Hatteras – July 2023
Eric, of Hatteras Jack, reports that soundside anglers have been doing well catching nice-sized speckled trout and red drum.
Surf anglers doing some bottom fishing have been hooking sea mullet and pompano.
When surf anglers are seeing cleaner water conditions, the fishing for bluefish and spanish mackerel has been productive.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that the bite overall has been pretty slow, but anglers looking to get out have been able to catch sheepshead around the pilings.
Cut shrimp or bait strips are producing a mixed bag of smaller bottom species as well.
Kevin Migliore, of Northampton County, PA, caught this cobia while sight casting a bucktail in the Hatteras Island area.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers casting down at the Point have seen some nice-sized bluefish and spanish mackerel, and bottom fishing at the Point has produced red drum and sharks.
Pompano have been caught on the stretch from ramps 48-55.
Anglers scattered along the other Hatteras Island beaches have been catching bluefish and red drum.
Soundside, there has been an excellent bite on speckled trout. Anglers are not only finding good numbers, but quality fish (to 23”). Slot-sized red drum and bluefish also round out the sound fishing action.
Nearshore anglers are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish from the inlet and out along the beaches.
Earl, of Avon Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers have been catching some nice sea mullet and gray trout.
Anglers casting plugs are doing well enticing strikes from surface feeding schools of spanish mackerel.
Bryan, of Hatteras Style Custom Rods & Tackle, reports that anglers fishing from ramp 44 to the Point have been catching some nice red drum and bluefish.
North of that area, anglers are seeing a mix of sea mullet, puppy drum, and bluefish.
Ramp 55 area anglers are finding some nice-sized pompano, sea mullet, puppy drum, and spanish mackerel.
Victoria, of Teach’s Lair, reports that inshore anglers have been doing well catching large speckled trout (to 7 lbs.) and red drum.
Nearshore runs are producing good numbers of spanish mackerel, bluefish, and scattered cobia.
Offshore trips started to see a nice push of mahi, with plenty of double-digit catches hitting the docks.
There are some larger wahoo (to 62 lbs.) still scattered in the bite, and the billfish action has picked up, with releases of big blue marlin.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that anglers have been seeing a special speckled trout bite. These great numbers and quality trout are hitting 3” Z-Man soft plastics fished under popping corks.
A bunch of bluefish are staged up around the inlets.
Cobia are still in the area, with anglers having success bottom fishing cut menhaden in deeper holes in and around the inlets.
Red drum action has been pretty good as well for anglers sight-casting on the flats with Johnson silver spoons. On the windier days, anglers will also entice strikes by anchoring up and casting out cut baits.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that dolphin action really picked up. Anglers are seeing some double-digit fish days, with nice-sized gaffers mixed in the action.
Big blue marlin releases have been a great bonus to trips.
Glen Issette, of Wilson, NC, hooked this over-slot red drum while surf fishing from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore using cut mullet.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that the offshore fleet has seen some good fishing moved into the area. The dolphin numbers really popped, with some trips finding double digits, and landings are consistently seeing some nice gaffers in the mix.
With the dolphin also came the billfish, and anglers have had some nice, tough battles with big blue marlin.
There is also a nice class of wahoo still mixed in the offshore action.
Kristen, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that soundside anglers have seen some great speckled trout action, with the shop weighing a bunch of citations recently. There are also some nice citation pompano being caught soundside.
A few big red drum are being caught back in the sound.
Surf anglers have been catching lots of bluefish, sea mullet, and some pompano, and spanish mackerel are in the surf on days when there are clear water conditions.
Nearshore anglers are hooking spanish mackerel and bluefish, and a tarpon was landed recently.
The offshore trips are finding plenty of dolphin and the occasional wahoo, though the wahoo bite is slowing down with the warmer water temperatures.
Bottom fishing action offshore has been strong, with anglers catching a bunch of triggerfish
