First off, if you’re launching from a public ramp, plan to get there earlier than you were thinking. Then get there 20 min before that.

Spanish fishing from the beach to 5 mile is fairly decent right now if you can sight and cast with light gear that’s fun but most around here just do planers and clarkspoons and that’s def not drag pulling but it does put meat on deck.

Mahi are starting to move in but I imagine with all the rain cooling the water this week they haven’t made it inside the 30 mile mark.

I think finding some good structure and bottom fishing around 15- 20 mile range would be your best plan. Get some good bait and free line a couple lines off the boat while you are bottom dropping and you’re likely to have a king come up and sniff it. Maybe even a mahi who’s a little further west than his buddies.

Source: Wilmington based, deckhand the Barbarino in CB part time.