UTERAlmaco jack fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, almaco jack peak May–September and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Almaco on the offshore wrecks.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Almaco jack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayPeak
- JunePeakAlmaco on the offshore wrecks.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish almaco jack near Calabash, Southport, Wilmington
South-facing beaches between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout, the Cape Fear River, marsh creeks and ICW behind Masonboro, Topsail and Bogue banks, Core Sound and Harkers Island — with the Cape Lookout and Frying Pan shoals, hundreds of nearshore wrecks and ARs, and the Big Rock and the Gulf Stream 30–50 miles out.
Fish Scouter charts 272 artificial reef, 208 wreck spots in the The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear map area — the kinds almaco jack hold on.
What to use for almaco jack
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 66–84°F water, best at 70–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch almaco jack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May–September. Almaco jack are here year-round. June: Almaco on the offshore wrecks.
Where do almaco jack hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on wreck, artificial reef, ledge / hard bottom — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for almaco jack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), pinfish, cigar minnows. Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for almaco jack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and change — read the current rule at https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries/rules-proclamations-and-size-and-bag-limits before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.ncwildlife.org/licensing.
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All about almaco jack · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year