UTERSpanish mackerel fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, Spanish mackerel peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Troll Clark spoons along the beaches and the inlets; piers at dawn.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Spanish mackerel in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingSpanish arrive off Wrightsville and Bogue Banks.
- JunePeakBig Rock month: blue marlin and pier kings. Blues on the Gulf Stream; live menhaden off the piers for kings.
- JulyPeakTroll Clark spoons along the beaches and the inlets; piers at dawn.
- AugustPeakRibbonfish and tarpon; drum on the shoals. Big drum on the Lookout shoals; Gotcha plugs off the piers at dawn.
- SeptemberPeakFall blitzes with the albies.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Spanish mackerel 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 spots in the The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear map area — the kinds Spanish mackerel hold on.
What to use for Spanish mackerel
- 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.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Spanish sardinesNose-hooked and free-lined in a chum slick, or slow-trolled on a stinger rig.
- Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 68–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Spanish mackerel in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is June–September. Spanish mackerel are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast May–October. July: Troll Clark spoons along the beaches and the inlets; piers at dawn.
Where do Spanish mackerel hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for Spanish mackerel in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), spanish sardines. Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for Spanish mackerel 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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