Fishing Wilmington NC in Early January: Trout, Stripers, and Tides

If you're heading out to fish in the Wilmington, NC area today, here’s what you need to know: First off, the weather is quite chilly, typical of early January, so make sure you're bundled up. Today, January 2, 2025, the sunrise is at 7:18 AM and sunset is at 5:14 PM. Now, let's talk tides. For today, the low tide is at 5:15 AM with a height of -0.05 m (-0.15 ft), the high tide is at 10:51 AM with a height of 1.43 m (4.69 ft), the next low tide is at 6:01 PM with a height of 0.04 m (0.12 ft), and the final high tide is at 11:01 PM with a height of 1.25 m (4.09 ft)[2][5]. Fish activity has been decent despite the cold. Yesterday, anglers caught a good number of speckled trout, especially in the colder waters. December and early January are great times for bigger speckled trout, and the cold weather fronts have been helping. For trout, hard baits like MirrOlures, specifically the 17MR, 22MR, 18MR, 51M, and 52MR series, have been very effective[1]. If you're after Striped Bass, the Cape Fear River is a good spot, although it's catch and release only right now. Use swim bait lures like Berkley Power Bait Cull shad, rigged on swimbait hooks like TroKar TK170 and TK178 for weedless fishing[1]. For hot spots, consider Masonboro Inlet, which is home to a variety of fish including flounder, bluefish, red drum, and speckled trout. The fishing pier at the North End of Carolina Beach is also a popular and productive spot[3]. Overall, it's a good day to get out there and try your luck, especially if you're targeting trout or striped bass. Stay warm and tight lines This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.