UTERSummer flounder fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, summer flounder peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Bucktail and a strip on the ocean reefs in 40–70 feet.
Big fluke slide off the reefs toward deeper water.
Summer flounder in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingFluke move onto the nearshore ARs and wrecks off Wrightsville and Morehead.
- JunePeakBig Rock month: blue marlin and pier kings. Blues on the Gulf Stream; live menhaden off the piers for kings.
- JulyPeakBucktail and a strip on the ocean reefs in 40–70 feet.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeakNorth Carolina's flounder harvest window covers fluke too — recently early September only; check NCDMF.
- OctoberLeavingBig fluke slide off the reefs toward deeper water.
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish summer flounder 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 summer flounder hold on.
What to use for summer flounder
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 56–80°F water, best at 62–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch summer flounder in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is June–September. Summer flounder are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast May–October. July: Bucktail and a strip on the ocean reefs in 40–70 feet.
Where do summer flounder hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, beach / surf, artificial reef, wreck, bridge, fishing pier, grass flat — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for summer flounder in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: mud minnows (killifish), squid, menhaden (pogies), sand eels. Mud minnows (killifish): Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for summer flounder 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 summer flounder · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year