"Wilmington Fishing Report: Scorching Nearshore Action, Inshore Drum Bite, and Offshore Tuna & Wahoo"

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Sunday, May 18th fishin' report for Wilmington and surroundin' waters.

Let me tell ya, the action is really heatin' up around our parts! The weather has finally stabilized, which means more opportunities to get out on the ocean. Today's gonna be a beauty for anglin'.

The nearshore bite has been absolutely on fire lately. Atlantic bonito have been thick earlier this month, but they're likely taperin' off now as we get deeper into May. Spanish mackerel, though? They're all over the place! These speedsters are bustin' water surfaces and givin' anglers a real thrill. For tacklin' these fish, I've been seein' great success with folks castin' spoons, particularly Big Nic Spanish Candy lures in sizes from 1/2oz up to 1.5oz. High-speed spinnin' reels are your friend here, or try a high-speed baitcaster like the PENN Fathom 300 if you want an edge.

Inshore, the red and black drum bite has been mighty productive. Carolina-rigged fresh shrimp fished around boat docks and hard structure is the ticket. Sheepshead are also showin' up more now that fiddler crabs are readily available.

For those headin' offshore, blackfin tuna and wahoo have been in the mix, with sailfish startin' to show. And don't forget, grouper season opened up on May 1st, so target those rocks and ledges in the 100-110'+ range.

Hot spots? I'd recommend checkin' out the nearshore artificial reefs and ledges around Wrightsville Beach for those Spanish mackerel. The inlets have been producin' well too. For the inshore crowd, the docks along the ICW have been holdin' good numbers of drum.

In the surf, black drum and big whiting have been bitin' on shrimp and sand fleas, with some scattered reds takin' cut bait.

Best baits right now are fresh shrimp for drum, fiddler crabs for sheepshead, and those spoons I mentioned for the pelagics. For artificials, try MirrOlure MR-17s for speckled trout and jigs like Beach Bum or Jigfish lures when you spot Spanish feedin' on the surface.

Watch for those small king mackerel mixed in with the Spanish – check your catch carefully to avoid undersized kings!

Overall, the fishin's really crankin' up as we settle into that summer pattern. The variety is impressive right now, so whatever you're targetin', chances are good you'll find some action.

Tight lines, y'all! This is Artificial Lure, signin' off until next time. Don't forget your sunscreen!