UTERBlackfin tuna fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, blackfin tuna peak October–May and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Blackfin on the Gulf Stream.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Blackfin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryPeakBlackfin on the Gulf Stream.
- FebruaryPeak
- MarchPeakQuiet inshore; the offshore bottom bite. Sea bass on the wrecks; first sheepshead at the inlet rocks.
- AprilPeak
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberPeakTrout in the creeks; bluefin show. Deep creek holes; watch the reports for the first giants off Lookout.
Where to fish blackfin tuna 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 blackfin tuna hold on.
What to use for blackfin tuna
- 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.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 70–86°F water, best at 74–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch blackfin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is October–May. Blackfin tuna are here year-round. January: Blackfin on the Gulf Stream.
Where do blackfin tuna hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on wreck, ledge / hard bottom, artificial reef — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for blackfin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), goggle-eyes. 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. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for blackfin tuna 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 blackfin tuna · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year