Wilmington Fishing Report: Flounder, Trout, and Reds Biting as Tides Shift

Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC area fishing report for Saturday, August 16, 2025. We had sunrise this morning at 6:33, and expect sunset tonight at 7:57. Tidal swing looks lively today, with high tides rolling in around 1:19 AM and again at 1:09 PM, while your low tides are at 6:24 AM and 7:26 PM, according to Tide-Forecast.com. That means we’ve got a solid midday incoming tide and a falling tide right around the evening bite—both prime opportunities for hooking up. Weather has been cooperating—expect northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots, and waves around 2 feet. There’s just a slight chance of a passing shower near midday, but mostly we’re sitting on stable fishing conditions, with a moderate chop across the inshore and sounds, as relayed by the National Weather Service Marine Forecast. This week’s hot catches in and around Wilmington have included hearty numbers of flounder, speckled trout, and red drum. The Cape Fear River mouth and Snows Cut have given up keeper flounder, while the marshes behind Wrightsville Beach continue to see slot reds cruising the grass edges at higher water. Early morning and dusk have brought speckled trout to the surface, with some pushing the 20-inch mark. Local pier reports show Spanish mackerel are blitzing, especially at Johnny Mercer and Carolina Beach piers, with some bluefish mixed in. Best lures lately have been 4-inch paddletail plastics in “opening night” or silver hues, as well as topwater plugs like the Super Spook Jr.—fish early or late for that aggressive bite. For live bait, it’s tough to beat mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig for flounder, and live shrimp under popping corks for trout and reds during moving water. Bait fishermen are also having luck around the jetties and inlet with cut menhaden or shrimp—keep those leaders beefy if you’re hunting drum at the rocks. Spanish mackerel are smashing small silver spoons and Gotchas cast fast and furious in the morning off the end of the piers and boats working the inlets. A couple Wilmington hotspots to try today: - Masonboro Inlet—work both jetty sides for flounder and reds, especially near slack to incoming tide. - Carolina Beach State Park—fish the river at the outgoing tide for trout and flounder, or hit the creeks versus the main channel for that early-morning red. Midday tidal current picks up nicely, so time your sessions around those movements for best results. Stay aware of the tidal coefficients—they’re at moderate levels, but current can swing fast near inlets and cuts. Water temps are hanging around typical August highs, which means fish are hugging structure and looking for moving water and shade. Target deeper creek bends and dock pilings as the day heats up, or slide out to nearshore reefs for king mackerel and cobia on live bait. Thanks for tuning in to your local update from Artificial Lure, reminding you that every tide brings a new bite—so get out there, stay safe, and remember to subscribe for more This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.