Wilmington Fishing Update: Spanish Mackerel Sizzle, Drum Steady, Trout Turn On

Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC area fishing report for June 1, 2025. Sunrise splashed across the water at 6:17 AM and we’ll see sunset at 8:00 PM, giving us a long day to chase those coastal fish. Today, we've got a strong start on the tides: a high tide rolling in around 5:41 AM, then dropping off to a low tide just after noon at 12:19 PM, before building back up for a 6:09 PM high. Classic early summer pattern, so be sure to time your efforts around those moving waters for best results, especially on the incoming tide according to Fisherman’s Post. Weather’s on our side—air temps rising through the 70s into the mid-80s, with a gentle southeast breeze. That means the ocean’s laying down, so both inshore and nearshore boats can get after it without too much chop. The bite’s been red-hot. According to Captain Jot Owens and multiple recent charters, the Spanish mackerel bite is firing on all cylinders right now, especially nearshore and around the inlets. Folks are loading coolers using shiny spoons and Big Nic Spanish Candy lures in the 1/2 to 1.5 oz range. High-speed spinning setups have given anglers the edge, so crank fast and stay ready. There’s a solid mix of Atlantic bonito too—look off the nearshore reefs and the Masonboro Inlet ledges. A few king mackerel are starting to join the party, but double-check your regs—some of these kings are running small. Inshore, the red drum and black drum action is steady. Work the docks and marsh edges with cut mullet or live mud minnows, and fresh shrimp remains a top bait for drum, especially around structure. The outgoing tide near oyster beds and creek mouths has produced some upper-slot reds this week. Fisherman’s Post highlights that those using a lightly weighted Carolina rig are out-fishing others, especially under pressured conditions. Don’t overlook the gray trout, which are starting to turn on near the reefs, especially with larger soft plastics or metal jigs. On the piers—Johnnie Mercers in particular—anglers are finding puffers, croakers, and sea mullet early in the run, mostly on bottom rigs with shrimp or bloodworms. If you want a couple of hot spots, set your sights on the mouth of Masonboro Inlet for Spanish and bonito, or fish the docks and grass lines of Bradley Creek for drum. For a chance at something bigger, hit the AR-425 artificial reef on a calm day—it’s holding sheepshead, black sea bass, and some bonus flounder. Top baits today: Big Nic Spanish Candy lures, silver spoons, soft plastics for trout, shrimp and cut mullet for drum. Don’t forget to fish that moving water—timing is everything. Thanks for tuning in to the Wilmington fishing report—be sure to subscribe for daily updates and tips. 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.