Full Day Bottom Fishing with Let's Hook Up
Private Trip
Offshore Fishing
Full-day offshore fishing targeting grouper, snapper, and seabassCaptain Jason provides proven techniques and high-quality gearEight-hour bottom fishing experience accommodates up to six guests
Captain Jason and his crew at Let's Hook Up Charters know how to put you on fish. This full-day charter takes you 8 hours deep into Wrightsville Beach's most productive bottom fishing grounds, where grouper, snapper, and black seabass are waiting. You'll be fishing proven spots that Captain Jason has worked for years, using tackle and techniques that consistently produce results. Whether you're a weekend warrior or someone just getting into saltwater fishing, this trip delivers the kind of action that keeps anglers coming back season after season. Pack your cooler with ice and get ready to fill it up.
Your day starts early at the dock in Wrightsville Beach, where Captain Jason will brief you on the plan and get everyone settled on the boat. The ride out to the fishing grounds gives you time to rig up and get your head in the game while watching the coastline fade behind you. Once you hit the first spot, it's all about putting bait on the bottom and staying ready. Captain Jason runs a clean operation with quality gear, but he expects you to stay engaged and follow his lead when fish are biting. The crew will help with everything from baiting hooks to gaffing fish, but this isn't a hand-holding experience – you're here to fish, and they'll make sure you do it right. With 6 anglers max, everyone gets plenty of rod time and personal attention when the action heats up.
Bottom fishing off Wrightsville Beach is all about reading structure and putting the right bait in the right place. Captain Jason uses heavy conventional tackle with circle hooks and sinkers sized for the current and depth. You'll be fishing natural baits like squid, cut bait, and live pinfish over hard bottom, ledges, and artificial reefs where grouper and snapper like to hold. The key is keeping your bait tight to the structure without getting hung up – something Captain Jason has mastered after years of working these waters. When you hook up, it's about getting fish off the bottom fast before they can wrap you around a rock or cut you off. The crew provides all tackle, but if you've got your own bottom rig you like to throw, bring it along. Electric reels aren't necessary, but they sure make cranking from 100+ feet a lot easier on a long day.
Red Grouper are the bread and butter of this fishery, running anywhere from keeper size up to real doormat fish in the 15-20 pound range. They're aggressive feeders that hit cut bait hard, and once you hook one, you know it immediately. These fish pull straight down and don't give up easy, making every hookup a real fight. Peak season runs from late spring through early fall, with the biggest fish often caught in deeper water during summer months. What makes red grouper so popular is they're excellent eating and provide that classic bottom fishing experience every angler wants.
Black Sea Bass might be smaller than grouper, but they make up for it in numbers and attitude. These scrappy fish school up over structure and will hit anything you drop down to them. Most fish run 1-3 pounds, but the bigger males can push 5+ pounds and have those distinctive humped heads that make them easy to identify. They're open year-round with generous bag limits, so when you find a school, you can really load up. Black seabass are also some of the best eating fish in the ocean – sweet, flaky meat that's perfect for the dinner table.
Red Snapper are the prize catch that every angler hopes to hook. These bright red fighters are beautiful fish that taste even better than they look. When snapper are biting, they'll slam your bait and make long runs that'll test your drag and your arms. Most fish caught here run 3-8 pounds, but double-digit snapper show up regularly for those who put in their time. Red snapper are highly regulated, so Captain Jason stays current on all size and bag limits to ensure everything is legal and by the book.
White Grunt and Black Grouper round out the mix, with grunt providing steady action when the bigger fish are being finicky, and black grouper offering the chance at a real trophy. Black grouper grow larger than their red cousins and fight even harder, making them the ultimate target for serious bottom fishermen. White grunt might not win any beauty contests, but they bite consistently and are surprisingly good eating when prepared right.
Captain Jason's full-day bottom fishing trips book up fast, especially during peak season when the bite is hot. This is a top-rated charter operation that delivers consistent results, and word gets around quickly among the local fishing community. You're getting 8 full hours on the water with an experienced captain who knows where the fish live and how to catch them. Bring your fishing license, sunscreen, and plenty of water – everything else is provided. Remember that deposits are non-refundable, so make sure your dates work before you commit. When you're ready to experience some of the best bottom fishing the Carolina coast has to offer, Let's Hook Up Charters is your ticket to a day you'll be talking about for years.
Meet the Seahunt, your ticket to prime offshore fishing grounds around Wrightsville Beach. This 26-foot center console cuts through Carolina waters with twin 150HP Yamaha engines, hitting 45 knots to get you out to where the grouper and bass are biting. Built in 2006 with room for six anglers, she's equipped with everything you need for a successful day on the water. The fish finder helps locate schools below while GPS keeps you on course to the hottest spots. Radar ensures safe navigation when visibility drops. An icebox keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold during those long battles with bottom fish. Captain Jason knows these waters inside and out, and this boat gives him the speed and reliability to put you on fish. Whether you're after snapper, grunt, or black seabass, the Seahunt delivers the platform you need for serious offshore fishing.
Mycteroperca BonaciBlack Grouper are the heavyweights of our bottom fishing trips. These olive-gray fish with dark blotches typically run 15-30 pounds, but giants over 50 pounds cruise our deeper waters. They love wrecks, ledges, and rocky bottom in 80-300 feet, moving shallower during cooler months. What makes blacks special is the epic fight - they're incredibly strong and will test every inch of your tackle. The payoff is some of the finest eating you'll find, with mild, firm white meat that's restaurant quality. They're ambush predators that'll inhale anything - live bait, dead bait, or big jigs work great. Here's the key: use heavy tackle with at least 80lb braid and 100lb leader. Once hooked, they'll try to get back into structure immediately, so put maximum pressure on them right from the hookset. No mercy - it's you or the rocks.
Centropristis StriataBlack Sea Bass are reliable fighters and excellent table fare that make up the backbone of our bottom fishing action. These chunky fish typically run 12-18 inches and 1-4 pounds, with the bigger males sporting a distinctive hump on their heads during spawning season. They love structure - wrecks, jetties, rocky bottom - in 30-120 feet, and they're most active from late spring through fall when they move inshore. What's cool is they're born female and change to males as they grow. Sea bass put up a solid scrap until they break the surface, and they're fantastic eating with sweet, firm meat. They'll hit squid strips, clams, or small jigs readily. The trick is using a two-hook rig to double your chances - they often school up tight, so catching multiples on one drop is common around here.
Epinephelus MorioRed Grouper are some of the tastiest fish you'll find off our coast. Most run 5-10 pounds, but don't let that fool you - they're absolute bulldogs once hooked. These rusty-red beauties with distinctive white spots love hanging around rocky bottoms, ledges, and wrecks in 30-120 feet of water. We find them year-round here, but they really turn on during cooler months when they move shallower. What makes them special is that incredible fight combined with some of the best eating you'll get from the ocean - firm, flaky white meat with a sweet taste. They'll hit live bait like pinfish or cut bait aggressively, but here's the key: once you feel that thump, start cranking immediately. They'll try to get back into the rocks and break you off every time.
Lutjanus CampechanusRed Snapper are the prize fish that keeps anglers coming back for more. These beautiful pink-red fish average 1-2 feet and 5-10 pounds, though bigger ones definitely swim around our deeper waters. You'll find them hugging hard bottom structure, ledges, and wrecks in 60-200+ feet during summer months when they're most active. What makes snappers special is they're tough fighters that'll test your drag, plus they're hands-down some of the best eating fish in the ocean - sweet, firm meat that's perfect for any recipe. They can be finicky, so fresh cigar minnows or live pinfish work best. The trick is getting your bait down fast and staying tight to structure. When you hook one, get ready for a battle - they'll head straight for cover and try to cut your line on anything sharp they can find.
Haemulon PlumieriiWhite Grunts are perfect for anglers wanting steady action and great table fare. These silvery fish with blue stripes typically run 6-12 inches and rarely exceed a few pounds, but they make up for size with numbers. You'll find them around reefs, docks, and structure in 10-100 feet, often schooling together. They're most active during warmer months and feed heavily at night, though we catch plenty during the day. What's fun about grunts is they literally grunt when you bring them up - that's their pharyngeal teeth grinding together. They're excellent eating with sweet, flaky meat that's perfect for fish tacos. They're not picky eaters, so shrimp, squid, or small cut bait works great. Pro tip: when you find one, there's usually a whole school nearby, so keep your bait in the same spot.
Wrightsville Beach, NC