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"August 17 2025 NC Coast Fishing Report: Reds, Drums, and Offshore Action"
Artificial Lure here with your North Carolina Atlantic coast fishing report for Sunday, August 17, 2025. Sunrise came early at 6:27 AM and sunset won’t hit until 7:52 PM, giving us a full day to hunt for our favorite fish. Over at Cape Lookout, tides are a key factor—expect high tide around 2:03 AM and again just after 3:00 PM. Low tides roll in at 8:13 this morning and just after 9:30 tonight, so your best bite windows line up nicely with moving water through the day according to tide-forecast.com.
Weatherwise, we’ve got northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots, with seas sitting 2 to 3 feet inshore, according to the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City. Watch for a slight uptick in waves as you move offshore, and with Hurricane Erin churning well out to sea, you’ll start seeing some long-period swells and elevated rip currents by midweek, though impacts are still minimal today. Bring your sunblock and keep an eye out for afternoon storms—these muggy August days can pop up a thunder-boomer in a hurry.
Onto the fishing—reports up and down the coast point to summertime action holding strong. Wilmington NC Daily Fishing Report says redfish and drum are thick from Bald Head up into the inlets around Masonboro and Wrightsville. Folks are hooking slot reds and a fair number of upper-slot drum around the jetties, marsh edges, and creek mouths, especially on the falling tide.
Spanish mackerel remain active right outside the surf line, especially early mornings and during the evening tide changes. Anglers are picking up limits trolling Clark spoons behind planers, and casting Gotcha plugs with a steady, fast retrieve when you find those bait balls busting the surface. King mackerel are scattered but still showing off the piers and nearshore reefs—try slow-trolling live menhaden if you want a smoker king.
Sheepshead and black drum are hanging tight to bridge pilings and navigation markers, with sand fleas and fiddler crabs being the bait of choice. Some nice catches of keeper flounder are coming from inside the inlets and creek mouths; chartreuse Gulp! swimming mullets rigged on a 1/4-ounce jighead have been especially productive this past week.
If you’re an offshore angler, nearshore reefs in 40–70 feet are stacked with sea bass and a fair mix of summer flounder, with a few reports of keeper cobia in the mix—menhaden strips, bucktail jigs, and live pinfish are all getting bit. Continental shelf trips have produced a smattering of mahi and the occasional wahoo, mostly on skirted ballyhoo run around temperature breaks.
Don’t sleep on crappie if you want some freshwater action inland! As Carolina Sportsman points out, big slabs are taking larger Kalin-style grubs tipped with minnows, and even small crankbaits—think outside the ultralight box for those whoppers.
Best artificial lures this week: Gotcha plugs, casting jigs for macks, Z-Man paddle tails for redfish, and scented chartreuse Gulp! for flounder. For bait, live menhaden, fresh shrimp, and fiddlers will put you on most species.
Hot spots to try this Sunday:
- Masonboro Inlet rocks for Spanish and kings at daybreak.
- The Cape Fear River marsh edges for schoolie reds on the outgoing tide.
- Wrightsville Beach pier for some late evening drum and the occasional flattie.
- The nearshore AR370 (about two miles off Topsail) has been hot for sea bass and flounder.
Always check your local advisories—there’s a small craft advisory through early morning for some stretches, with wave heights up to 6 feet if you head out past the shoals.
That wraps it up for today’s report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in—remember to subscribe so you never miss the bite window! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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Published on 2 weeks ago