Wilmington NC Fishing Report May 2025 - Bonito, Spanish Mack, Black Drum & More on Fire!

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure coming at you with the latest fishing report for Wilmington NC on this fine Wednesday morning, May 21, 2025. Tide situation today is looking interesting - water's on the rise with about 3 hours and 45 minutes until high tide. We're working with a low tidal coefficient of 45, meaning smaller differences between high and low tides and gentler currents. That coefficient's gonna bump up slightly to 48 by day's end. Sun's blessing us with a solid 14 hours of light today, with solar transit at 1:08 pm. Perfect conditions for a full day on the water! Fishing's been absolutely on fire lately! The nearshore action has been the hottest ticket in town. Folks have been hauling in Atlantic bonito in good numbers, especially in the earlier part of May, and Spanish mackerel are running strong all month long. These speedsters are a blast to catch - nothing like seeing them bust the surface before they slam your line! For tackle, those Big Nic Spanish Candy spoons in 1/2 oz up to the 1.5 oz size (Captain Jot edition) paired with high-speed spinning reels have been getting the most bites. Some anglers are even having success with high-speed baitcasters when targeting bonito and Spanish. If you're feeling fancy, try fly gear in weights seven to nine for an extra challenge. Keep your eyes peeled for false albacore and bluefish mixed in with the bonito and Spanish. There's been a surprising number of small king mackerel in the mix too, so check your catch carefully to avoid keeping undersized kings. Inshore, the black drum bite has been phenomenal around boat docks using fresh shrimp. Some folks have been pulling in 30 fish in just a few hours - that's hot fishing, y'all! For hot spots, check out the nearshore artificial reefs, ledges, and inlets for those Spanish and bonito. Wrightsville Beach and Masonboro Island have been productive, with multiple reports of excellent catches. One of the Civil War shipwreck sites has been producing good numbers too - adds a bit of history to your fishing trip! For something different, the Trails End area has been firing with bull reds and slot-sized redfish, along with speckled trout, flounder, and more of those Spanish and kings. So grab your gear, pack plenty of water, and get out there! This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines, friends! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.