Rough Weather Persists on NC Coast, Offshore Mackerel & Albacore Biting, Marshes Holding Reds & Trout

Artificial Lure here checking in with your Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina fishing report for Thursday, October 30, 2025. The fall fishing scene is in high gear but the weather is putting a real test to folks on the water this week. The National Weather Service’s marine forecast is showing strong southwest winds at 15 to 20 knots, gusting up to 25; seas are running 5 to 8 feet, with 4 to 5 feet near shore. You’ll find the sounds and rivers choppy and there’s likely showers in the morning before it turns overcast and milder in the afternoon. If you’re going offshore, keep an eye on conditions – it’s rough, especially past the Cape Lookout jetty. Sunrise rolled in at 7:26 AM and sunset’s set for 6:13 PM, which means working those edges in the early morning or late afternoon is your best bet. The tidal swing today is decent: low tide near 8:56 AM, and that high comes in about 3:23 PM, so plan your efforts around those changes if you’re stalking reds in the marshes or surf fishing the drop-offs near Beaufort Inlet and Core Banks. Fall migration’s lighting up the bite. Folks are hammering **red drum**, **speckled trout**, and some good slots of **flounder**. The piers from Atlantic Beach down to Oak Island report black drum and the start of the big bluefish packs. Nearshore boats chased schools of false albacore, Spanish mackerel, and a few king mackerel that pushed in on the warmer pockets. Bait schools are thick, which means you’ll get breakers crashing on schools of menhaden and mullet. Best lures this week have been paddle-tail soft plastics like Z-Man MinnowZ and split-tail grubs in natural and chartreuse, especially early or late on a cloudy day. The Gary Yamamoto Senko is also producing in the backwaters for trout and flounder. Offshore, anglers are reporting success with silver spoons, diamond jigs, and Clark spoons trolled behind planers for mackerels and albacore. If you’re live baiting, finger mullet and mud minnows are top picks for reds and flounder; cut menhaden’s catching some stud black drum along the bridges and jetty rocks. Recent catches out of Morehead City include limits of trout up to 22”, drum pushing the slot, and flounder running 16-18” when you can find ‘em. The surf at Cape Hatteras is lively too – good numbers of blues, slot reds, and some rogue pompano. If you’re looking for a hot spot, here are two great bets: - The **Core Banks surf zone** near Drum Inlet is firing on all cylinders for reds, trout, and blues right now. - **Beaufort Inlet** at the breakwater holds schools of albacore and mackerel with boats trolling and folks on the jetty slinging metal and soft baits. Before heading out, remember: conditions are challenging, especially when the wind’s up and the seas run big. Always check the latest marine forecast, use caution, and fish with a buddy if you’re wading or surf casting in rough surf. That’s the Thursday check-in. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.