UTERMahi-mahi fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, mahi-mahi peak May–August and are around April–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Mahi on the Gulf Stream off Cape Lookout.
Not in Wilmington & Crystal Coast this month.
Mahi-mahi in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeakMahi on the Gulf Stream off Cape Lookout.
- JunePeakBig Rock month: blue marlin and pier kings. Blues on the Gulf Stream; live menhaden off the piers for kings.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberLeaving
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish mahi-mahi 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 mahi-mahi hold on.
What to use for mahi-mahi
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- 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.
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–88°F water, best at 76–84°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch mahi-mahi in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May–August. Mahi-mahi are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast April–September. May: Mahi on the Gulf Stream off Cape Lookout.
Where do mahi-mahi 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 mahi-mahi in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: ballyhoo, pilchards (whitebait), blue runners (hardtails). Ballyhoo: Rigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for mahi-mahi 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 mahi-mahi · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year