Wrightsville Beach, NC Fishing Report-February 2025
It has been a downright cold winter so far, but as I write this report it is warming up nicely for the beginning of February! Fishing can be great during February especially when we have mild runs of weather. Here are some of the species I target around Southeast NC during February.
Cape Fear River Striped Bass are one of my favorites for winter fishing in our area. I look for the Stripers on drop offs, around pilings and creek mouths. Working baits like Berkley Gulp six-inch jerkshad or the new Berkley Powerbait CullShad should get you bites from Striped Bass. I prefer chart pepper neon, Fire tiger and fool’s gold colors for the jerkshad *See here https://alnk.to/gKQ67Wp I use fresh water and saltwater CullShad colors for the Striped Bass fishing. Berkley Power Bait CullShad saltwater colors *See here https://alnk.to/h6GNDA8 and freshwater colors *see here https://alnk.to/9T9W6Dc I rig my jerkshad and CullShad lures on swimbait 7/0 TroKar TK-170 hooks, in 1/4oz or 3/8oz *see here TroKar TK170 Mid water crank baits work too, try lures that dive from three to eight feet deep for best results. If the crank bait starts to hit the bottom let it float up a bit or trust me, you will lose it to structure! Water temps are cold this time of year in the river, I prefer anything above 45 degrees but have caught them as low as 39*. Do not forget that the Cape Fear River Striped Bass fishery is a closed fishery and is catch & release only; you must release all Striped Bass. Keep your eyes out for tagged Stripers there are a lot of tagged fish out there, some even have $100 Red Tags!!
There is one fish that can be caught very easily during the winter months, if you find them! The Redfish bite can be some of the best of the year for catching numbers of fish; the deal breaker for this fishery is you have got to have good weather, calm seas, and bright sunny skies for the ocean schools. I find the winter ocean Reds around the inlets, sand bars, up and down the beaches in the surf line. I use Berkley Gulp paddleshad in colors black gold or black silver *see here https://alnk.to/c09aeMg also, the Berkley Gulp three- & four-inch Shrimp *see here https://alnk.to/58q5o7A work well too both rigged on 3/8oz jig heads. *See here https://alnk.to/28RH5yg A MirrOlure Catch 2000Jr or 2000 lures work well for winter Redfish in the ocean too.
During February I look for schooling Redfish on sunny, warmer, and light wind days. I find these schools on oyster rocks/flats, dark mud bottoms and shallow flats just off the ICW. The Reds will sun on these dark colored bottom areas for a little extra warm up; this is also where you will see some bait fish doing the same thing (warming up). In February the Reds are not hard to catch when you find them, but sometimes finding them can be a challenge. My go to bait for the winter Redfish is scented grubs like the Berkley Gulp Dragon tail https://alnk.to/ge6QBpx or shrimp https://alnk.to/58q5o7A Redfish love these things. Rig grubs with thirty-pound fluorocarbon and a darker colored jig heads like red or gray should get the redfish to bite for you. I use the Fusion 19 jig head series. *See here https://alnk.to/28RH5yg Work’em slow as to not spoke the Redfish. Sometimes a light Carolina rig with a small piece of cut shrimp; for those stubborn winter Redfish may help you get a bite.
There is one fish that a lot of anglers overlook during the winter months, the Black Drum. What I love about these fish is you can catch them in good numbers this time of year and there pretty darn good to eat! On top of all that they can be easy to catch; all you need is a little fresh (as you can get) shrimp. I use a light Carolina rig with an Eagle claw L42 #1 or #2 hook. Light meaning using as light as a sinker that you can get away with so as not to spook the drum. Fish around docks, oyster rock flats and inlets for these Black Drum; often you will catch Redfish and Sheepshead (smaller) mixed in as well.
What chilly winter so far in Southeast NC. You can find a good winter Speckled trout bite, but it takes the right weather pattern for good results. Yes, as of the writing of this report, Speckled trout is release only until June 15 due to the cold stun effects. Here are some ways I like to target Speckled trout into later winter months. A lure that always comes to mind for winter Speckled trout is the MirrOlure in the 52M, 52MR and TT series. MirrOlure color codes I prefer are: 11, 21, 26, 51, 704, CFPR, CH, EC, HP AND Capt. Jot Custom color #1, #2, or #3 (only found at Tex’s Tackle shop). Most any local tackle shop can help you with these color codes (a lot easier than spelling them all out here). As far as colors go, I try to use light colors in clearer waters and darker colors in stained/river or dirty waters.
Good looking scented lures that have been working very well for me when the water temps drop. Berkley Gulp three-inch shrimp, five-inch Jerkshad and of course the new Dragon tail! Gulp comes in many colors, but here is a few that I like for trout in (shrimp pattern); sugar spice glow, pearl white, Sangria & Scooby. In the Dragon tail I really like the colors scooby, sangria, big money, and key lime chrome. See the Dragon tail here https://alnk.to/ge6QBpx
The Berkley PowerBait Bonga saltwater series really impressed me last season and this one so far. I worked on this project, and I am really excited about these lures. There are three shapes in this series that I really like and come with a new saltwater scent: different from the regular Powerbait scent. I am really liking the Bonga Shad, Bonga Shrimp and Bonga Stick of this series! *Check out the Bonga series here https://alnk.to/cSIC5G1
I rig all my trout soft plastic lures on 1/16oz, 1/8oz and 1/4oz jigs heads in colors red, gray, or white and I always use a fluorocarbon leader when trout fishing. I use the Fusion 19 jig head series. *See here https://alnk.to/28RH5yg I prefer Berkley Pro Spec twenty pound in clear, thirty pound if the blues show up in numbers. *See here https://alnk.to/aLJ9PR2
Tackle run down: PENN New Battle IV https://alnk.to/eZHlnEs and Slammer IV Spinning https://alnk.to/aWD5L7j reels in sizes 2000, 2500, 3000 & 3500. Low profile bait-caster PENN Fathom 200 size https://alnk.to/dAmWQIH, if that is your game! Redfish, Speckled trout, and Striped Bass Rods: Fenwick Inshore HMG 7’ medium action (Redfish & Striped Bass), Speckled Trout Fenwick Eagle rod series in 7’ medium action; line Spiderwire Ultra-cast in eight- or ten-pound test for Speckled trout fishing and ten and fifth-teen pound for Reds/Stripers. Tackle Storage I prefer Plano Guide Series *see here https://alnk.to/gKQItqB and Z-series https://alnk.to/9bu8in4 with EDGE https://alnk.to/eZH8FjA boxes inside.
*PS: One spinning reel series that I think is overlooked is the PENN Fierce IV. I use these reels for Speckled trout and Largemouth bass fishing in sizes 2000 & 2500. PENN is having a great sale for the month of February on the Fierce IV series. Check out the full line of Fierce spinning reels here https://alnk.to/dAnZ4oa
Thanks for reading, stay warm or cool and good fishing to you!
Capt. Jot Owens
910-233-4139
