UTERTarpon fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, tarpon peak August–September and are around July–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Fish around the bait at the inlets and the lower Cape Fear.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Tarpon in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyArrivingA few tarpon show at the Cape Fear River mouth and the inlets.
- AugustPeakFish around the bait at the inlets and the lower Cape Fear.
- SeptemberPeakPeak of the short Carolina tarpon window before they head south.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish tarpon 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 tarpon
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- 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.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Leader50–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook5/0–8/0
- Jig head1–1 1/4 oz
- Braid40–65 lb
Feeds in 74–90°F water, best at 78–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tarpon in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is August–September. Tarpon are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast July–October. August: Fish around the bait at the inlets and the lower Cape Fear.
Where do tarpon hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf, bridge, channel edge — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for tarpon in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: blue crabs, threadfin herring (greenbacks), pilchards (whitebait), finger mullet. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 5/0–8/0, jig head 1–1 1/4 oz, braid 40–65 lb.
What are the rules for tarpon 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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