Wilmington Anglers' Hot Bite: Redfish, Trout, Flounder, and Cobia Dominate the Weekend Forecast

Wilmington anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday, June 21, 2025, on-the-water update—and let me tell you, the bite is as hot as the summer sun. First, let’s check those tides. According to Tide-Forecast.com, our low tides today hit at 12:45 pm and just after midnight, with high waters peaking at 6:00 am and again at 6:47 pm. You’ll want to pay special attention to those early morning and evening high tides for your best chances—most inshore species love to prowl the edges when the water is moving. Sunrise came at 6:00 am and you’ll have daylight right through to 8:27 pm, so there’s plenty of time to wet a line. Weatherwise, we’re running classic Carolina June—warm, light winds, and a muggy feel that’s got the fish active and on the hunt. If you’re fishing mid-day, seek out deeper, cooler holes or shaded docks where the fish are holding out of the heat. The inshore scene is prime this week. Reports from local guides say redfish are staging up along marsh grass edges and oyster bars—getting them to bite means covering water and looking for less-pressured schools. Topwater lures like the MirrOlure Top Dog Jr or Top Pup get the job done in the early mornings, especially with a nice ‘walk the dog’ action over shallow grass. As the sun gets up, switch to soft plastics like Berkley Gulp shrimp or slow-rolled swimbaits—if you’re pitching around docks, try a Powerbait Bonga Shrimp or CullShad for bonus strikes. Speckled trout are mixed in, especially at creek mouths on the incoming tide. Small soft plastic paddle tails and live shrimp under a popping cork are taking keeper fish. The black drum bite is solid around boat docks and bridge pilings—these guys want fresh shrimp dropped right into their face. Flounder are showing strong around Carolina Beach and Masonboro Inlet drop-offs. Target them with soft plastics, bucktails tipped with Gulp, or live finger mullet worked slowly along the bottom. Nearshore reefs are also giving up quality flatties for those running a little farther out. For you big fish hunters, cobia are cruising the nearshore reefs and bait schools. Throw big jigs or swim baits, or try live menhaden if you can find ‘em. Recent reports have folks landing good numbers—one angler said they caught 30 fish in three hours fishing with Capt. Joe out of Wrightsville Beach. Black drum and redfish have been especially thick, and speckled trout are steady. Hot spots to check today: - The Wrightsville Beach marshes, especially in front of Masonboro Island. - Carolina Beach Inlet and its channel edges for flounder and drum. - The nearshore ARs (Artificial Reefs) for mixed bag action. That’s your Saturday rundown! Thanks as always for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for daily updates and share your catches with us. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.