Wrightsville Beach – November 2026
Jack, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that slot red drum are in the surf, with the possibility of a big drum as well, and some whiting have been mixed in with the drum.
As water conditions clean up, anglers can expect to see another little push of pompano. Sand fleas are the best bait option for pompano.
Spanish mackerel are still around, but they will start to thin out quickly with the water temperatures cooling down.
False albacore are one of the better options in November. Anglers can have success throwing a variety of casting metals (or fly setups with clousers) towards the surface-feeding frenzies.
King mackerel mostly stayed further off the beach this fall. While there is a small possibility anglers could see the kings move nearshore, the cooling trend is lowering those chances.
Looking into November, wahoo, blackfin tuna, and the occasional sailfish will be the main action.
Inshore, speckled trout fishing has already started picking up, and this bite only gets better as temperatures cool down.
Red drum are still scattered about, but they will start to group up a little more, especially around any bait that is up on a flat.
Sheepshead seem to be working their way out of the inlet, with mostly smaller fish being caught inside.
Black drum fishing should pick up both in the surf and inshore around hard structure (such as docks) while fishing with fresh shrimp.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that this cooling weather pattern has the speckled trout bite starting to be a little more predictable. Anglers are already finding trout in their standard fall feeding areas, such as creeks off the ICW and closer to the inlet in deeper holes with some structure and current.
If on the water early or late, a good bite can be found by throwing topwater plugs. These early season trout can also be caught fairly reliably with a wide variety of hard or soft plastics.
The red drum action has been as good as it gets. The red drum bite is better when using natural bait and targeting hard structure along the ICW.
Bull red drum are still showing up on some of the nearshore structures and the jetties.
Sheepshead fishing remains strong and will typically continue right through November. Fiddler crabs fished next to hard structure is a solid bet to entice bites.
Off the beach, spanish mackerel and false albacore action has been great. Sight casting metals at fish busting on the surface is the favorite way to target both species.
King mackerel fishing has been on fire while pulling both live or dead baits along the beachfront or over most of the nearshore structures.
Matthew Estep, of Wilmington, NC, with a 27″ red drum caught in Masonboro Inlet on a live pogie.
Pierre, of Rising Sun Fishing, reports that anglers are trying to pick away at the spanish mackerel as the spanish continue to move out.
The nearshore king mackerel bite is still going on, and false albacore should be tearing up baits on the surface well into November.
Inshore, speckled trout fishing is improving dramatically with the cooler temperatures. These early fish are going to be scattered all over, so look in areas where current is moving and use that current to drift a D.O.A. soft plastic or other shrimp imitation to the fish.
Red drum fishing has been hit or miss. Some reds are hitting topwaters in the morning, but with the water temperature continuing to change, cut bait is probably a better option.
Black drum action will be picking up. Throw shrimp up around structure, and since the “trash” species are moving out, your baits will have more time to produce.
Victor, of Carolina Charters, reports that sheepshead are becoming more consistent, especially in deeper holes and around oyster beds. Target the sheepshead with fiddler crabs rigged on a smaller Kahle hook
The red drum bite has been strong. Anglers have been catching the reds around moving water coming out of creek mouths and passing over oyster beds, and most of the success is coming from cut mullet or menhaden.
The black drum action has been picking up. Target them in holes with moving water near a dock or other hard structure, and fiddler crabs have been the bait working best.
Speckled trout have started showing up. This first push of trout are mostly smaller fish. Anglers are catching them on white paddle tail soft plastics fished in current around oyster beds or in the backs of skinny creeks.
Moving into November, the bigger trout will start to move in. Typically, the bigger trout hit the inlet first and then spread out into the creeks.
November is also a great month for red drum as the reds start to gather back into larger schools and stage up in low current areas such as on flats or in the backs of creeks.
Ben, of Southern Run Fishing Charters, reports offshore anglers anticipate that the wahoo and blackfin tuna fishing will be strong out at the break (160-300’ range) around good bottom. For the tuna, pull ballyhoo, cedar plugs, or other small artificial lures. For wahoo, it’s ballyhoo or high-speed lures. For both, 72+ degree water temperatures are preferred.
Inshore of the break, find some low-70 degree water, and the king mackerel should be feeding on live menhaden, dead bait, or Drone spoons.
Big black sea bass should be moving into the 20-30 mile range. Cut squid works great, but live cigar minnows tend to weed out some of the smaller fish.
David Vurnakes, of Wilmington, NC, caught this albacore on a casting jig while fishing offshore of Wrightsville Beach.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that there has been some excellent pompano fishing (to 3+ lbs.). Anything from Gotcha plugs or Goofy jigs to sand fleas to bottom-rigged baits have generated some action.
The pier is seeing sight casting opportunities for bluefish.
On some nights, the big red drum bite has been good, with fish to 42” caught.
