North Carolina fishing forecast
Tides, wind and the best bite windows for 12 saltwater spots. Outer Banks surf, Crystal Coast inlets and Cape Fear piers.
The best season of the year: red drum, speckled trout, bluefish and false albacore along the Outer Banks and inlets.
Other seasons
- Winter: Speckled trout in creeks and rivers; striped bass may run along the coast and sounds.
- Spring: Bluefish, red drum and cobia arrive; puppy drum feed in the surf.
- Summer: Spanish mackerel and flounder from the piers; red drum in the sounds at night.
General seasonal patterns - always check local reports and the official rules.
Outer Banks
Crystal Coast
Cape Fear Coast
About fishing in North Carolina
Outer Banks
Duck to Ocracoke: world-famous surf fishing, long ocean piers and Oregon Inlet. Cape Hatteras is where the Gulf Stream comes closest to shore.
Common catches: Red drum, bluefish, striped bass in winter, Spanish mackerel, cobia and pompano.
Crystal Coast
Morehead City, Beaufort and Cape Lookout: inlets, sounds and the Cape Lookout shoals.
Common catches: Red drum, speckled trout, flounder, Spanish and king mackerel.
Cape Fear Coast
Wrightsville Beach, Southport and Oak Island: piers, the Cape Fear River and its inlet.
Common catches: Red drum, flounder, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel and whiting.
Always check the official rules before you keep any fish: North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License (NCWRC), North Carolina saltwater rules (NC Marine Fisheries).
