Sailfish fishing out of Wrightsville Beach is a Gulf Stream trolling day built around wahoo and blackfin tuna, with a sailfish chance riding along. It is a by-catch fishery rather than a dedicated one, so plan the trip for wahoo and blackfin and treat a sailfish as a bonus. The fall and winter window comes from local charter reports, and local reports also put sailfish here in summer. This page covers timing, the run out Masonboro Inlet, the named structure, the method, the local captains and the buoy to check. For inlet and launch detail, see the Wrightsville Beach port page.
When sailfish are around Wrightsville Beach
Sailfish show up here on the wahoo schedule. For the wider picture beyond this port, see sailfish across the Atlantic Southeast (see also the Atlantic Southeast region guide).
| Window | What local sources say |
|---|---|
| Fall and winter | Sailfish are often seen on wahoo trips |
| Summer | Local reports put sailfish here |
Fall and winter on wahoo trips
Southern Run Fishing Charters says sailfish are often seen on its wahoo trips in fall and winter. The sailfish chance follows the wahoo season because it rides on the same Gulf Stream troll: water that suits wahoo and blackfin suits a sailfish.
Summer
Local reports also put sailfish here in summer.
Where boats run
Boats from this port run to the Gulf Stream, and the sailfish chance is out there on wahoo and blackfin trolling trips. The nearshore structure in the next section is a separate kind of fishing, closer to the beach.
Out Masonboro Inlet
Boats reach open water through Masonboro Inlet, which has north and south jetties.
The Gulf Stream
Two kinds of water matter on a day like this. Reefs and jetties make up the nearshore fishing. The Gulf Stream is where wahoo, blackfin and the occasional sailfish are trolled.
Reading NDBC 41038
The nearest NOAA buoy is NDBC 41038, Wrightsville Beach Nearshore (ILM2), at 34.141 N 77.715 W in 18 m (59 ft) of water.
- Station: NDBC 41038 (ILM2)
- Position: 34.141 N 77.715 W
- Water depth: 18 m (59 ft)
- Operator: NOAA National Data Buoy Center
This is a nearshore station, so its wind, wave height and period describe the water off the beach, not the Gulf Stream. For the run itself, read the NWS marine forecast for Wilmington and compare the numbers against your boat and your limits.
Grounds and structure off the port
These are the named pieces of structure off the port, drawn from the NC DMF artificial reef guide and local use.
| Name | Type | Depth | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masonboro Inlet north and south jetties | Jetties | – | At Masonboro Inlet |
| AR-372 | Artificial reef | 49 ft | – |
| AR-370 Meares Harris Reef | Artificial reef | – | 34 10.467 N, 77 45.067 W |
| AR-364 Billy Murrell Reef | Artificial reef | – | 34 14.833 N, 77 42.833 W |
| AR-378 Phillip Wolfe Reef | Artificial reef | – | 34 00.633 N, 77 50.683 W |
| Schoolhouse | – | – | – |
| Dredge Wreck Reef | – | – | – |
| 10-Mile Boxcars | – | – | – |
Chart layers and these coordinates are not for navigation. Use official NOAA charts.
How sailfish are fished here
Sailfish here are caught trolling on Gulf Stream trips, mostly incidentally while the boat targets wahoo and blackfin. There is no separate sailfish spread to learn first. Run the wahoo and blackfin trip well and be ready when a sailfish shows up. For the species and technique picture in general, see our sailfish species guide.
Who fishes for them out of Wrightsville Beach
Charters and one tournament account for the local sailfish fishing listed here.
Charters
Three local charters list sailfish:
- Southern Run Fishing Charters, Captain Ben Morris.
- Whipsaw Fishing Charters, Captain Robbie Wolfe.
- Ocean Stinger Charters, Captain Jesse Gawlik.
Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament
The Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament is usually held in May. For other billfish off this coast, see other billfish off this coast.
FAQ: sailfish fishing out of Wrightsville Beach
When are sailfish caught out of Wrightsville Beach?
Sailfish fishing out of Wrightsville Beach is best known in fall and winter, when Southern Run says sailfish are often seen on wahoo trips. Local reports also put sailfish here in summer.
Do boats target sailfish directly?
Usually not. Sailfish are mostly caught incidentally while trolling for wahoo and blackfin in the Gulf Stream.
Where do boats run for sailfish?
Boats run out Masonboro Inlet to the Gulf Stream.
Which buoy should I check?
NDBC 41038 (ILM2), at 34.141 N 77.715 W in 18 m of water. It reports nearshore conditions, so check the NWS marine forecast for the Gulf Stream run.
Which charters list sailfish?
Southern Run (Captain Ben Morris), Whipsaw (Captain Robbie Wolfe) and Ocean Stinger (Captain Jesse Gawlik).
