UTERBlack drum fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, black drum peak May and September–November and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Docks, bridges and the inlet rocks.
Best month in the creeks and inlets; shrimp or clam.
Black drum in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilArrivingBlack drum show at the inlets and the bridges.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakDocks, bridges and the inlet rocks.
- OctoberPeakBest month in the creeks and inlets; shrimp or clam.
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAround
Where to fish black drum 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.
What to use for black drum
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader30–50 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook3/0–6/0
- Braid20–30 lb
Feeds in 48–78°F water, best at 54–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch black drum in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May and September–November. Black drum are here year-round. September: Docks, bridges and the inlet rocks.
Where do black drum hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, grass flat, channel edge — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for black drum in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: blue crabs, live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 30–50 lb fluorocarbon, hook 3/0–6/0, braid 20–30 lb.
What are the rules for black drum 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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