Wrightsville Beach – May 2023
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that Atlantic bonito, spanish mackerel, and bluefish have made a great showing both nearshore and around the area’s piers. A variety of metal casting jigs have produced well, with nearshore anglers working a couple miles off the beach also having success while trolling.
Anglers trolling spoons or plugs out in the 3-5 mile range have also found some snake-sized king mackerel mixed in with these other species. The majority of the larger kings are still out over structure in the 18-20+ mile range.
Offshore trips have been catching some nice-sized blackfin tuna and a handful of wahoo.
Surf fishing has been slowly picking up. Anglers getting out on the beachfront will find any mix of whiting, bluefish, pompano, and the occasional black drum.
Campbell, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the nearshore fishing has finally kicked off, with the Atlantic bonito and bluefish now joined by good numbers of spanish mackerel. Anglers are having success trolling with deep diver plugs or Clarkspoons, while also sight-casting spoons at surface-feeding frenzies.
Gray trout are staged up on the nearshore reefs, and they’re hitting metal jigs and soft plastics.
King mackerel are still mostly out in the 20-25 mile range with the warmer waters. Anglers targeting kings are having success with spoons pulled behind planers and a variety of dead bait rigs.
Offshore runs are seeing the blackfin tuna action getting better. Wahoo should be dwindling down with the warmer water moving in, but the fish being landed recently still have good size to them.
The first of the early season mahi have started to show up.
Billfishing has a little longer to go until it’s consistent, but anglers offshore have already hooked into white marlin and seen a few blue marlin in the spreads.
Inshore fishing has been focused around the red drum action, with speckled trout being pretty slow. Anglers have been finding reds by targeting the area’s docks with both artificials and natural live or cut baits.
Zain Erickson (age 13) fooled this striper using a chartreuse plug while fishing on the Cape Fear River in the downtown Wilmington area.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that spanish mackerel fishing has been really good out in the 2-3 mile range. There are some schools moving onto the beaches, but for now it has been more consistent a few miles out. Anglers are having a good time casting Stingsilvers and similar metal casting jigs at fish breaking the surface. Trolling Clarkspoons or deep diver plugs also works for anglers looking to put numbers into the boat.
The deep diver plugs and casting techniques have also landed some Atlantic bonito that have hung around, though this bite is tapering off with the fish moving on.
Inshore anglers have seen the speckled trout start to slow down with water temperatures warming up, but anglers will still find some trout action here and there.
Sheepshead fishing is beginning to pick up, with fish moving in over some of the larger hard structures (bridges and jetties).
Red drum have broken up and are scattered around in their late spring pattern. With the reds being so spread out, bottom fishing with natural baits has been the top tactic.
Zane, of Falling Tide Fishing Adventures, reports that nearshore trips have been finding tons of spanish mackerel out in the 2-3 mile range.
Atlantic bonito are also mixed in out in this range, with better action being found on days with the more favorable conditions (low wind and sunny). It has also been helpful to target areas away from the main crowds and the more popular structures.
Inshore anglers have found the most action targeting red drum back in the shallower waters. These reds are starting to break out into smaller groups and will scatter out more throughout the ICW and marsh areas around the inlet.
Speckled trout remain mixed in the action, though they are mostly hit or miss in our area.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that offshore fishing has been really good, with anglers catching some of the largest blackfin tuna you’ll see in the area all year.
Yellowfin tuna are mixed in, though this bite is a bit more hit or miss. If you find the yellowfins, there are plenty, and they are aggressively feeding. However, the next day, they might not be found at all.
Some billfish are starting to work their way into the area, with anglers seeing sailfish and some white marlin.
Offshore jigging trips are producing some nice-sized African pompano.
With grouper opening up May 1, it opens up the opportunity to target more species from the deeper (160-300’) structured areas. Catches will include scamps, gags, and yellow-eye snapper.
Lindsey Hurst, of Wilmington, landed (and released) this 31″ red drum in the Wrightsville Beach area. She was fishing a bottom rig with shrimp.
Ben, of Southern Run Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore anglers have found the spanish mackerel moving in and joining up with Atlantic bonito in the area. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers or vertical jigging around nearshore wrecks has produced strikes.
King mackerel have made a good showing further out where water temperatures are in the upper 60s and low 70s. These kings can be caught with Drone spoons or slow-trolled dead cigar minnows.
A few early season mahi have started to show up offshore.
Gulf Stream action has been good and steady, with anglers catching some nice blackfin tuna out near the 170 Rock and areas like the Steeples. Both the mahi and tuna can be caught with ballyhoo rigged on lighter color skirts.
Patrick, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that there have been good numbers of bluefish being caught alongside spanish mackerel. Anglers should see better sizes of both species in the coming weeks as more schools migrate into the region.
Bottom fishing has been producing some really good-sized whiting (to 2 lbs.) and black drum when the waters are more stirred up from rougher weather.
