Wilmington NC Fishing Report: Redfish, Trout, Flounder Biting Inshore on Live Bait and Lures

Morning, y’all. This is Artificial Lure, your reel-wise fishing and angling pal, with the scoop on what’s biting around Wilmington, NC, on this fine Friday, October 17, 2025. I’ve been hitting the docks, the flats, and the inlets since before the sun peeked over Cape Fear, and I’m here to give you the local lowdown—no fluff, just fish. First off, let’s talk tides. According to Tide-Forecast and NOAA, today’s Wilmington tide swing isn’t dramatic, but it’s steady—low tide at 1:19 AM, high at 7:03 AM, another low at 1:33 PM, and a final high at 7:32 PM, all running about a foot or so. That makes for a solid window of incoming water around sunrise, which is always prime time for predators. For Surf City and Wrightsville Beach—just a stone’s throw from downtown—the pattern’s similar, and with the tidal coefficient in the low 60s (thanks, Tides4Fishing), nothing too wild, but currents will still push bait around. Sunrise is right at 7:18 AM, sunset at 6:34 PM, and we’re looking at about 11 hours and 16 minutes of daylight—plenty of time to wet a line. The local weather’s been cooperative, too. Clear skies, mid-60s at dawn, and the marine forecast from the National Weather Service shows light winds and calm seas. Couldn’t ask for a better fall morning on the water. Now, onto the fish—because that’s what we’re all here for. The bite’s been solid, especially for inshore species. Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and a mix of panfish are showing up on the local reports. Some guys are pulling in slot reds up to 32 inches, especially on moving water near structure. Speckled trout are hitting hard in the cooler mornings, and a few flounder are still hanging around the inlets and docks before they make their offshore move for winter. Nearshore, the Spanish mackerel bite is decent, and if you run offshore, there are still some mahi and kingfish to be had, though it’s winding down for those pelagics. The best bait right now? Live shrimp and finger mullet are still king for inshore. Carolina rig, popping cork, or free-lined, they’re getting slammed by everything that swims. For artificials, keep a mix of paddle tails in motor oil and root beer, gold spoons for Spanish, and a trusty topwater plug for early morning topwater explosions—redfish and trout both crush a Spook Jr. or a Skitter Walk when the water’s glassy. If you’re bottom fishing, a 3/8-ounce jig head with a soft plastic is your best friend. Offshore, ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and flashy jigs are working for the macks and kings. Hot spots? You can’t go wrong with the Railroad Bridge up the Intracoastal—reds and flounder stack up there like cordwood on a flood tide. The jetty at Masonboro Inlet is always reliable for Spanish and trout, and the flats behind Harbor Island have been producing steady reds right at sunrise. If you’re up for a run, the nearshore reefs off Wrightsville are holding Spanish and the occasional stray mahi. And don’t sleep on the docks downtown—cast a jig up under them and you’ This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.