Wrightsville Beach – November 2025
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that bottom fishing from the surf and piers has been productive, with sea mullet and pompano in the mix. Anglers casting plugs are catching plenty of bluefish and some spanish mackerel (more from the piers).
The occasional red drum (up to 45”) has been landed from the piers, typically when conditions are more churned up.
Inshore anglers are doing well picking away at slot-sized red drum using Carolina-rigged cut or live bait.
Speckled trout action is on the verge of breaking open. While only a handful of fish are being caught on MirrOlures and topwater plugs, with cooler nights becoming more consistent, the bite should turn on any day now.
Nearshore anglers are still finding schools of spanish mackerel and a few false albacore. Bluefish have pushed onto the shallow beachfronts in big numbers. A few king mackerel are around, with the more consistent bite coming from live bottoms in the 50-80’ range.
Trips out deep this time of year will produce wahoo, blackfin tuna, and king mackerel.
Wade Wallace, of Wilmington, landed this 22″ red drum behind Masonboro Island using a live finger mullet.
Ben, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that slot red drum fishing has been productive, with fish beginning to group up and push back into the creeks and onto the shallow flats. Plenty of shrimp and mullet are still around, so the bite should remain active.
Black drum action is picking up for anglers fishing shrimp around docks and other structure.
Speckled trout fishing is starting to gain momentum. While the bite has been hit or miss, the southern end of the area is seeing better action. These late fall trout are responding to a wide range of lures, including Rapala X-Raps, MirrOlures, topwater plugs, Vudu shrimp, and soft plastic paddle tails.
Just off the beach, anglers are finding plenty of bluefish, along with spanish mackerel and a few false albacore. Sight-casting jigs is a favorite tactic this time of year, though trolling spoons or Yo-Zuri deep diver plugs is also effective. King mackerel are mostly holding in the 10-15 mile range.
Bottom fishing anglers are finding large numbers of gag grouper, with some scamp grouper coming from deeper structure.
Offshore runs are producing both good numbers and quality wahoo (6–8 per trip), with blackfin tuna and sailfish also mixed into the trolling action.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have shifted their focus to the speckled trout bite. Most of the action appears to be from residential fish becoming more active, with the larger migratory trout still to come. A variety of artificials—including MirrOlures, topwater plugs, and D.O.A. soft plastics—are producing strikes.
Red drum are mixed in with the trout, and they’re hitting the same lures. Out at the jetty, some red drum (including larger fish) are being caught on cut bait.
Sheepshead fishing has been strong, with fall being a prime time to target bigger fish around docks.
Nearshore, the spanish mackerel bite has dropped off significantly, and king mackerel have followed suit with limited action close to the beach. However, anglers fishing bigger cut baits on the nearshore reefs are finding some bigger red drum.
Pierre, of Rising Sun Fishing, reports that anglers are seeing big spanish mackerel and schools of false albacore up and down the beach. This is a sight-casting fishery, though trolling tactics can also produce. The larger 3/4-1 oz. jigs are working well.
Plenty of bluefish are off the beach, and they’re mostly holding in very shallow water.
King mackerel are in the area, and live bait remains the best tactic for targeting the kings.
Inside, the red drum bite has been steady but scattered, with most fish found around docks and structure near the inlet.
Anglers are finding success with speckled trout during the early and late hours. While live shrimp can work, bait stealers are still active, making artificials like Vudu shrimp a better option. Productive areas include creek mouths near the inlet, especially on a falling tide. Cooler, crisp mornings and water temperatures consistently around 65 degrees or lower will help trigger a stronger bite.
Victor, of Carolina Charters, reports that anglers are catching a bunch of smaller red drum around docks while fishing cut mullet.
Jack Wordock, of Wilmington, pulled in this 26″, 6.2 lb. red drum from the surf at Wrightsville Beach on a spot head.
The bigger sheepshead are feeding before pushing back out of the inlets for winter. Anglers will do best targeting deeper docks (4-8’+) with live fiddler crabs.
This time of year is also when the black drum fishing starts to pick up. The black drum are hitting shrimp, but expect to go through a lot of bait in the process, as the bait stealers are still plentiful.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that trolling out at the break has been producing some big wahoo, blackfin tuna, and sailfish. Finding bait on structure is key, and it far outweighs what the water conditions are doing when looking for action.
Anglers are finding some great action on jigs and popping plugs for tuna and amberjack in the 150-350’ range.
For bottom fishing, the 225-350’ area has been best for quality fish and overall species variety, including yelloweye snapper, hogfish, big triggerfish, scamp grouper, and plenty of vermilion snapper.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers casting Gotcha plugs are catching plenty of smaller bluefish (in the 3/4-1 lb. range), along with the occasional spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing has been productive, with shrimp, bloodworms, and artificial bait strips (especially bloodworm-flavored) all seeing success. Catches have included sea mullet, croakers, spot, sheepshead, pompano, and a few red drum.
