03 November 2025
Atlantic NC Fishing Report 11/3/25: Trout, Reds, Kings & More Biting Strong
Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina Fishing Report Today
About
Artificial Lure here with your Monday, November 3rd, 2025, Atlantic North Carolina fishing report.
We’re waking up under classic November skies—cooler temps holding steady after yesterday’s showers, with more rain likely drifting in towards the evening, especially down by Atlantic Beach and Swansboro. Winds are light, but keep an eye on the forecast if you’re headed offshore; coastal troughing and a weak low pressure could build chop later on, so plan accordingly. Sunrise hit at 6:47 and sunset comes at 7:19, so anglers have a solid 12+ hours of daylight to work with today.
Looking at the tides, it’s a high activity day—tidal coefficient clocks in at 88 this morning, so expect strong tidal swings and current, with only one high tide at 11:43 AM and the next low at 6:33 PM in most major fisheries. Big water movement means predator species will be feeding tight around slack tide; focus your casts within an hour before and after those changes for best results.
Now on to the fishing. This past weekend gave up strong numbers inshore—speckled trout and puppy drum (redfish) are biting hard inside area inlets, thanks to water dropping to about 58°F. Multiple reports have fly and light-tackle anglers tallying up healthy catches right in the creeks and marshes from Wilmington to the Outer Banks. Try MirrOlures in electric chicken or chartreuse, alongside live mud minnows. Artificials worked slow have outpaced live bait on cooler post-front mornings.
On the surf and nearshore, king mackerel are on the prowl outside Sneads Ferry and off Cape Lookout Shoals—fast-trolled spoons and live menhaden are getting the best strikes, though cigar minnows work if you can’t get fresh bait. The king bite is described as “hungry” for November, with some boats reporting half-dozen fish in a morning. A few boats chasing the shelf out of Morehead have picked up scattered mahi-mahi, yellowfin and skipjack tuna on the slow troll, but numbers are lighter now as temps fall.
Up the rivers and brackish stretches, school-sized striper (rockfish) are gathering at bridges and lighted docks after dark. Soft-plastic flukes and chartreuse bucktails are consistent producers, especially around Kitty Hawk and the Elizabeth River. Tautog and sea bass are starting to stack up on the deeper reefs and wrecks, with fresh crab, clams, and squid getting the nod from the bottom crowd.
If you’re looking for hot spots, plug these into your GPS:
- Cape Lookout Jetty—steady action for kings, specks, and reds, plus tautog on the rocks.
- Wrightsville Beach Inlet—morning trout bite has been excellent behind the jetty.
- Oregon Inlet—rockfish after sunset, plus surf flounder and drum.
- Sneads Ferry docks—reliable king mackerel and some slot reds just inside.
Best lures for today's bite:
- MirrOlure 17MR, electric chicken or glass minnow
- Berkley Gulp! shrimp or curly-tail grubs
- 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jig heads for plastics, especially around schooling fish
- Clark spoons or Drone spoons for nearshore and king action
Top bait:
- Live mud minnows and finger mullet for inshore
- Fresh menhaden or cigar minnows for kings
- Fresh crab and sand fleas for tautog and sea bass
As always, stay flexible—target the staging areas right at slack tides, and don’t be afraid to switch up colors or slow your retrieve when the water gets cold. Fish are responding best to subtle action and natural presentation. Weather’s going to be a player, with rain possible after noon, so hit those morning windows for best numbers.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up with the latest Atlantic North Carolina fishing news and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’re waking up under classic November skies—cooler temps holding steady after yesterday’s showers, with more rain likely drifting in towards the evening, especially down by Atlantic Beach and Swansboro. Winds are light, but keep an eye on the forecast if you’re headed offshore; coastal troughing and a weak low pressure could build chop later on, so plan accordingly. Sunrise hit at 6:47 and sunset comes at 7:19, so anglers have a solid 12+ hours of daylight to work with today.
Looking at the tides, it’s a high activity day—tidal coefficient clocks in at 88 this morning, so expect strong tidal swings and current, with only one high tide at 11:43 AM and the next low at 6:33 PM in most major fisheries. Big water movement means predator species will be feeding tight around slack tide; focus your casts within an hour before and after those changes for best results.
Now on to the fishing. This past weekend gave up strong numbers inshore—speckled trout and puppy drum (redfish) are biting hard inside area inlets, thanks to water dropping to about 58°F. Multiple reports have fly and light-tackle anglers tallying up healthy catches right in the creeks and marshes from Wilmington to the Outer Banks. Try MirrOlures in electric chicken or chartreuse, alongside live mud minnows. Artificials worked slow have outpaced live bait on cooler post-front mornings.
On the surf and nearshore, king mackerel are on the prowl outside Sneads Ferry and off Cape Lookout Shoals—fast-trolled spoons and live menhaden are getting the best strikes, though cigar minnows work if you can’t get fresh bait. The king bite is described as “hungry” for November, with some boats reporting half-dozen fish in a morning. A few boats chasing the shelf out of Morehead have picked up scattered mahi-mahi, yellowfin and skipjack tuna on the slow troll, but numbers are lighter now as temps fall.
Up the rivers and brackish stretches, school-sized striper (rockfish) are gathering at bridges and lighted docks after dark. Soft-plastic flukes and chartreuse bucktails are consistent producers, especially around Kitty Hawk and the Elizabeth River. Tautog and sea bass are starting to stack up on the deeper reefs and wrecks, with fresh crab, clams, and squid getting the nod from the bottom crowd.
If you’re looking for hot spots, plug these into your GPS:
- Cape Lookout Jetty—steady action for kings, specks, and reds, plus tautog on the rocks.
- Wrightsville Beach Inlet—morning trout bite has been excellent behind the jetty.
- Oregon Inlet—rockfish after sunset, plus surf flounder and drum.
- Sneads Ferry docks—reliable king mackerel and some slot reds just inside.
Best lures for today's bite:
- MirrOlure 17MR, electric chicken or glass minnow
- Berkley Gulp! shrimp or curly-tail grubs
- 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jig heads for plastics, especially around schooling fish
- Clark spoons or Drone spoons for nearshore and king action
Top bait:
- Live mud minnows and finger mullet for inshore
- Fresh menhaden or cigar minnows for kings
- Fresh crab and sand fleas for tautog and sea bass
As always, stay flexible—target the staging areas right at slack tides, and don’t be afraid to switch up colors or slow your retrieve when the water gets cold. Fish are responding best to subtle action and natural presentation. Weather’s going to be a player, with rain possible after noon, so hit those morning windows for best numbers.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up with the latest Atlantic North Carolina fishing news and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI