Surf Fishing on The Outer Banks

The Outer Banks of coastal North Carolina present wonderful opportunities for anglers to fish the various species of the Atlantic. Surf fishing is super common in this area, where you can walk right up to the tide and cast a line out. 

When it comes to Outer Banks surf fishing, there are specific times of the year that you’ll find migrating fish – spring-fall – and times of the day that work best (high tide). You can also find better luck with the right lures, baits, and rigs, which we’ll be sharing with you today.

Keep reading as we unpack the specifics of surf fishing in the Outer Banks, when you can find certain fish, and how to catch those fish. We’ll also share details on how surfcasting works and provide tips on the best gear and bait. Let’s get into it!

Outer Banks Surf Fishing

Surf fishing can be a fun activity to enjoy at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. But in order to have a successful fishing trip, there are some key things you need to be aware of, which we’ll explain below:

• The right fishing gear
• The best fishing locations
• The best surf fishing times

Being aware of the right tidal hours to visit the shore and fish is important with surf fishing. And aside from the time of day, you also want to know which months of the year produce the best fishing, which can help you to properly plan your trip to the Outer Banks if you aren’t local. 

It’s also super important to know which fishing techniques are going to help you find certain fish, as they don’t all swim in the same locations or patterns. 

OBX Surf Fishing Gear

First and foremost, let’s discuss the kinds of gear you’ll need for surf fishing. Since you aren’t going to be casting off from a vessel or a pier, you need the right rod, reel, line, and lures/bait to assist you. 

In terms of a good surf fishing rod, there are a couple of things you want to consider before renting or purchasing. First of all, you can’t rely on a rod that is too big for your body size/height. It simply won’t end well and will leave you exhausted. 

Second of all, you want to consider the relative size of the fish species you aim to catch. If they’re larger, heavier, or stronger, then you’ll need a larger and stronger rod to accommodate them. In general, though, most surf fishing rods should measure between 8-16 feet long and be designed for surf fishing specifically. 

You’ll also want to make sure that you have the following gear, keeping in mind that different baits work better for certain fish:

• A good saltwater reel
• Braided or monofilament nylon fishing line (20-25 test)
• An appropriate rig for your fishing technique (fish finder, high-low, etc.)
• Cart
• Weights
• Rod holder
• Waders
• Live and cut bait, such as shrimp, sand fleas, clams, eels, bloodworms, squid, and insects
• Dead or frozen bait
• Spoons
• Jigs
• Artificial lure

Best Surf Fishing Locations

Furthermore, it’s important to go to the right spot to find certain fish. For example, if you want to fish for bluefish, then you should stay near the surf zone where the water is shallow. However, this fish can and will bite anglers, so you don’t want to wade into the water to fish for them. 

On the other hand, a fish like the striped bass is more commonly found in waters that are a bit deeper, such as near the end of the pier. And if you’re seeking out red drum, then you’re fine to stand nearly anywhere on the fishing coastline and spot fish. 

In terms of specific beaches in the Outer Banks that are great for surf fishing, check out the following locales:

• Hatteras Inlet
• Cape Point
• Ocracoke Island 
• Kill Devil Hills
• Oregon Inlet 

Best Surf Fishing Times

High tide tends to be better than low tide when it comes to fishing along the Outer Banks coastlines. Therefore, a good way to gauge the best time for surf fishing in OBX would be to study the tide schedule for the day you plan to fish. Find out which hours the tide is expected to be high, and plan your fishing activities to coincide with that time frame. 

It’s also important to consider the time of year in order to optimize your chances of catching migratory fish when they’re passing through. For example, the Outer Banks are known to produce the best surf fishing conditions in the months of fall, early summer, and later in the springtime. 

Furthermore, you can gauge the best times to fish based on weather patterns since many local NC coastal fish will flock towards the shore in warm weather. This makes warmer summer, fall, and winter days arguably the best for surf fishing. 

What Is Surfcasting?

When you go surf fishing in the Outer Banks, you’ll primarily be using the surf casting method. When you fish from the shore and don’t actually venture into the water, it’s necessary to be able to cast out long distances so that your bait or lure can reach the fish and avoid getting stuck on the bottom. 

For this reason, surfcasting requires a faster casting rod so that you can extend your hook out into the open ocean while you remain on the shore. 

Types of Fish on NC Coast

When surf fishing at the Outer Banks, you’ll encounter a variety of saltwater fish species, depending on the season and the types of bait/lure you use. Consider the table below to learn more about the fish you can find on the North Carolina coast, as well as info regarding fishing limits, size, weight, and more. 

	Average Size	Average Weight	Edible?	Time of Year	Bag Limit	Baits/Lures	Techniques
Red Drum	28-33 inches long	7 pounds	Yes (better when smaller)	Late spring (March-June), fall and early winter (September-December)	1 per day	Live baits and cut baits	Spot fishing, surf fishing
Gulf Flounder	11-15 inches long	2 pounds (up to 6 maximum)	Yes	Late spring (late May or early June) through December	4 per day	Live bait, dead fish, and artificial/frozen shrimp and clams	Jigging and spearfishing
King Mackerel	20-35 inches long	11-30 pounds (up to 90)	Yes (but watch out for high levels of methylmercury)	Spring (April-June) and fall (September-December)	200 per day	Live bait (insects and/or crustaceans), jigs, and spoons	Bottom rigging, trolling, 2-hook fishing
Striped Bass	20-35 inches long	5-20 pounds (20-40 pounds mature)	Yes	Fall-spring (October-April)	1 per person per day (varies)	Topwater lures, live/dead bait (worms, clams, eels)	Surfcasting, trolling
Bluefish	8-24 inches long	7-20 pounds	Yes (but more fishy and doesn’t stay fresh as long)	Spring-fall (March-November), sometimes winter	5-15 per day depending on size	Artificial lures, cut bait	Bottom fishing

Conclusion

Have you been considering surf fishing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina? If so, hopefully our guide has given you some useful insight into the right seasons, locations, and times of day to partake. Spring through fall is a great time of year to visit the coast and fish for favorites such as mackerel, flounder, red drum, and more.