10 September 2025
Atlantic Coast Fishing Report for September 10, 2025 - Spot, Mackerel, and Choppy Seas
Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina Fishing Report - Daily
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Artificial Lure here, with your Atlantic coast fishing report for Wednesday, September 10, 2025, covering the North Carolina shoreline from Oak Island to Atlantic Beach and beyond.
The tide’s running on a mellow swing this morning, with a tidal coefficient of 47 near Oak Island, so the **range between high and low isn’t dramatic early on**. Currents will be gentle until midday, when the coefficient rises to 55, giving a bit more water movement for those afternoon runs. At Holden Beach, you’ve got a **low tide at 3:32 AM, high tide peaking at 9:39 AM, another low at 4:06 PM, and the next high at 10:01 PM** (all Eastern Daylight). Sunrise hit us at **6:53 AM, with sunset sliding in at 7:26 PM**. Expect about 12 and a half hours of sunlight to work your baits.
Wind’s a story today—National Weather Service is clocking **northeast winds 20–25 knots, gusting up to 30, and seas running a choppy 4–6 feet** out of Surf City to Cape Fear. Small craft advisory is up, so if you’re in a skiff, be cautious, hug the leeward side, or stick to sheltered inlets and piers. The overcast and nip in the air makes it great for most gamefish.
Let’s talk catches. Anglers from the Buckroe and Nags Head area report a **healthy run of spot, particularly larger “yellow belly” spot averaging 7 to 9 inches** the past couple days. Pier crowd’s been heavy, but if you can squeeze in, use **bloodworms or nightcrawlers**—they’re outfishing synthetic baits like Fishbites five to one lately. Out in the surf and at the south-facing beaches, **sea mullet, croaker, and pompano** have been in fair numbers as well, with better luck on shrimp or cut bait.
New regulations this season mean no mullet for sale as fresh bait on weekends, so bring your own or catch your own early if you want the best. Artificial **soft plastics in white or chartreuse, and bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp**, are working well for surf trout and flounder, especially as the water stirs up with NE winds. For the boat crowd braving the swells, **king mackerel and Spanish mackerel** are still chasing Clark spoons and live menhaden, especially on nearshore ledges off Wrightsville and Carolina Beach.
**Hot spots** right now? I’d hit the east end of **Oak Island Pier for the spot and sea mullet run**, and if you want a shot at drum or flounder, drift the **inlet mouths near Shallotte and Lockwood Folly** around the top of the tide. Atlantic Beach Pier’s a solid choice for mixed bag action, and Bogue Inlet Pier offers protection from the heavy wind and a chance at a slot red or late summer bluefish.
For bait, you can’t go wrong with **fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and small strip baits**. On artificials, stick to **grub tails, paddle tails, and metal jigs** if the wind stirs up the water. Lighter leaders in clear pockets, heavier shock leaders for the edge of the breakers.
That’s the report from your boots-on-the-ground, salty local—thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep these dispatches coming.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
The tide’s running on a mellow swing this morning, with a tidal coefficient of 47 near Oak Island, so the **range between high and low isn’t dramatic early on**. Currents will be gentle until midday, when the coefficient rises to 55, giving a bit more water movement for those afternoon runs. At Holden Beach, you’ve got a **low tide at 3:32 AM, high tide peaking at 9:39 AM, another low at 4:06 PM, and the next high at 10:01 PM** (all Eastern Daylight). Sunrise hit us at **6:53 AM, with sunset sliding in at 7:26 PM**. Expect about 12 and a half hours of sunlight to work your baits.
Wind’s a story today—National Weather Service is clocking **northeast winds 20–25 knots, gusting up to 30, and seas running a choppy 4–6 feet** out of Surf City to Cape Fear. Small craft advisory is up, so if you’re in a skiff, be cautious, hug the leeward side, or stick to sheltered inlets and piers. The overcast and nip in the air makes it great for most gamefish.
Let’s talk catches. Anglers from the Buckroe and Nags Head area report a **healthy run of spot, particularly larger “yellow belly” spot averaging 7 to 9 inches** the past couple days. Pier crowd’s been heavy, but if you can squeeze in, use **bloodworms or nightcrawlers**—they’re outfishing synthetic baits like Fishbites five to one lately. Out in the surf and at the south-facing beaches, **sea mullet, croaker, and pompano** have been in fair numbers as well, with better luck on shrimp or cut bait.
New regulations this season mean no mullet for sale as fresh bait on weekends, so bring your own or catch your own early if you want the best. Artificial **soft plastics in white or chartreuse, and bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp**, are working well for surf trout and flounder, especially as the water stirs up with NE winds. For the boat crowd braving the swells, **king mackerel and Spanish mackerel** are still chasing Clark spoons and live menhaden, especially on nearshore ledges off Wrightsville and Carolina Beach.
**Hot spots** right now? I’d hit the east end of **Oak Island Pier for the spot and sea mullet run**, and if you want a shot at drum or flounder, drift the **inlet mouths near Shallotte and Lockwood Folly** around the top of the tide. Atlantic Beach Pier’s a solid choice for mixed bag action, and Bogue Inlet Pier offers protection from the heavy wind and a chance at a slot red or late summer bluefish.
For bait, you can’t go wrong with **fresh shrimp, bloodworms, and small strip baits**. On artificials, stick to **grub tails, paddle tails, and metal jigs** if the wind stirs up the water. Lighter leaders in clear pockets, heavier shock leaders for the edge of the breakers.
That’s the report from your boots-on-the-ground, salty local—thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep these dispatches coming.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn