Wilmington November Fishing Forecast - Trout, Drum, and Inlet Action on Tap

Artificial Lure here, giving you the lowdown on fishing around Wilmington, North Carolina, for Tuesday, November 25th, 2025. It’s a cool start this morning—temps hanging close to 55 degrees, with the afternoon only nudging a notch higher. Winds will be brisk off the coast, so expect some chop on open water. Sunrise hit at 7:25 a.m. and we’ll see sunset right around 5:04 p.m., giving you a solid window to work your favorite spots inshore or surfside. According to NOAA tide tables, we’re working with a low at 3:47 a.m. and a high tide coming in at 10:34 a.m., so the bite’s best mid-to-late morning. With a moderate solunar activity rating today, plan to fish moving water just as the tide’s peaking and starting to drop. The afternoon should also see a decent uptick around 3:30-5:30 p.m., so don’t pack up too early. Recent catches have leaned heavy on speckled trout, red drum, and black drum. Folks along the Wrightsville Beach causeway and Carolina Beach Inlet are reporting strong speckled trout numbers, especially on cooler mornings; most fish are coming in keeper size, with the occasional gator trout mixed in. Red drum are biting around marsh drains and grassy points, especially if you’ve got live shrimp or finger mullet. Local guides also say flounder are still turning up, mostly in deeper creek holes and under docks, though you’ll have to release them for now thanks to the current closure. As far as lures go, it’s hard to beat a MirrOlure 52MR in chartreuse or electric chicken, or a Z-Man soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jighead for trout. Paddletails in pink or white, worked slow along the bottom, have been deadly—especially around structures where reds are prowling. Gulp! shrimp in new penny or natural colors are a classic for a reason. For cut bait, mullet or menhaden chunks will call in the drum and black drum, while live shrimp under a popping cork is the ticket if you can still find them from the shops. If you want red-hot action, target Masonboro Inlet on the incoming, drifting soft plastics near the rocks. Bradley Creek is another solid bet for kayak anglers chasing trout and slot reds when the sun warms things up later. For you surf casters, Carolina Beach pier has seen some late-season pompano and sea mullet mixed in with the inevitable dogfish—shrimp-tipped bottom rigs are the way to go. Mullet runs are all but done, but straggler pods can still be found, and if you’re lucky enough to snag some, they make fantastic cut bait for drum. According to Captain Experiences trip reviews, offshore trips have landed gag and red grouper plus some nice mangrove snapper when boats could run out safely—not a bad time to book if you’re looking to fill the cooler. Weather-wise, dress in layers—morning chill gives way to some sun, but the breeze stays up most of the day. Marine forecasts from the National Weather Service for southeast NC are calling for higher winds near the inlets, so mind the conditions and check your VHF before running the Cape Fear This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.