Wilmington NC Fishing Report - Reds, Trout, & Flounder Biting on Mullet & Plastics

Artificial Lure here with your September 5th, 2025 fishing report for Wilmington, North Carolina and the surrounding waters. Let’s dive right in. Today’s **tides** for Wilmington are prime for morning anglers, with the first low tide rolling in at 2:37 am and the first high tide peaking at 8:10 am at 4.38 feet. The second low happens at 2:34 pm (0.35 ft), and the final high rolls in just before dark at 8:44 pm (5.11 ft). The sun broke the horizon at 6:48 this morning and will ease down at 7:31 this evening, giving us a solid window for late-day bites. According to Tide-Forecast.com, the moonset was at 4:15 am, with moonrise predicted for 6:33 pm, adding that bit of lunar pull for you night anglers. Weather is breezy: **NE winds 15 to 20 knots, with gusts up to 25 knots** off the beach and seas running **3 to 5 feet**, according to the National Weather Service’s marine forecast for our coastal waters. Plan on a chop if you’re heading out for Spanish macks or kings just past the breakers. On land, it’s typical early September; warm, a little muggy, but that northeast breeze keeps things bearable out on the water. Fish activity is on the uptick. On the creeks and marshes around the Cape Fear and up at Masonboro Sound, folks have been landing steady catches of **red drum, speckled trout, and flounder**. The last few mornings have seen slot reds tailing at first light on falling tides, especially near oyster beds and creek mouths. **Live mullet and mud minnows** free-lined or under a popping cork have been getting hammered. Don’t discount artificials; gold spoons and paddle-tail soft plastics in natural or chartreuse have drawn aggressive strikes, especially as the water warms up after sunrise. **Inshore and nearshore**: Several solid flounder up to 22” were reported this week, mostly on mud minnows and finger mullet bounced on a Carolina rig. Speckled trout action is best around deeper holes at creek junctions during moving water, with MirrOlure 52MRs in pink or opening night chart colors drawing bites. Topwater plugs early have fooled a few bruisers as well—walk-the-dog style spooks are always a crowd favorite. **Surf and pier**: The surf bite is steady for slot drum and bluefish. Fishbites and fresh shrimp are pulling in pompano early, while cut mullet landed some sharks and bigger blues overnight off Kure Beach Pier. Spanish mackerel are chasing glass minnows just beyond the breakers at Wrightsville Beach when the water clears up—try a 1/2 ounce silver Got-Cha plug when birds are diving. **Offshore**: Choppy conditions have kept smaller boats inshore, but those making it to the 10-20 mile range are catching king mackerel by slow trolling live menhaden over structure. A few mahi have been caught east of the Frying Pan on days with cleaner water. **Hot spots** for today: - **Masonboro Inlet**: Early incoming tide for specks and red drum. - **Snows Cut**: Flounder holding near bridge pilings and creek mouths. - **Wrightsville Beach surf* This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.