** and **low tide late morning, about 10:45 a.m.**, with the second high mid to late afternoon. Work that **falling water** through mid‑morning in the creeks and then the **first push of the afternoon flood** along the ICW edges and inlet mouths. Tides4Fishing and local tide tables put **sunrise right around 7:15 a.m. and sunset about 5:00 p.m.** Short days, so your best windows are first light through late morning and then that last two hours before dark. Solunar charts for Wilmington show average activity today – nothing crazy – so timing around moving water matters more than the moon. Here’s what’s been happening: Inshore, the **redfish** bite has stayed steady in the creeks off the Cape Fear, Snow’s Cut, and behind Carolina and Wrightsville Beaches. Recent reports from local guides and shops have reds chewing on **cut mullet, live mud minnows, and Z‑Man paddletails in root beer or natural shad** colors. Smaller legal fish plus a few upper slots are coming off oyster bars on the last of the falling tide. **Speckled trout** are still around but touchy with the colder snaps. NC DEQ’s recent notice asking anglers to report cold‑stunned trout is a reminder that water temps have dipped, so handle those fish gently and let the big girls go. Most trout have been coming on **MirrOlure MirrOdines, Berkley Gulp shrimp under a popping cork, and DOA shrimp** fished slow in deeper creek bends and ICW drops. A few **black drum and sheepshead** are hanging tight to structure – think bridge pilings and rock walls – taking **fresh shrimp and fiddler crabs** on a Carolina rig or simple jighead. Nearshore, boats working the 3–10 mile range off Wrightsville and Carolina Beach have been picking a mix of **grey trout, black sea bass, and a few false albacore** when the weather lets them sneak out. Best bets have been **metal jigs, small epoxy jigs, and cut squid** on two‑drop bottom rigs over nearshore reefs and wrecks. For surf folks, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach piers and sand bars are still giving up **redfish, whiting, and bluefish** on **fresh shrimp, sand fleas, and cut mullet**. With NC DEQ noting more bluefish in the stock going into the new year, keep a **Got‑Cha plug or small spoon** handy when birds start working. A couple local hot spots to circle today: - **Snow’s Cut and the rock walls at Carolina Beach** – fish the falling tide for reds and trout with soft plastics and live mud minnows. - **Masonboro Inlet and the jetties** – work the deeper This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.