Best Time to Fish in Wilmington
North Carolina · Friday, September 11
🌅
6:53 AM
Sunrise
🌇
7:26 PM
Sunset
🌙
0%
Moon
The next 7 days in Wilmington
| Day | Dawn window | Dusk window | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 6:23 AM – 7:53 AM | 5:56 PM – 7:56 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 0% |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 6:23 AM – 7:53 AM | 5:54 PM – 7:54 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 1% |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 6:24 AM – 7:54 AM | 5:53 PM – 7:53 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 5% |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6:25 AM – 7:55 AM | 5:51 PM – 7:51 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 10% |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6:25 AM – 7:55 AM | 5:50 PM – 7:50 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 17% |
| Wed, Sep 16 | 6:26 AM – 7:56 AM | 5:49 PM – 7:49 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 26% |
| Thu, Sep 17 | 6:27 AM – 7:57 AM | 5:47 PM – 7:47 PM | 🌓 First Quarter · 36% |
Dawn and dusk windows are computed from sunrise/sunset for Wilmington; times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's best windows in Wilmington
🌅 Dawn — 6:23 AM to 7:53 AM
The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.
🌇 Dusk — 5:56 PM to 7:56 PM
The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.
🌙 Moon — New Moon (0% lit)
Solunar feeding activity peaks around the new and full moons. Overlap a solunar period with dawn or dusk and you have the best window of the day.
Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for Wilmington (North Carolina); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's tides in Wilmington
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 4:36 AM | -0.1 ft |
| High | 10:21 AM | 5.1 ft |
| Low | 4:54 PM | -0.0 ft |
| High | 10:43 PM | 5.1 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station 8658120 (Wilmington), about 4 mi from Wilmington. Times in local time, heights relative to MLLW.
Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot
Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact Wilmington spot.
See the AI Trip Planner →Best season to fish Wilmington
Inshore redfish and speckled trout fish year-round, with fall (September through November) the marquee season as reds school up and trout feed hard before winter. Flounder are a warm-season fishery, though North Carolina has tightly regulated the flounder season in recent years — check current rules before you keep any. King mackerel and cobia run nearshore from late spring through fall. The Gulf Stream offshore fishery peaks spring through fall, with mahi in the warmer months and wahoo and tuna on the troll. Winter slows the inshore bite but big trout and reds hold in the deeper creeks on warm afternoons.
Best time to fish in Wilmington — FAQ
What is the best time of day to fish in Wilmington?
The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in Wilmington, sunrise is about 6:53 AM and sunset about 7:26 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.
Does the moon affect fishing in Wilmington?
Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a New Moon (0% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.
What is the best season to fish in Wilmington?
Inshore redfish and speckled trout fish year-round, with fall (September through November) the marquee season as reds school up and trout feed hard before winter. Flounder are a warm-season fishery, though North Carolina has tightly regulated the flounder season in recent years — check current rules before you keep any. King mackerel and cobia run nearshore from late spring through fall. The Gulf Stream offshore fishery peaks spring through fall, with mahi in the warmer months and wahoo and tuna on the troll. Winter slows the inshore bite but big trout and reds hold in the deeper creeks on warm afternoons.
Do I need a fishing license to fish in Wilmington?
Yes — most adult anglers need a North Carolina fishing license. See the North Carolina fishing license guide for 2026 resident and non-resident prices, who's exempt, and where to buy.
What tide is best for fishing in Wilmington?
Moving water usually beats slack tide — fish the hour or so around a tide change, when current is strongest and sweeps bait past structure. See today's tide times for Wilmington above to plan around the next high or low.
Plan your next Wilmington trip
Free profile, no credit card. Find a buddy, get a live conditions plan, and fish safer.
Get Started Free →