Things To Do - Hatteras Island Fishing & Boating
Monthly Catches
There is nothing quite like the experience of Cape Hatteras fishing. Cape Hatteras anglers should be aware of current fisheries regulations including size and bag limits of species caught. For details about the citation program and/or current fisheries regulations, visit any Outer Banks bait & tackle shop or pier. Below is a list of fish that anglers can expect to catch and the best time to catch them.
January: Trout, sea bass, grouper, snapper, bluefish, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, oysters, clams
February: Trout, sea bass, grouper, snapper, bluefish, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, oysters, clams
March: Grouper, sea trout, seabass, bluefish, croaker, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, oysters, snapper, clams
April: Bluefish, channel bass (red drum), grouper, snapper, croaker, sea trout, sea mullet, king mackerel, wahoo, oysters, clams
May: King mackerel, bluefish, grouper, cobia, tuna, dolphin, wahoo, crabs, soft crabs, sea mullet, blue marlin
June: Blue marlin, white marlin, dolphin, wahoo, cobia, king mackerel, bluefish, tuna, flounder, snapper, grouper, Spanish mackerel, crabs, soft crabs, shrimp
July: Dolphin, wahoo, blue marlin, sailfish, white marlin, snapper, grouper, sea mullet, flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, some croaker, speckled trout, spot, shrimp, crab
August: Blue marlin, white marlin, dolphin, wahoo, tuna, grouper, snapper, bluefish, flounder, Spanish mackerel, some croaker, speckled trout, spot, shrimp, crabs
September: White marlin, blue marlin, tuna, grouper, snapper, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, spot, bluefish, speckled trout, sea mullet, channel bass (red drum), shrimp
October: King mackerel, tuna, bluefish, grouper, snapper, channel bass, spot, speckled trout, flounder, oysters, shrimp
November: King mackerel, tuna, bluefish, speckled trout, flounder, oysters, sea mullet, snapper, grouper, clams
December: Tuna, bluefish, flounder, sea bass, speckled trout, clams, oysters, sea trout, snapper, grouper
Hatteras Island Fishing, Boating & Piers
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Hatteras Island is one of the most popular spots on the East Coast for surf fishing. A wide variety of fish are caught from the beach just about any month of the year, and fishing from the island's piers is also popular with many anglers. If you've never tried surf fishing, just stop by one of the island's tackle shops or fishing piers. They will be happy to help you get started and rent you equipment if you don't have any.
Hundreds of blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish are caught and released in our waters every year and all are consistently caught from late spring to early fall. Another big draw are the yellowfin tuna, which are caught year-round off Hatteras. Headboats run full and half-day shallow water trips that are great for families, small groups and lighter budgets. Depending on the boat and charter you can catch spanish and king mackerel, cobia, red drum, triggerfish, grouper and sea bass. The charter fleets departing from Hatteras enjoy the shortest trip to the Gulf Stream, compared to any other location along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard.