Hatteras/Ocracoke – August 2024
Riley, of Hatteras Jack, reports that surf anglers are catching bluefish, sea mullet, spot, croaker, and the occasional pompano.
Getting a line in the water really early or late in the day has also produced a couple speckled trout, though this bite has been less consistent.
The most consistent action from the beach has been big sharks and a bunch of rays.
Spanish mackerel are around, but they only show up in the surf when the water is clean.
Soundside fishing has remained steady. Speckled trout are being hooked using both cut baits and popping cork setups, and the trout have fed best in the early and late hours.
Scattered red drum are being caught, but this continues to be a slow bite.
A ton of bluefish are all over the sound.
Mark, of Reel Em In Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding productive speckled trout action in the sound. Most of these 16-22” specks are holding a little deeper (in 5’+ depths). Anglers are having the best success reaching them with 4” curly tail soft plastics under 1/4 oz. jig heads.
Red drum action has been sporadic, with numbers not really great. Most of the fish being caught are staged up on shoals and ledges (with 4-5’ depths). For those looking strictly for reds, fishing cut baits towards the evening hours has been the most productive.
Sheepshead fishing is good at the artificial reefs further into the sound.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bottom fishing efforts are producing spot, gray trout, bluefish, and a ton of croakers.
Spanish mackerel have been caught, but this bite really is dependent on whether water conditions are clean or not.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that surf anglers have been finding a variety of species, including bluefish, spot, and the occasional puppy drum.
When the water is clean, anglers have been able to cast Stingsilvers and Gotcha plugs to spanish mackerel.
Croakers are all over the place on the northern beaches of Hatteras Island. The numbers are so good that at times they are blitzing the beaches.
Sharks are everywhere, especially out at the Point. Anglers have been catching spinners and blacktips to 7’+ with regularity.
Back in the sound, some quality speckled trout are being caught with soft plastics under popping corks or natural baits on Carolina rigs.
Keith, of Avon Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been the top tactic (especially early and late when the temps are cooler), with catches of spot, sea mullet, and croakers.
Bryan, of Hatteras Style Custom Rods & Tackle, reports that anglers in the surf and off local piers have been finding some bottom fishing action that includes spot and croakers.
For the most part, sharks and rays have made up the majority of the beachfront action.
Back in the sound, speckled trout are being landed.
Rachel, from New Bern, with a cobia caught soaking a mullet head in the Pamlico Sound near the mouth of the Pamlico River. She was fishing with Capt. Grey Davis of Hyde Guides.
Stewart, of Frisco Rod & Gun, reports that surf anglers have found this long stretch of SW winds to present a lot of dirty water conditions. Despite the challenging conditions, anglers have still been able to hook up with bluefish and a ton of sharks.
Some scattered puppy drum are being caught on cut baits.
Back in the sound, anglers have had a lot of success with quality speckled trout (to 6 lbs.).
Victoria, of Teach’s Lair, reports that offshore fishing has been pretty good, with catches of blackfin tuna, wahoo, and good numbers of dolphin.
Inshore anglers are hooking some larger bluefish, red drum, and keeper speckled trout.
A bunch of spanish mackerel are around, both off the beaches and just inside the inlets.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that anglers are finding speckled trout around in very good numbers. Casting 1/4 oz. jig heads with Z-Man 3” paddle tails has been a productive tactic.
Red drum action has been picking up for anglers fishing Carolina-rigged cut baits on the shoals.
When getting outside the inlet, the trolling action for spanish mackerel and bluefish has been really consistent.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that getting offshore has produced some good mahi days, with fish mostly staged up under weed lines or floating debris.
Billfishing has been a great option when getting offshore, with catches of blue marlin and sailfish.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that anglers have had success finding good numbers of schoolie-sized dolphin around floating debris.
Sailfish and the occasional blue marlin are striking naked ballyhoo while trolling around looking for floating debris.
Blackfin tuna and the occasional wahoo are being caught out around Southeast Rocks. Green Machines or the classic Sea Witch and ballyhoo combo have produced most of the strikes.
Jeremy, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that surf anglers have been finding hit-or-miss action on slot-sized red drum.
With all this hot water, a bunch of smaller fish are on the beach, and catches include pinfish, pigfish, lizardfish, and smaller bluefish.
When the water is clean, the spanish mackerel often cooperate and come within casting distance from the sand.
Back in the sound, anglers are hooking bluefish, lower-slot red drum, and some citation pompano.
Speckled trout fishing remains excellent as it has all year, with citation fish (to 6 lbs.) still in the area.
Once in a while, a cobia is still being caught in the inlet.
