January 16th Wilmington Fishing Report: Reds, Trout, and Flounder Biting Strong

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to fishing bud from right here in Wilmington, NC, comin' atcha with today's report for January 16th. Skies are partly cloudy with temps hoverin' around 52 degrees at dawn, light northwest breeze at 5-10 knots—perfect for a chill morning on the water, per the NWS Wilmington forecast. Sunrise hit at 7:18 AM, sunset's 5:36 PM, givin' us a solid 10 hours of light. Tides4fishing charts show low tide at 12:41 AM (0.4 ft), high at 6:20 AM (4.3 ft), low again 12:51 PM (0.4 ft), and high 6:50 PM (4.6 ft). Solunar activity's average today at 60, with peak fish feedin' times 'round 9-11 AM and 10 PM-12 AM—moonset was early, moonrise at 3:27 PM, so hit 'em hard at dawn and dusk. Fish are active in these cooler waters—recent reports from local charters like Captain Experiences note solid catches of **redfish**, **speckled trout**, and **flounder** in the inlets, plus some **kingfish** nearshore. Drum and sheepshead are showin' up too, with limits comin' steady on live bait. Folks are pullin' 10-20 fish days easy. For lures, **soft plastics** like paddle tails in chartreuse or white on 1/4 oz jigheads are killin' reds and trout—work 'em slow on the flats. **Topwater plugs** at first light for explosive strikes. Best bait? Live **mud minnows** or **finger mullet** on a Carolina rig for flounder; **shrimp** under a popping cork for trout. Fish light tackle, 15-20 lb braid. Hot spots: Wrightsville Beach cuts for trout and reds—tide rips are gold. And Federal Point near the Cape Fear mouth for flounder ambushes on the outgoing. Get out there safe, check regs, and tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.