UTERLittle tunny fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, little tunny peak May and October–November and are around April–December, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: The Cape Lookout blitz: albies busting bait off Shackleford and the Barden Inlet hook — light spin or the fly.
The Cape Lookout blitz: albies busting bait off Shackleford and the Barden Inlet hook — light spin or the fly.
Little tunny in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingSpring albies off Cape Lookout and the Cape Fear inlets.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberArrivingThe first albies show at Cape Lookout.
- OctoberPeakThe Cape Lookout blitz: albies busting bait off Shackleford and the Barden Inlet hook — light spin or the fly.
- NovemberPeakPeak through Thanksgiving; the bait floods out of the sounds.
- DecemberLeavingWarm years they hang on past Christmas.
Where to fish little tunny 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 little tunny hold on.
What to use for little tunny
- 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 66–86°F water, best at 70–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch little tunny in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May and October–November. Little tunny are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast April–December. October: The Cape Lookout blitz: albies busting bait off Shackleford and the Barden Inlet hook — light spin or the fly.
Where do little tunny 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 little tunny 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 little tunny 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 little tunny · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year