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FISHING CALENDAR · NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Fishing Calendar
North Carolina fishing runs from mountain trout streams and the Roanoke River to Pamlico Sound, Oregon Inlet, Cape Hatteras and the Gulf Stream. Closed months come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries 2026 proclamations and NC Wildlife rules. Good months come from the official tourism offices for the Outer Banks and the Crystal Coast, plus one magazine (marked).
Government fish & wildlife updates
- NCDMF – Fisheries Management Proclamations — Closures, openings and limit changes
- NC DEQ – Press Releases — Marine Fisheries announcements
- NC Wildlife – News — Inland fishing, stocking and rule news
Month by month
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | |||||||||||||
| Largemouth bass | Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: bass season April through November, best mid-April to early June and September–October. No official limits shown here; check NC Wildlife rules for your water.[16] | ||||||||||||
| Striped bass – Roanoke River | 2026: NC Wildlife suspended hook-and-line harvest Mar 9–Apr 30; every striper had to be released. Barbless hook rules upstream of the US 258 bridge Apr 1–Jun 30. Next season to be reviewed before March 1, 2027.[14][19] | ||||||||||||
| Trout (Hatchery Supported & Delayed Harvest) | Hatchery Supported waters closed Mar 1 until the first Saturday in April, then 7/day. Delayed Harvest waters: catch and release with single-hook lures Oct 1 to early June, then 7/day. Wild trout waters open all year, 4/day, 7 in. No official best months found.[15][20] | ||||||||||||
| Inshore saltwater (Pamlico Sound, inlets & surf) | |||||||||||||
| Red drum (puppy drum & old drum) | 18–27 in. slot, 1/day. Crystal Coast tourism: peak May–October. Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: spring and fall best; big drum return to the beaches after Labor Day. Carolina Sportsman: Pamlico Sound old drum in the sound in July, moving into the rivers in August (magazine — not official).[1][17][16][18] | ||||||||||||
| Speckled trout (spotted seatrout) | 2026: harvest closed Feb 6–Jun 30 after cold stuns; reopened Jul 1. 14–20 in., one over 26 in. allowed, 3/day. Crystal Coast tourism: peak May–November.[5][6][17] | ||||||||||||
| Southern flounder | 2026 keep season was only Sep 1–14: 1 fish, 15 in., hook-and-line or gig, and every kept fish must be reported. Outer Banks: April into late September; Crystal Coast: May–December, best in fall.[4][16][17] | ||||||||||||
| Striped bass – ocean & sounds | Atlantic Ocean (out to 3 miles): open all year, 1 fish 28–31 in., circle hooks with bait, no gaffing. Albemarle Sound: closed. Central Southern area: harvest only Apr 1–30, 2026 in the upper Tar-Pamlico and Neuse (18 in. min, none 22–27 in., 1/day). Crystal Coast tourism: peak November–March; Outer Banks: fall, winter and spring in the sounds.[9][1][10][2][17][16] | ||||||||||||
| Cobia | 2026 season May 1–Dec 31: 36 in. fork length, 1/person; private boats 2/vessel May–Jun, 1/vessel Jul–Dec. Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: sound cobia peak late May or early June.[3][16] | ||||||||||||
| Sheepshead | 14 in. total length, 5/day. No official best months found.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Black drum | 14–25 in. slot, 10/day (NCDMF also lists one fish over 25 in. allowed). No official best months found.[1] | ||||||||||||
| Bluefish | 5/day (7 on for-hire boats). Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: tailor blues late April–September; big blues spring and fall; blues blitz the beaches through the fall.[12][16] | ||||||||||||
| Spanish mackerel | 12 in. fork length, 15/day. Outer Banks: late April–September, and September is the best month from the surf and piers. Crystal Coast: May–October.[1][16][17] | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic croaker | No size limit, 50/day. Outer Banks Visitors Bureau names summer and the fall run after Labor Day for surf and pier croaker. No official best months found.[1][16] | ||||||||||||
| Offshore (Oregon Inlet, Hatteras & Gulf Stream) | |||||||||||||
| Bluefin tuna | Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: generally early January through late March. Crystal Coast: winter and late fall. Federal HMS permit; report at an NC tagging station before taking the fish off the boat.[16][17][1] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin tuna | 27 in. curved fork length, 3/day, HMS permit. Crystal Coast: peak April–October. Outer Banks: caught year round.[1][17][16] | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dolphin) | 10/person/day or 54/boat. Crystal Coast tourism: peak May–August.[1][17] | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo | 2/day. Crystal Coast tourism: April–October, best summer and fall.[1][17] | ||||||||||||
| Blue marlin | 99 in. lower-jaw fork length, 1/vessel, HMS permit, report before unloading. Outer Banks: peak June; Crystal Coast: May–September.[1][16][17] | ||||||||||||
| White marlin | 66 in. lower-jaw fork length, 1/vessel. Outer Banks: most plentiful August–September; Crystal Coast: May–September.[1][16][17] | ||||||||||||
| Sailfish | 63 in. lower-jaw fork length, 1/day. Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: most plentiful August–September.[1][16] | ||||||||||||
| King mackerel | 24 in. fork length, 3/day. Crystal Coast tourism: June–December, peaking in fall.[1][17][20] | ||||||||||||
| Black sea bass | North of Cape Hatteras: open May 1–Dec 31, 13 in., 15/day. South of Hatteras: 13 in., 7/day. No official best months found.[7][8][20] | ||||||||||||
| Gag grouper | 2026 open May 1–Aug 1 only: 24 in., 1 gag or black grouper per person, 2 per vessel. Captain and crew on for-hire boats may not keep any.[8][20] | ||||||||||||
| Blueline tilefish | Open May 1–Aug 31 only, 2/person/day.[8] | ||||||||||||
| Greater amberjack | 28 in. fork length, 1/day. Closed April 1–30 every year.[8] | ||||||||||||
| Red snapper | 2026 recreational season was only October 9–11 (federal season). Release all other times with a descending device ready.[8][1] | ||||||||||||
| Crabs | |||||||||||||
| Blue crab | 5 in. minimum, 50/person/day, 100/boat. No possession and pots out north of the Highway 58 bridge (Emerald Isle) Jan 1–30, south of it Mar 1–15. No dark-sponge females in April. No official best months found.[13] | ||||||||||||
Never keep: Never keep: river herring (alewife and blueback herring), Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon, tarpon, Nassau, goliath and Warsaw grouper, speckled hind, and prohibited sharks (sand tiger, sandbar, dusky, silky, shortfin mako, white, basking, whale and others).[1][8]
Bait & rig for each fish
Largemouth bass
Bait: Live wild shiners.
Lures: Plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and crankbaits.
Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.
Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.
Striped bass – Roanoke River
Bait: Live shad and shiners.
Lures: Bucktail jigs, swimbaits and topwater plugs.
Leader: Usually none; add a short fluorocarbon leader with braid.
Trout (Hatchery Supported & Delayed Harvest)
Bait: Salmon roe and nightcrawlers where bait is legal.
Lures: Beads that look like salmon eggs, flesh flies, sculpin and leech streamers, small spinners and spoons.
Leader: 3X–5X tippet (4–8 lb), 7½–9 ft.
Red drum (puppy drum & old drum)
Bait: Live or cut mullet, pinfish, blue crab pieces, and live or fresh dead shrimp.
Lures: Gold spoons, paddle-tail soft plastics on a 1/8–1/4 oz jig head, topwater walking baits, and shrimp imitations.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Speckled trout (spotted seatrout)
Bait: Live shrimp under a popping cork, live pilchards or pinfish.
Lures: Soft-plastic jerkbaits and paddle tails, suspending twitchbaits, and topwater walking baits at dawn.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Southern flounder
Bait: Live mud minnows, finger mullet and shrimp.
Lures: Soft plastics on a jig head dragged slowly on the bottom; Gulp! swimming mullet.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Cobia
Bait: Live eels, pinfish, croakers, crabs and menhaden.
Lures: Big bucktail jigs (1–3 oz) with a long soft-plastic tail, and large soft eels.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Sheepshead
Bait: Fiddler crabs, live shrimp, sand fleas, oysters and barnacles.
Lures: Rarely; a small jig tipped with shrimp or fiddler.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Black drum
Bait: Texas Parks & Wildlife documents cut fish, squid and shrimp, with peeled shrimp tails especially common.
Lures: Rarely; a slow jig tipped with shrimp.
Rig: A conventional bottom rig with a sinker and one or more single-hook drops is documented; a single drop with little or no weight is also described.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Bluefish
Bait: Cut mullet and live finger mullet.
Lures: Metal spoons, Gotcha plugs and topwater poppers.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Spanish mackerel
Bait: Live shiners, pilchards and glass minnows.
Lures: Gotcha plugs, small silver spoons, Clarkspoons trolled and small jigs.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Atlantic croaker
Bait: Shrimp, squid, bloodworms, clam and sand fleas.
Lures: Fishbites strips or a small jig tipped with shrimp.
Leader: 15–20 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
Bluefin tuna
Bait: Live or dead mackerel, herring and squid.
Lures: Large spreader bars and big topwater plugs.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
Yellowfin tuna
Bait: Live baits (blue runners, bonito) and chunks.
Lures: Spreader bars, skirted lures, poppers and stick baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Bait: Ballyhoo, flying fish, squid and cut bait to keep a school near the boat.
Lures: Skirted trolling lures, small feathers and bucktail jigs.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 30–60 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common mahi start; increase for abrasion or mixed wahoo water.
Wahoo
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and live baits on wire.
Lures: High-speed trolling lures and lipped diving plugs on wire.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Use heavy abrasion/bite leader; many wahoo anglers add short wire or cable because of the teeth.
Blue marlin
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo, mackerel and live tunas.
Lures: Large skirted trolling lures.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
White marlin
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and small squid.
Lures: Small skirted trolling lures.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
Sailfish
Bait: Live goggle-eyes, pilchards, threadfin herring and ballyhoo.
Lures: Small trolling lures and rigged ballyhoo.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
King mackerel
Bait: Live blue runners, goggle-eyes, menhaden and threadfin herring; frozen cigar minnows.
Lures: Spoons, diving plugs and duster-rigged baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Wire or monofilament leader is documented; material choice, strength and length are not universally established.
Black sea bass
Bait: Squid, cut fish and shrimp.
Lures: Small vertical jigs and bucktails.
Leader: 50–80 lb fluorocarbon.
Gag grouper
Bait: Live pinfish, grunts, sardines; big cut baits.
Lures: Deep-diving plugs trolled over ledges; heavy jigs.
Leader: 50–80 lb fluorocarbon.
Greater amberjack
Bait: Live blue runners, pinfish and large baitfish.
Lures: Heavy vertical jigs and big poppers.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Red snapper
Bait: Cut bait, squid and live pinfish or cigar minnows.
Lures: Vertical jigs.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Blue crab
Bait: Freshly dead fish is documented as blue-crab trap bait by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Lures: Not applicable.
Rig: Crab traps are a documented blue-crab capture method. Use only locally legal gear.
Leader: Not applicable.
Local fishing reports — what’s biting now
- Island Free Press – Fishing — Hatteras and Ocracoke fishing news and reports
- Oregon Inlet Fishing Center – Fishing Report — Charter and headboat fleet reports, offshore and inshore
- Carolina Sportsman – Fishing Reports — NC and SC reports (magazine)
- NCDMF – Recreational Fishing Reports — Official regional reports from DMF port agents
Sources
- NCDMF – Recreational Size and Bag Limits (effective Sep 2, 2026)
- NCDMF – Current Fisheries Management Proclamations
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-4-2026 Cobia
- NCDMF – 2026 recreational flounder season will open Sept. 1–14
- NCDMF – Waters close to spotted seatrout harvest (Feb 2026)
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-31-2026 Spotted seatrout reopening
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-24-2026 Black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-40-2026 Snapper-grouper recreational
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-25-2023 (revised) Striped bass, Atlantic Ocean
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-19-2026 Striped bass, Tar-Pamlico and Neuse
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-16-2026 Sheepshead
- NCDMF – Proclamation FF-1-2026 Bluefish
- NCDMF – Recreational Crab Fishing in Coastal Waters
- NC Wildlife – Roanoke River striped bass harvest suspended (2026)
- NC Wildlife – Trout Fishing in North Carolina
- Outer Banks Visitors Bureau – Outer Banks boasts some of East Coast's best fishing
- Crystal Coast Tourism Authority – North Carolina fish species
- Carolina Sportsman – Bull reds' spawn peaks in coastal rivers feeding Pamlico Sound
- North Carolina fishing calendar (Game & Fish Magazine)
- North Carolina 2016 Fishing Calendar (Game & Fish Magazine)
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every month on this calendar comes from the sources above. Empty boxes mean no official source gives those months. Rules change — check the agency page before you keep a fish.
On the bay, in the mangroves or on the ocean, the everyday struggles get left at the dock — for those few hours it’s just you, the water and peace.