UTERAtlantic bluefin tuna fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, Atlantic bluefin tuna peak January–March and are around December–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Peak: giants on the menhaden and bluefish schools east of the Cape Lookout shoals; live bait or trolled ballyhoo.
Not in Wilmington & Crystal Coast this month.
Atlantic bluefin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryPeakPeak: giants on the menhaden and bluefish schools east of the Cape Lookout shoals; live bait or trolled ballyhoo.
- FebruaryPeakStill on the shoals until the bait moves.
- MarchPeakThe fish head north.
- AprilLeaving
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberArrivingGiant bluefin show off Cape Lookout and Beaufort Inlet; federal permit and quota rules — check NOAA HMS.
Where to fish Atlantic bluefin 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 Atlantic bluefin tuna hold on.
What to use for Atlantic bluefin tuna
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 50–76°F water, best at 58–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic bluefin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is January–March. Atlantic bluefin tuna are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast December–April. January: Peak: giants on the menhaden and bluefish schools east of the Cape Lookout shoals; live bait or trolled ballyhoo.
Where do Atlantic bluefin tuna hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck, artificial reef — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: menhaden (pogies), squid, herring, sand eels. Menhaden (pogies): Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for Atlantic bluefin 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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