by Outer Banks Admin | Fishing Reports
OCEAN: Offshore success has slowed somewhat from the previous week, catches out of Ocracoke & Hatteras were diverse but total catch numbers were low. Wahoo, dolphin, and blackfin tuna were most common along with a few billfish releases. Bottom fishing in deep water’s yielded blueline tilefish, triggerfish and a few amberjack. Nearshore action was a bit more consistent with bluefish and spanish mackerel an almost guaranteed catch on most trips along with a few sheepshead, weakfish, spot, cobia, and over-slot red drum. Offshore anglers heading out of Oregon Inlet had somewhat better catches offshore with limits of both dolphin and blueline tilefish on a daily basis along with a few scattered wahoo and both yellow & blackfin tuna. Nearshore fishing was fair-good on most days, limits of spotted seatrout were caught on some trips along with a few citation size cobia. Amberjack, black seabass, little tunny, and assorted others were caught in low amounts.
INLETS/SOUNDS/BAYS: Fishing these waters has yielded limited success in the Hatteras region, over-slot size red drum have been caught in high numbers with a mixed bag of species caught in very low amounts. Northern area catches have been better, flounder have been the primary target of most anglers due to the much improved keeper ratios. Bodie Island light/Off Island access has been the hot spot for doormat specimens, access can be tough with shallow water areas near shorelines yielding the best catches. Moderate amounts of black seabass, sea robin, croaker, lizardfish, pinfish, pigfish, puffer, spot, and assorted sharks were also caught.
PIERS/BEACH: I won’t glorify this into something it’s not-things have been slow indeed from North to South with only a few bluefish, spanish mackerel, kingfish, croaker, spot, and pompano being reported along with various others in low amounts.
Brian A Melott
Recreational Port Agent
Division of Marine Fisheries
NC Department of Environmental Quality
by Outer Banks Admin | Fishing Reports
OCEAN: The weather element continues to be an ongoing factor this time of year limiting fishing effort. Hatteras anglers fishing offshore had moderate success on favorable days with yellowfin & blackfin tuna being most prevalent along with a few scattered wahoo, king mackerel, and dolphin. Bottom fishing was good with grouper, vermillion snapper, triggerfish, and blackbelly rosefish, nearshore activity was very low with little or nothing reported. Northern marinas had similar results with the same species caught in lower amounts, a bright spot was three swordfish caught by one boat on an overnight trip. Nearshore action was sparse with a few red drum, striped bass, and assorted others in very low amounts.
INLETS/SOUNDS/BAYS: Hatteras anglers are still catching a few red drum, flounder, and spotted seatrout but this has dropped off considerably and activity is low. Anglers from Oregon Inlet northward continue to make striped bass their primary target with good results in most cases, keeper ratios are very much improved as compared to the previously mostly undersize ones. Roanoke & Croatan Sound catches are still the most consistent but a noted improvement has been experienced throughout the region. Spotted seatrout catches have been fair, time of day is crucial with early morning hours yielding the bulk of the catches. Black drum were caught around the pilings of the Oregon Inlet bridge when little else was available, a mixed bag of species was caught in low amounts throughout the area.
PIERS/SHORE: Most of the piers are now closed for the season, anglers fishing from the shore had a tough time due to rough surf conditions. Anglers targeting red drum have had a few good days from Avon southward-but this has been very limited due to unfavorable weather conditions. Moderate amounts of spotted seatrout were caught on favorable days- however most were undersize ones, scattered catches of black drum, bluefish, kingfish, skates and stingrays were also reported.
Brian A Melott
Recreational Port Agent
Division of Marine Fisheries
NC Department of Environmental Quality
by Outer Banks Admin | Fishing Reports
OCEAN: Adverse weather limited fishing in all modes & locations this previous week with the exception of the 21st. Offshore fishing out of Hatteras marinas was good on the one available day with plenty of large specimen king mackerel and blackfin tuna caught by everyone, a few scattered wahoo, dolphin, and little tunny also hit the docks. No inshore activity was reported due to the foul weather element. North beach marinas were affected also with no activity.
INLETS/SOUNDS/BAYS: The day of opportunity yielded a few weakfish out of Sound in Hatteras-but most were undersize. Anglers fishing from Oregon Inlet northward did manage to limit out on striped bass in most cases with Roanoke & Croatan Sound having the highest success rates, a mixed bag of species were also caught in very low amounts.
PIERS/SHORE: Anglers fishing from shore had a tough time casting & keeping their rigs on bottom. Red drum are still being caught from Avon southward but with much less frequency, plenty of kingfish, skates, and rays for everyone. Fishing from the piers allowed the best access to the fish on a daily basis due to the rough seas, moderate-high numbers of kingfish (sea mullet) were reported even on the worst weather days. Low amounts of red drum, hake, spotted seatrout, weakfish, bluefish, spot, and a host of others were reported.
Brian A Melott
Recreational Port Agent
Division of Marine Fisheries
NC Department of Environmental Quality
by Outer Banks Admin | Fishing Reports
OCEAN: Offshore action continues to be good, anglers out of the Hatteras marinas caught plenty of citation size wahoo-one specimen weighed in at 92lbs! with most specimens in the 50lb + category. Moderate amounts of blackfin tuna along with a few scattered dolphin and billfish releases were also reported. Wreck fishing yielded decent catches of triggerfish, vermillion snapper, and blackbelly rosefish. Nearshore anglers caught quite a few red drum but most were over-slot one’s along with spotted seatrout and assorted sharks. Anglers out of the North beach marina’s had similar success with moderate amounts of wahoo hitting the docks, a few citation size ones were reported. Dolphin and both blackfin & yellowfin tuna were caught on a consistent basis along with a few king mackerel on some occasions. Nearshore anglers have been catching plenty of striped bass but keeper ratios have been less than desirable. Large sheepshead and a few little tunny and bluefish were also reported.
INLETS/SOUNDS/BAYS: A mixed bag of species have been caught in these waters, most anglers have been targeting striped bass and spotted seatrout with mixed results. Striped bass catches continue to improve throughout the region with the Roanoke Sound leading the way with the most consistent catches, time of day is crucial with early morning hours being most productive dropping off sharply afterwards. Spotted seatrout catches have followed a similar pattern with early morning & evening proving best, unlike the striped bass catches that were concentrated in one area the spotted seatrout were caught almost everywhere with keeper specimens in most cases. A host of others were caught in low-moderate amounts including flounder, sea robin, puffer, croaker, pigfish, pinfish, and kingfish.
PIERS/SHORE: The red drum catch continues to be good from North to South, anglers from Avon southward caught high numbers of very large over-slot specimens. Large size black drum have been caught in the backwash of the surf zone with plenty of puffers and citation size sea mullet mixed in on most outings. Anglers have reported catching bluefish and spotted seatrout on very productive/ short -term basis if you were lucky enough to have a line in the water when they were biting. A mixed bag of species were also caught in low-moderate amounts.
Brian A. Melott
NCDENR
Marine Fisheries Tech II
by Outer Banks Admin | Fishing Reports
OCEAN: Favorable weather conditions have finally let anglers access most water’s with good results in most cases. Offshore catches were good out of the north beach marina’s with high numbers of both blackfin & yellowfin tuna along with a few large wahoo and scattered dolphin, billfish releases were few. Hatteras/Ocracoke marina’s had a diverse assortment with plenty of large size blackfin tuna and amberjack, moderate amounts of citation size wahoo, and a few dolphin, yellowfin tuna, and occasional billfish. Anglers fishing deep water on bottom caught porgy, vermillion snapper, triggerfish and blackbelly rosefish. Nearshore/midrange fishing out of north beach marina’s continues to be good with plenty of bluefish being caught on most days, large specimens of striped bass and sheepshead were reported also along with moderate amounts of large over-slot red drum with a few large black drum mixed in as well. Assorted others were caught in low-moderate amounts including little tunny, black seabass, and spotted seatrout. Hatteras/Ocracoke fisherman have been delighted with the recent increase in spotted seatrout catches with favorable keeper ratios in most cases along with moderate amounts of weakfish mixed in on most outings. Flounder, bluefish, and puffers were also caught in low-moderate amounts.
INLETS/SOUNDS/BAYS: Anglers in these water’s have primarily been targeting striped bass and spotted seatrout throughout the area with much improved success rates as compared to previously. Hatteras anglers are catching plenty of spotted seatrout in the sound”extending” in to the ocean with the best results in quite some time . Oregon Inlet northward offered some nice spotted seatrout action as well with the Roanoke sound once again producing the bulk of the catches in the early morning hours, red drum and legal size striped bass were also caught with much improved regularity. A host of others were caught in low amounts.
PIERS/BEACH: Most of these anglers have been trying to catch red drum with good results most of the time, small undersize up to large over-slot giants have been caught from Corolla to Ocracoke on a regular basis this past week with a few large black drum mixed in. Decent catches of bluefish, kingfish, puffer, spot, pinfish, pigfish, and silver perch offered fare for the dinner table when little else was available. Skates, rays, and both smooth & spiny dogfish were also reported.
Brian A. Melott
NCDENR
Marine Fisheries Tech II
