UTERGreater amberjack fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, greater amberjack peak April–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: AJs on the Frying Pan Tower and the offshore wrecks.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Greater amberjack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilPeak
- MayPeakAJs on the Frying Pan Tower and the offshore wrecks.
- JunePeak
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish greater amberjack 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 greater amberjack hold on.
What to use for greater amberjack
- 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.
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 68–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch greater amberjack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is April–October. Greater amberjack are here year-round. May: AJs on the Frying Pan Tower and the offshore wrecks.
Where do greater amberjack 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 greater amberjack in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), pinfish, cigar minnows, goggle-eyes. 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 greater amberjack 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 greater amberjack · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year