North Carolina towns
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Fishing near Wilmington, North Carolina
New Hanover County, population 115,451.
- 9 milesto nearest lake
- 7ramps nearby
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Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington angler notes
Wilmington lies in New Hanover County; its 2020 count was 115,451. Lake Sutton is the nearest lake page, roughly 9 miles northwest. The closest ramp page is Dram Tree Park, 4 miles away.
Trails End Park, 4 miles away, is the closest pier.
9 milesto Lake Sutton
7ramp pages within 15 mi
6piers within 30 mi
8shops within 15 mi
Lakes
Reservoirs and ponds by Wilmington
- Lake Sutton9 miles northwest, 1,185 acres
- Surf City Community Center Pond24 miles northeast
- Lake Waccamaw36 miles west
- Boney Mill Pond37 miles north
Species within reach of Wilmington
| Species | Nearby lakes |
|---|---|
| Black crappie | 2 |
| White crappie | 2 |
| Bluegill | 1 |
| Channel catfish | 1 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 |
| Redbreast sunfish | 1 |
| Redear sunfish | 1 |
| White perch | 1 |
| Yellow perch | 1 |
Moving water by Wilmington
- Cape Fear River10 miles
- Northeast Cape Fear River11 miles
- Rice Creek11 miles
- Holly Shelter Creek28 miles
Map
Access near Wilmington on a map
- Dram Tree ParkCape Fear River, 4 miles
- Trails EndIntracoastal Waterway, 4 miles
- Wrightsville BeachIntracoastal Waterway, 4 miles
- Sutton LakeSutton Lake, 9 miles
- Snows CutIntracoastal Waterway, 11 miles
- Castle HayneNortheast Cape Fear River, 11 miles
- Rices CreekRice Creek, 11 miles
Straight line distances from the Census point for Wilmington.
Salt water
Sound and surf from Wilmington
Piers to fish near Wilmington
- Trails End Parksound/river access pier, 4 miles
- Belville Riverwalk Parksound/river access pier, 6 miles
- Johnnie Mercer's Fishing Pierocean fishing pier, 6 miles
- Kure Beach Fishing Pierocean fishing pier, 15 miles
- Jolly Roger Pierocean fishing pier, 18 miles
- Southport Fishing Piersound/river fishing pier (OSM), 22 miles
Estuaries near Wilmington
- Greenville Sound4 miles
- Masonboro Sound5 miles
- Myrtle Grove Sound8 miles
Wilmington has 17 DCM access sites within 5 miles.
Local help
Guides based in Wilmington
Bait counters nearest Wilmington
- DICK'S Sporting Goods Wilmington, 3500 Oleander Drive, Space R-040sporting goods store, Wilmington, 1 mile
- Great Outdoor Provision CO, 3501 Oleander Drsporting goods store, Wilmington, 1 mile
- Marsh Creek Marine and Dry Storagemarina, Wilmington, 2 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 4715 New Centre Dr Ste Asporting goods store, Wilmington, 3 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Wilmingtonsporting goods store, Wilmington, 3 miles
- Tex's Tackle And Baitbait and tackle shop, Wilmington, 3 miles
- Hook Line & Paddlebait and tackle shop, Wilmington, 3 miles
- Intracoastal Anglerbait and tackle shop, Wilmington, 3 miles
Hire help on Wilmington
- Gamekeeper Sportfishingoffshore charter, Wilmington, (910) 279-3445
- Cape Fear Charters & Guide Servicecoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 620-1683
- Corona Daze Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 619-8509
- Hieronymus Fishing Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 231-6133
- Leverdrag Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 386-3733
- ProFishNC Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 547-0000
- Silverspoon Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 540-0319
- Southern Run Fishing Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Bridge Tender Marina, Wilmington, (828) 429-8076
- The Fish Institutecoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 208-0880
- Whipsaw Charter Fishingcoastal charter (trip type not stated), Wilmington, (910) 791-0555
Stocking
NCWRC stocking near Wilmington
| Lake | Distance | 2026 stocking |
|---|---|---|
| Surf City Community Center Pond | 24 miles | 200 8-12 in channel catfish |
NCWRC 2026 stocking lists.
Limits
Rules on waters near Wilmington
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | No closed season |
| Crappie | 20 a day | 8 in minimum | No closed season |
| Sunfish | 30 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Striped and Bodie bass | 4 a day | 20 in minimum | No closed season |
| White bass | 10 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Walleye | 8 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Rock and Roanoke bass | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Blue, channel and flathead catfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Trout (undesignated waters) | 7 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations; rows chosen by the town position against I-95 and I-77.
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Just around Wilmington
Towns encircling Wilmington
- Wrightsville Beach5 miles
- Myrtle Grove6 miles
- Murraysville6 miles
- Ogden6 miles
Counties that share Wilmington
- New Hanover Countyseat: Wilmington
Pictures
Scenes from waters by Wilmington
Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain
Photo: Edward Orde, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Annebethmi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Piperpet, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Fishing out of Wilmington, answered
Which lake page sits closest to Wilmington?
Lake Sutton, 9 miles northwest.
Which ramp serves boaters by Wilmington?
Head to Dram Tree Park, 4 miles out.
How far is the coast from Wilmington?
Trails End Park lies 4 miles out.
Which counters sell tackle in Wilmington?
Try DICK'S Sporting Goods Wilmington.
Do any fishing guides list Wilmington?
Our guide list shows 11 guides and charters.
Which county contains Wilmington?
New Hanover County, which has its own page.
Which trout stream is closest to Wilmington?
Not within 30 miles.
Which river page sits nearest Wilmington?
The Cape Fear River, roughly 10 miles away.
How much is a 10-day license near Wilmington?
Nonresidents 16 and up can buy a 10-day inland license for $29 or a 10-day coastal license for $15.
Find water near Wilmington
Each spot above opens to its limits.