Wilmington Fishing Report: Trout, Reds, and More Biting on the Carolina Coast

This is Artificial Lure, checking in with your Wilmington, North Carolina fishing report for Saturday, November 15th, 2025. Early risers got started before the 7:17 a.m. sunrise this morning, and there’s plenty of daylight ahead with the sunset rolling in at 6:37 p.m. According to Tides4Fishing, today’s tides in the Wilmington area have us starting with a high tide at 5:21 a.m. (4.2 feet), hitting low at 11:52 a.m. (0.4 feet), and back up to high at 5:56 p.m. (4.6 feet). With a tidal coefficient at 49, that’s on the low side, so you’ll want to time your fishing for those key tide swings. Solunar tables point to minor feeding activity midday, so target those transitions for your best bet. Weather-wise, the National Weather Service out of Wilmington’s calling for cool, crisp fall conditions—temps climbing from the mid-50s at sunrise into the low 60s by mid-afternoon. Winds are light out of the northwest at 7 to 10 knots, with a modest chop in the rivers and creeks and just a little roll on the beach front. This week’s catches have been strong. Reports from local charter captains and folks at docks from Wrightsville Beach down to Carolina Beach tell the tale: speckled trout are still running well with plenty of schoolies in the creeks and some bigger gators mixed in. Anglers working the Cape Fear River and the outflows around Snow’s Cut have been finding consistent slot red drum action, with a handful of upper-slot and over-slot catches too. Flounder are still being picked up by those fishing live mud minnows on Carolina rigs, though remember the state’s tight regulations should always be checked before heading out. Offshore, the king mackerel bite is still rolling when the weather’s right, with a few reports of late false albacore runs near the inlets. Surf anglers up at Masonboro have landed decent numbers of black drum and a few keeper-sized puppy drum, especially along deeper holes at high tide. Top-producing lures this week include MirrOlure MR17s and 52M series in pink and chartreuse for trout, alongside soft plastics like Z-Man MinnowZ in natural baitfish colors pinned on 1/8-ounce jigheads. Reds are hitting well on Gulp! shrimp in new penny and natural, as well as gold spoons slow-rolled over oyster bars. For live bait, nothing beats a good finger mullet or the classic live mud minnow under a popping cork for trout or a Carolina rig for reds and flounder. If you’re looking for a couple of hot spots, don’t sleep on the docks and rock piles up Bradley Creek for trout around first light. For red drum, fish the grass edges and creek mouths inside Carolina Beach State Park as the tide falls. Surf-side, the south end of Wrightsville Beach around the jetty is holding drum, and the northern bars at Kure Beach are still producing if you’re tossing fresh cut bait. That’s your Wilmington roundup—fish are hungry, fall is fading, and conditions are prime for a big bend in your rod all weekend long. Thanks for tuning in—be sure to subscribe for the This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.