It’s a fishing day

Wrightsville Beach fishing conditions · North Carolina

Tomorrow, 1 pm–7 pmBluefish

The bite peaks at 94. Water is 69°, close to the 70° bluefish like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 94 for bluefish, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Bluefish, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 944 pm
  2. 94
  3. 94
  4. 947 pm
  5. 79
  6. 79
  7. 7910 pm
  8. 79
  9. 79Sun
  10. 791 am
  11. 79
  12. 79
  13. 794 am
  14. 79
  15. 79
  16. 797 am
  17. 79
  18. 79
  19. 7910 am
  20. 79
  21. 79
  22. 941 pm
  23. 94
  24. 94
  25. 944 pm
  26. 94
  27. 94
  28. 847 pm
  29. 84
  30. 84
  31. 7910 pm
  32. 79
  33. 79Mon
  34. 841 am
  35. 84
  36. 84
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
69°F

Bluefish range 60–80°

Wind
10 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:13 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
66°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are North Carolina regulations for these waters.

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

94GoTomorrow, 1 pm–7 pm

Water

69°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Right in bluefish's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum size. 5 fish/day from shore or private boat; 7/day on for-hire vessels.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

94GoTomorrow, 1 pm–7 pm

Water

69°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in spotted seatrout's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 20" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14–20" slot, 3/person/day, with one over 26" allowed. DMF can close the fishery by proclamation after a winter cold stun.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

82Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–7 pm

Water

69°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside red drum's active range. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 27" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18–27" slot, 1 fish/day. Anything over 27" must be released.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

69°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 1 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 2026 season Sep 1–14 only (Proclamation FF-27-2026): 15" minimum, 1/person/day, hook and line or gig, and every flounder kept must be reported to DMF. A separate ocean-only Gulf flounder season ran Mar 9–22 south of Portsmouth Island. Seasons are set each year by proclamation.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on summer flounder

The water

  • Water temperature69°F
  • Seas2.6 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer29.94 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:13 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:37 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. NC Wildlife Resources Commission has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A Wilmington-area beach between Masonboro and Mason inlets, with Johnnie Mercer's Pier. Red drum and speckled trout in the surf and sloughs, summer flounder in summer, bluefish in spring and fall.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Carolina Beach13 mi · North CarolinaBest Monday 1 am–4 am
94Go
Kure Beach17 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm
94Go
Surf City Beach21 mi · North CarolinaBest now until 8 pm
90Go
Oak Island Beach28 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–5 pm
90Go
North Topsail Beach28 mi · North CarolinaBest now until 8 pm
90Go
Holden Beach36 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–4 pm
90Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Wrightsville Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Wrightsville Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Wrightsville Beach?

Wrightsville Beach is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Spotted Seatrout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Wrightsville Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Wrightsville Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Wrightsville Beach have?

Wrightsville Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Wrightsville Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Wrightsville Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Wrightsville Beach tidal water?

Yes. Wrightsville Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.