UTERAtlantic bonito fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, Atlantic bonito peak May and are around April–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Peak of the short spring run.
Not in Wilmington & Crystal Coast this month.
Atlantic bonito in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingAtlantic bonito show off Cape Lookout and Beaufort Inlet; troll small spoons.
- MayPeakPeak of the short spring run.
- JuneLeaving
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic bonito 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 Atlantic bonito hold on.
What to use for Atlantic bonito
- Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 58–76°F water, best at 62–72°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic bonito in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May. Atlantic bonito are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast April–June. May: Peak of the short spring run.
Where do Atlantic bonito hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf, wreck — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for Atlantic bonito in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait). Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for Atlantic bonito 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 Atlantic bonito · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year