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Should I Fish Wilmington, NC This Week?

MAYBE

Yes—the best time to fish Wilmington this week is Friday 4:00 pm–6:00 pm, on the outgoing tide + minor solunar + falling pressure. Should I Fish? rates Friday a GO. (Updated Thursday, October 15.)

Updated 6:14 pm ET

Tides & fishability—next 3 days

TODAY THU 10/1572MAYBE
FRI 10/16 ⚠79GO
SAT 10/17 ⚠71MAYBE
TODAY THU 10/15bite 3a–5aFRI 10/16 ⚠bite 4p–6pSAT 10/17 ⚠bite 6p–7p4.3 ft · 1:03a0.7 ft · 7:13a4.9 ft · 1:33p1.0 ft · 8:10p4.2 ft · 1:49a0.8 ft · 7:45a4.7 ft · 2:21p1.2 ft · 8:54p4.1 ft · 2:39a0.9 ft · 8:23a4.6 ft · 3:13p1.3 ft · 9:43p12a6a12p6p12a6a12p6p12a6a12p6p12a

Curve height is tide level—curve color is how good the fishing should be. Green means go.

Today’s high & low tides—Wilmington, NC
Time ETTideHeight (ft)
1:03 amHigh4.34
7:13 amLow0.70
1:33 pmHigh4.89
8:10 pmLow0.99

Today’s Solunar & Tide Almanac—Wilmington

Solunar times
Major3:02 am – 6:02 am
Minor11:28 am – 12:58 pm
Major3:28 pm – 6:28 pm
Minor8:58 pm – 10:28 pm

Major periods are the moon overhead or underfoot—minors are moonrise and moonset. They feed the score’s solunar factor.

Sun & moon
Sunrise7:17 am
Sunset6:37 pm
Moonrise12:13 pm
Moonset9:43 pm
MoonWaxing crescent · 23%
Water temp77°F
Tide strength
Today86% · spring tide

Strong spring tide today—currents running about 86% of this station's monthly peak. More moving water, more feeding.

Fishing Weather—Next 3 Days

Today
68°–84°F
rain 0%
wind 3–5 kn
Fri 10/16
69°–80°F
rain 1%
wind 4–9 kn
Sat 10/17
52°–71°F
rain 44%
wind 7–14 kn

Plan your trip—Wilmington

Today72MAYBEbite 3a–5a
Fri 10/1679GO⚠ rough conditions
Sat 10/1771MAYBE⚠ rough conditions

Tide data: NOAA station Wilmington (8658120).

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is high tide in Wilmington today?

High tide in Wilmington, NC today (Thursday, October 15) is at 1:03 am, at 4.3 ft.

What's the best tide to fish in Wilmington?

Moving water beats slack water in Wilmington—fish feed hardest while the tide is actively rising or falling, not at the still point at the top or bottom. The outgoing tide gets a slight edge here by default. Today (Thursday, October 15), that lines up 3:00 am–5:00 am, driven by outgoing tide + minor solunar.

When is the best time of day to fish in Wilmington?

Dawn and dusk are the strongest light windows in Wilmington, and they carry extra weight when a solunar period (moon overhead, underfoot, rising, or setting) lines up with them. Today (Thursday, October 15), that combination points to 3:00 am–5:00 am.

Should I fish Wilmington tomorrow?

Should I Fish? rates tomorrow (Friday, October 16) in Wilmington a GO at 79/100—best window 4:00 pm–6:00 pm.

What time should I fish Wilmington?

Fish Wilmington today (Thursday, October 15) from 3:00 am to 5:00 am—that's the strongest scored window. Outside it, dawn and dusk on moving water are the default best bets.

Do I need a license to fish in NC?

Yes—saltwater fishing in North Carolina requires a NC Coastal Recreational Fishing License. You can get one through the state agency listed below.

NC Coastal Recreational Fishing License →

Nearby Fishing Forecasts

See the full Wilmington tide chart →