Wilmington NC Fishing Report - Fall Action Abounds as Trout, Reds, and Flounder Bite Aggressively

Artificial Lure here with your Wilmington, NC fishing report for Friday, October 3, 2025. We’re looking at a classic coastal autumn day—let’s get right to what’s biting, when to go, and where you should wet a line. The sun peeked up at 7:08 AM and it’ll settle back down at 6:53 PM, giving us a solid 11 hours and 45 minutes of light to chase ‘em. We’re in a moderate tidal swing today: low tide rolled through at 1:19 AM, the morning high hit at 6:49 AM at about 4.2 feet, but if you missed that, don’t sweat it—the next low is 1:26 PM and you can catch another solid high at 7:24 PM, peaking at 4.7 feet. The tidal coefficient’s around 67—good movement but not wild, so expect a steady bite, especially at the changes, and things should really light up into the evening as that coefficient climbs upward according to data from Tides4Fishing. Weather’s shaping up nicely—mild early fall temps, not much wind, and relatively stable barometer, prime for both inshore and nearshore runs. Water clarity has been solid, with recent light rains doing little to muddy up the inlets and back bays. The last few days, Captain Experiences guides have been putting anglers on a classic Wrightsville and Cape Fear mix: speckled trout, slot and over-slot redfish, decent black drum, and flounder still hanging around despite the cooling temps. Several parties running light tackle trips earlier this week hauled in limits of specks and a handful of reds in the 24-27 inch range. A few reports of big bull reds upriver and down by the jetties too. For lures, you can’t go wrong with a pearl or chartreuse paddle tail on a 1/4 oz jighead, especially during the moving tide windows near sunrise and sunset. Topwater fans—this is your season for Zara Spooks and Skitter Walks over grass and shallow oyster bars; the trout and puppy drum are hitting aggressively in that early low light window. If you’re after flounder, tip your bucktail with a live mud minnow or finger mullet for the best shot. Live bait is money right now. Mullet and menhaden schools have thickened up—drift a live mullet on a Carolina rig down Masonboro Inlet or along the northern flats at Figure Eight and you’ve got a real chance at quality fish. Dock and creek holes around Bradley Creek are still holding blacks and a few late croaker, with fresh shrimp outperforming artificials. For hot spots, check out: - The mouth of Bradley Creek for trout and reds, especially just before and after high tide. - The sandy drop-offs at Masonboro Inlet for flounder and drum. - Higher up the Cape Fear River, dock pilings and creek mouths are producing, especially on the outgoing tide. Don’t overlook the Wrightsville Beach surf—it’s firing for whiting and occasional slot drum as well. Fishbites or fresh sand fleas are the ticket for surf rigs. That’s the update for today—whether you’re throwing soft plastics or soaking live bait, there’s fish chewing and plenty of fall action to be had. Thanks for tuning in to your Wilmington fishing r This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.