Wilmington Fishing Report: Reds, Trout, and Kings Heating Up for Fall Bite

Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Skies are just brightening over the coast, sunrise today at 7:28AM and sunset tonight at 6:22PM. It’s a classic late-October morning—mild, a light NE breeze, and just enough chill in the air to remind us that the big fall bite is still on. The high pressure has kept things stable, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Keep an eye out for a light chop if you’re venturing offshore, but inshore waters will stay nice and manageable. Tide-watchers, today’s high tides hit at 1:57AM and 2:15PM, with lows at 8:14AM and 9:37PM according to Tide-Forecast.com. We’ve got a strong tidal swing—tidal coefficient is way up this week—so expect fast-moving water and baitfish pushing through the creeks and around the inlets. That’s turning predator fish active, especially around those prime moving water hours. The fall bite is wide open across our marshes and along the beachfronts. Reports rolling in from Captain Experiences and the Wilmington NC Daily Fishing Report say red drum are still thick in the lower Cape Fear and around the jetties, with several boats pulling in bulls up to 43 inches this weekend. Plenty of slot reds mixed in around dock pilings and oyster bars at higher tides. Speckled trout are the big news for surf and inshore anglers—clean, slot-sized fish are coming from Wrightsville Beach, Bradley Creek, and the mouth of the Cape Fear. Anglers are putting double digits in the box on good days. MirrOlure 52MRs and soft plastics on 1/8 oz jigheads (Z-Man Opening Night and Chartreuse colors) have been top producers. King mackerel are still hanging just off the beach—several nice fish were caught trolling live menhaden or slow-drifting cigar minnows near the nearshore wrecks and artificial reefs, especially off Masonboro Inlet. For live bait, mud minnows and finger mullet are a hot commodity for inshore reds and flounder. Popping cork rigs and Carolina rigs with cut bait or live shrimp are pulling their weight around creek mouths and rocks. Artificial guys, you’ll want to pack your topwater plugs for the early bite and switch to paddletails or jerkbaits once the sun gets up. Sheepshead and black drum are still holding tight to bridge pilings and rock piles—drop fiddler crabs or a chunk of fresh shrimp to get on them. If you’re looking to hook up today, here’s a couple local hot spots: - Wrightsville Beach causeway and nearby marsh creeks for trout and reds—especially on the outgoing tide. - The Snow’s Cut area and Carolina Beach State Park flats have been producing reds, trout, and the occasional doormat flounder. - Masonboro Inlet always draws a crowd but is turning out king mackerel and slot reds. Boat ramps and fishing piers have been busy, so plan for a bit of company, especially during the peak tide. Remember, you need that up-to-date North Carolina fishing license, and as always, play by the rules—let’s keep those fis This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.