Fresh Onslow County Fishing Reports

The last couple of weeks have been challenging for offshore fishing in Eastern North Carolina, with unfavorable weather conditions keeping us docked more often than we'd like. From high winds to unsettled seas, it’s been a tough stretch for us eager to get out on the water. However, we’re finally seeing a break in the weather! We’re excited to report that Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are shaping up to be perfect days for offshore fishing! With calm seas, light winds, and sunny skies on the forecast, it’s a great opportunity to get out there and make up for lost time. Fishing Forecast: With the improving conditions, we’re expecting solid action in the Gulf Stream and along the deeper structures. Anglers can expect: Tuna (Yellowfin and Blackfin) – Cooler waters are pushing through, which should fire up the tuna bite. We’ll be targeting the ledges and drop-offs for some good action. King Mackerel - The fall run is heating up! Kings have been showing up in good numbers around nearshore wrecks and along temperature breaks making for great action on those 4 to 6 hour trips. In Slow-trolling dead bait has been producing quality fish, and we expect the bite to stay strong through the weekend. Wahoo – The wahoo bite should pick up with the calm seas, especially around deeper wrecks and drop-offs. We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend of fishing and can’t wait to hit the water with some great weather and good company! Booking: We have availability for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday trips, so don’t miss your chance to take advantage of these beautiful weather days! Book your charter today and get ready for some serious fishing action. Tight lines, Raider Spirit Crew

It’s been a rough few weeks on the ocean — wind, swell, and sloppy seas have kept most of us dockside and dreaming about blue water. But good news is finally on the way! ? Looks like a weather window is opening up the weekend of October 25th, and it’s shaping up to be a great time to head offshore. The bite has been hot whenever boats have made it out — wahoo are stacked up, blackfin tuna are thick, and a few late mahi are still hanging around the breaks. Bottom fishing has been solid too with triggers, vermilion snapper, and grouper biting when conditions allow. If the forecast holds, this could be one of the best offshore weekends of the fall. Time to check the gear, fuel up, and be ready to roll when the seas lay down. We’ve all been waiting for a break — and it’s finally coming. Let’s go fishing! ⚓?

Hey folks, Captain Scott here with Raider Spirit Sport Fishing checking in from Sneads Ferry with the latest offshore update. The wahoo bite is starting to fire up, and things are looking great out on the Gulf Stream. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been seeing steady action with wahoo ranging anywhere from 25 to 60 pounds, and on the right day, it’s been downright hot. Most of our trips are producing a few solid fish, and when they hit, they hit hard. That first run never gets old and hearing that drag scream and watching the rod bury as a wahoo tears down-sea still gets my blood pumping every time. The Gulf Stream water has been beautiful lately, clean, blue, and full of life. We’ve been finding the best action around temperature breaks and structure edges in the 40-fathom range, roughly 35 to 40 miles offshore. When the wind lays down and we can make the run, the fishing has been fantastic. The weather windows have been short, but the reward has been worth it every time we get out there. We’ve been HS trolling with Islanders and jet heads, running a mix of dark and bright colors. Black and purple, blue and white, and pink and black have been our top producers. A few fish have also come off the planer rod, so we’ve been keeping that line in the spread for those deeper bites. If you’re heading out, make sure your wire leaders are solid and your drags are smooth — these fish don’t play around. Wahoo are pure muscle and teeth, and they’ll test every bit of your tackle. Looking ahead, October is shaping up perfectly for the fall wahoo run. The bait is here, the water’s right, and the conditions are lining up for some of the best offshore action of the year. I expect the bite to stay strong through early November before the next round of cold fronts moves in. Now’s the time to get offshore if you’ve been waiting for your shot at a trophy wahoo — they’re here and feeding. If you’re ready to experience that wahoo power for yourself, come fish with us on the Raider Spirit. We’ve got open dates available this month, and we’ll be running full-day offshore trips targeting wahoo, blackfin tuna, and mahi. Tight Lines!

With the shorter days and cooler nights, has the inshore fishing on fire! We're seeing alot of red fish moving around with some nice trout. The black drum are starting to move in and school up, late fall and winter is always my favorite time for sheephead! Still seeing some alot nice flounder but unfortunately they are out of season! Great time of year to enjoy some great inshore action!

A fun full day trip!

Lots of Redfish and trout around Topsail island and Surf City this week. Cooler temps habe them chewing