Fishing in Wilmington, NC - Red Drum, Speckled Trout, and Black Drum Biting in Cooling Waters

As of November 17th, the fishing scene around Wilmington, NC, is looking promising, especially with the cooling water temperatures. ### Weather and Tides Today, you can expect partly cloudy skies with a high of around 68°F and a low of 52°F. The sunrise is at 6:43 AM, and the sunset will be at 4:53 PM. Tides are crucial, and for today, the high tide is at 8:47 AM and the low tide at 3:04 PM. ### Fish Activity The red drum are active, particularly in the 15-17” range, with some pushing into the mid-slot size. These fish can be found patrolling grass edges during higher water and moving to shell-covered drop-offs during low tides. Use scented soft plastics or bottom-rigged dead shrimp for the best results[1][3]. Speckled trout are also biting well, especially in the creeks and around creek mouths. They are hitting scented Z-Man soft plastics, Gulp shrimp, and topwater plugs. Look for them in areas with moving water, and expect fish in the 12-19” range[1][3]. Black drum are starting to show up in better numbers as the water cools. Fresh shrimp on a Carolina rig or bottom rigs are the best baits, especially around oyster bars, docks, and bridges[1][3]. ### Best Lures and Bait For red drum, live or cut mullet, and scented soft plastics are top choices. For speckled trout, topwater plugs, hard suspending lures, and soft plastics like MirrOlures are effective. Black drum are best targeted with fresh shrimp on a Carolina rig[1][3]. ### Hot Spots One of the hot spots is around the ICW docks, particularly those closer to the inlets, where both red drum and speckled trout are active. Another good spot is the creek mouths and grass points, where you can find a mix of red drum, speckled trout, and black drum[1][3]. Additionally, the jetties and shallow oyster bars are great for targeting black drum and sheepshead, which are also cooperating well with live fiddler crabs[1][3]. Overall, it's a great time to be out on the water in Wilmington, with a variety of species available and favorable conditions. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.