Wilmington NC Fishing Report: Warming Waters and Bluefish Starting to Show Strong Saturday

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure comin' atcha with your Wilmington, NC fishin' report for Saturday, April 11, 2026. Water temps hoverin' 'round 64-67 degrees in the Cape Fear River and sounds, warmin' up nice and pullin' fish shallow accordin' to recent reports from nearby New Bern waters where bluefish are showin' early. Tides today got high water risin' steady—expect a solid push 'round mid-mornin' into afternoon, perfect for movin' bites. Sunrise at 6:52 AM, sunset 6:25 PM, with prime solunar windows from 7:54-8:54 AM and 1:58-3:58 PM when fish go stupid. Weather's mild, highs pushin' 70s with light winds if ya dodge the coastal breeze—ideal for gettin' on the water. Fish activity's heatin' up: red drum, speckled trout, and puppy drum stackin' in the creeks, with bluefish crashin' bait schools. Recent catches include limits of slot reds (18-27 inches) on live shrimp and finger mullet, plus flounder startin' to slide in on the flats—folks pullin' 5-10 pounders mixed in. Stripers and blues hittin' cut bait near inlets. Best baits? Live shrimp or mullet under a poppin' cork for reds and trout—can't beat 'em. Fresh cut menhaden for flounder and blues. Top lures: **chartreuse or white paddle tails** on 1/4 oz jigheads, **topwater mirrordimes** at dawn/dusk, and **soft plastics like Gulp! shrimp** in root beer gold. Work 'em slow on the outgoing tide. Hot spots: Wrightsville Beach sound flats for trout and reds—hit the grass lines. And **Cape Fear River mouth** near Southport for blues and flounder driftin' the channel edges. Launch early, wear your PFD, and watch them tides. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for weekly updates! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.