UTERWahoo fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, wahoo peak April–May and October–November and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: Fall wahoo off the Big Rock.
Fall wahoo off the Big Rock.
Wahoo in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilPeak
- MayPeakCobia arrive; gaffers on the Gulf Stream. Sight-cast cobia off Bogue Banks; mahi on the weed lines off the Big Rock.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakFall wahoo off the Big Rock.
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAround
Where to fish wahoo 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 wahoo hold on.
What to use for wahoo
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- Opelu (mackerel scad)Bridled live and slow-trolled or drifted down for ahi, ono and marlin; cut for bottom fishing.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 70–86°F water, best at 74–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch wahoo in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is April–May and October–November. Wahoo are here year-round. October: Fall wahoo off the Big Rock.
Where do wahoo 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 wahoo in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: ballyhoo, blue runners (hardtails), goggle-eyes, opelu (mackerel scad). Ballyhoo: Rigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for wahoo 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 wahoo · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year