UTERGray triggerfish fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, gray triggerfish peak May–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Triggers on the ledges and wrecks.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Gray triggerfish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayPeak
- JunePeakTriggers on the ledges and wrecks.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish gray triggerfish 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 gray triggerfish hold on.
What to use for gray triggerfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- 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.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 62–84°F water, best at 68–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch gray triggerfish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is May–October. Gray triggerfish are here year-round. June: Triggers on the ledges and wrecks.
Where do gray triggerfish hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for gray triggerfish in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: squid, live shrimp. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for gray triggerfish 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 gray triggerfish · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year