UTERAtlantic spadefish fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, Atlantic spadefish peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Spadefish on the wrecks and buoys.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Atlantic spadefish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakSpadefish on the wrecks and buoys.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic spadefish 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 spadefish hold on.
What to use for Atlantic spadefish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 66–88°F water, best at 72–84°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic spadefish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is June–September. Atlantic spadefish are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast May–October. June: Spadefish on the wrecks and buoys.
Where do Atlantic spadefish hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on wreck, artificial reef, bridge — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for Atlantic spadefish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for Atlantic spadefish 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 Atlantic spadefish · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year