Wilmington Fishing Report: Reds, Drum, Flounder, and Spanish Mackerel Abound in June

Wilmington anglers, it’s Artificial Lure with your Saturday, June 21st fishing report, straight from the docks and marshes to your ears. First light hit at 6:00 AM, with sunset coming at 8:27 PM tonight—plenty of daylight to chase that trophy. Tides are solid, starting with a low at 12:44 AM, a nice high tide swinging in at 6:00 AM, bottoming out again at 12:45 PM, and peaking for the evening high at 6:47 PM according to Tide-Forecast.com. The tidal coefficient holds in the mid-60s, meaning steady current but nothing too wild—great for a range of species. These high tides around dawn and dusk are prime time for sneaking up on feeding reds along the grass lines. As for weather, we’re looking at classic June fare—warm, humid air and a light onshore breeze. No big fronts rolling through, so expect those fish to stay patterned and active through the day. Now, let’s talk fish. June is kitchen sink season here: red drum are flat-out reliable in the creeks and shallow marsh, especially early or late in the day. Look for slot-sized reds mixed in with some feisty 16-18 inchers. Redfish are around the oyster points and up against the shoreline grass, particularly on a rising tide. Your best bet: toss a MirrOlure Top Dog Jr. in the mornings, or a popping cork over shallow structure. As the sun climbs, slide into deeper docks or holes with soft plastics like Berkley Gulp shrimp or a slow-rolled Powerbait swimbait. Pressure's been up on some schools, so keep moving and don’t stick too long if bites slow. Black drum action is still strong, especially around docks with fresh shrimp. Flounder are picking up in the ICW and Cape Fear River—drift a live mullet or jig a chartreuse Gulp along the bottom for your best shot. Spanish mackerel are thick around the nearshore shoals: troll Clarkspoons or cast Spanish Candies to busting schools. Off the piers and surf, you’ll find whiting, croakers, the odd bluefish, and even a pompano or two mixed in. For best baits, you can’t beat live menhaden or fresh shrimp, but artificials are producing if you favor action. For lures, Gotcha plugs and casting jigs are locking up Spanish and bluefish. If you’re eyeing a bigger bite, bucktails tipped with bait or cigar minnows under a drift line could draw a king mackerel out past the bar. Hot spots today: Masonboro Inlet for redfish and black drum, and the Wrightsville Beach jetties for flounder and Spanish mackerel. The grass lines along the ICW are also holding plenty of action, especially at first light. Thanks for tuning in, folks—don’t forget to subscribe for your next Wilmington fishing fix. 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.