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Fresh Catch and Cruise NC Fishing Reports
Mid-October Fishing Report
October 9, 2025
As we hit mid-October, the local fishing scene is really coming alive. Here’s what you need to know: Inshore and Nearshore Updates: • Bait Situation: You’ll notice mullet starting to thin out, especially on the ocean side. In the rivers, you’ll still find a few, but as a substitute, live shrimp is your go-to bait right now. • Speckled Trout: The speckled trout run is in full swing inside the jetties. It’s a fantastic time to target them, and using live shrimp is really paying off. If you can get out past the jetty, you’ll also find some great trout spots offshore. • Mackerel and Kingfish: Spanish mackerel are still hanging around, and kingfish will be nearshore for the next month or so. Offshore and Gulf Stream: • Wahoo and Tuna Action: The Gulf Stream is heating up, literally. It’s extremely hot with wahoo and tuna action really picking up. As we move deeper into the cooler months, trolling is only going to get better as that warmth consolidates and the fish stay active. Final Tips: Overall, it’s shaping up to be a great season ahead. Just keep an eye on the weather, as your targeting options will depend on those good weather days. But right now, things look fantastic, especially for those speckled trout inshore.
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Fall Fishing Report
September 24, 2025
Hey anglers! The fall bite is on fire right now, and we’re seeing some fantastic action both nearshore and offshore. Nearshore Action: • The king mackerel are still running strong and should continue their run through the end of October and even into November. Live bluefish are your ticket to hooking those bigger kings. • Red drum are also on a hot streak through the end of October. As we move into winter, they’ll push into the shallower backwaters to stay warm, so there’s plenty of good drum action ahead. • Speckled trout season is upon us, and the specks are showing up in good numbers. Great time to target them! • Mullet are starting to thin out a bit, but there’s still plenty around to keep the predators interested. Offshore Highlights: • Offshore fishing is heating up with plenty of wahoo and tuna being caught as close as 30 miles out. The albacore bite is absolutely everywhere right now—just head out about 5 miles and you’ll find them hitting every few minutes. • The offshore bite is pretty consistent year-round if you pick the right weather windows. It can get choppier in winter, but there’s still great pelagic and bottom fishing on those calmer days. In short, it’s looking like a fantastic few months ahead. Whether you’re sticking close to shore or heading offshore, there’s plenty of action to be had. Tight lines!
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Wrightsville Beach/ Carolina Beach Fishi
August 18, 2025
Hey anglers! Here’s the latest scoop on what’s biting around here. The inshore action is looking good, especially if you time your trips around the right tides. With the mullet run in full swing, live bait is easy to come by, and we’re seeing plenty of drum, flounder (though you can’t keep them right now), black sea bass, and even some surprise sharks on almost every trip. The fish are a bit scattered this time of year, but hitting the morning or evening tides is the key to a strong bite. If you venture a little further offshore, the fishing is fantastic, especially at first light if you’re after pelagics. The Gulf Stream is good year-round, with summer months offering excellent bottom fishing. As we head into September, October, and November, expect the pelagic bite to really heat up with tuna and wahoo making a strong run. Nearshore, we’re also gearing up for a fantastic Spanish mackerel season along with speckled trout, gray trout, black drum, sheepshead, and redfish. We have been cst hing a lot if doormat size founder latly and the season for this uear rund from september 1–14. This is truly one of the best times of the year for both nearshore and offshore action. If you’re thinking about booking a trip, now’s the perfect time! Shoot me a message or book directly, and we’ll get you out there for some great fishing.
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Nearshore fishing report 8/1/25
August 7, 2025
Closer to shore, we’ve had some incredible action as well. The nearshore waters have been full of life, big baracudas and flounder being particularly abundant. We’ve also had some thrilling encounters with large tiger sharks; one of them was about nine feet long, and we got it right up to the boat before it broke off. The mullet run has been the thickest we’ve seen all season, which means bigger predators, like Spanish mackerel, are following close behind. This fall promises to bring even more fantastic fishing opportunities, so now’s the perfect time to book your next adventure!
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Gulf Stream bottom fishing late July 202
July 29, 2025
Over the past ten days, our Gulf Stream trips have been nothing short of spectacular! We’ve encountered a fantastic variety of fish, with groupers leading the charge. One of our most exciting moments was bringing a 40-pound gag grouper right up to the boat, although we had to release it due to the season closure. We also landed a beautiful 33-pound black grouper, and the scamp groupers have been abundant as well. In total, we caught twelve groupers across two trips. Snapper fishing has also been excellent, with over twenty snappers each trip, and we land anoit 500-600 poinds of amberjacks, most get thrown back. We haven’t done much trolling recently, nut we know that the wahoo are out there, especially around the 120-foot depth range, so there’s always excitement on the horizon. If you are seatching for a once in a lifetime epic trip, book the gulf stream with me and ill put you one em!
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Weekend Recap & What’s Biting!
July 13, 2025
Catch and Cruise NC: Fishing Report We had some incredible trips this week, with both offshore and nearshore adventures bringing in a bounty of fish! Offshore in the Gulf Stream: We landed an impressive 50-pound wahoo and maxed out on blackfin and silky snapper, hitting our limit of 20 fish with just two of us on board. If we’d had more anglers, we could have easily doubled or tripled that number! We also brought in a few amberjack over 100 pounds—one was even partially taken by a shark, and it still weighed in at over 100 pounds! Add in a beautiful scamp grouper and a 25-pound king, and we had an offshore trip to remember. Nearshore Adventures: Earlier in the week, we stayed closer to shore and still found plenty of action. We had lots of shark encounters, some solid black sea bass, and even managed to reel in a 28-inch gag grouper just a few miles off the beach—a rare treat for North Carolina waters! Spanish mackerel are still around, though a bit more scattered, so it’s all about finding the right spot and sticking with it. Ready to Get Out There? The Gulf Stream is always productive, and flexibility is key. If you’re looking to book an offshore trip, reach out, and we’ll keep an eye on the weather to find the perfect window for your adventure!
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Gabriel Chandler
Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
Catch and Cruise NC
Excellent
4.9
/
5
(25 reviews)
Catch and Cruise NC welcomes you to the stunning waters of Wilmington. Having logged many hours on these tides, Captain Gabriel knows them forwards and back. There's no guarantee when you're fishing, but just some of the species you can catch ar...
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Other reports from North Carolina
Other reports from North Carolina
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See all fishing reports in North Carolina
See all fishing reports in North Carolina
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