Hatteras/Ocracoke – September 2023
Mark, of Hatteras Jack, reports that surf anglers have found a mixed bag of pompano, sea mullet, croakers, and bluefish while bait fishing with bottom rigs.
Getting out on the sand both early and late also provides some opportunities to cast at Spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Soundside anglers are catching some puppy and slot-sized red drum.
Bluefish are schooled up in some of the deeper channels, and the hard structures are holding some great-eating sheepshead.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bottom fishing is producing spot and croakers.
Some gray trout have also shown up in the counts, which could be a great sign that we are getting closer to water temps cooling down.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that the soundside fishing remains fairly strong, with anglers finding speckled trout of varying sizes.
Puppy drum have been pretty active on the flats. In addition, boats fishing deeper ledges or around the inlets have started catching citation-class red drum.
Bluefish round out the soundside action.
The surf is producing a wide variety of species while bottom fishing with fresh mullet, shrimp, or Fishbites artificial bait strips. Anglers are landing catches of spot, croakers, sea mullet, flounder, bluefish, sea robins, and Spanish mackerel.
Bobby Papai, of Hatteras, caught this snowy grouper using chunks of tuna belly. He was fishing offshore of Hatteras on the Predator.
Keith, of Avon Pier, reports that anglers are catching some Spanish mackerel during the days with cleaner water conditions.
Bottom fishing is producing sea mullet, croakers, and smaller bluefish.
Bryan, of Hatteras Style Custom Rods & Tackle, reports that a nice push of good-sized bluefish (3-5 lbs.) have been out at the Point and around the inlet.
The inlet has also seen catches of Spanish mackerel and puppy drum.
Soundside anglers are catching puppy drum and speckled trout.
There hasn’t been much talk of the trophy drum yet, as water temperatures are still up in the 80s. Anglers anticipate seeing this bite greatly improve as we move further into September.
Victoria, of Teach’s Lair, reports that some nice-sized wahoo have shown up, and they’re joining the billfish action (sailfish and blue marlin) that anglers have been seeing lately.
A couple of mahi, king mackerel, and blackfin tuna are also sprinkled in the dock counts.
Bottom fishing is producing tilefish and grouper.
The inshore boats are finding Spanish mackerel, bluefish, puppy drum, and speckled trout.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that the area continues to see some great speckled trout fishing. Anglers are having success casting Z-Man Trout Tricks and Z-Man SwimmerZ in the “sexy mullet” color pattern.
On windier days, there has been a good red drum bite while casting and soaking cut mullet.
Anglers looking for some sight-casting action are finding good numbers of bluefish around the inlet with Stingsilvers.
Charlie Hamblen, of Timerlake, NC, caught this speckled trout using cut mullet. He was fishing in the Hatteras area.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that the billfish action remains strong in the area, with anglers catching sailfish and the occasional big blue marlin (300 lb. range).
On some days, boats will also run across a school of dolphin and add some nice meat to the fish box.
A few wahoo and scattered blackfin tuna have started showing up. As water temperatures cool, these species become more common.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that wahoo have started to make a nice push into the area. This bite only gets better as the water temperatures cool off moving away from summer.
The billfish action remains strong, with sailfish catches now adding to the marlin bite.
Kristen, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that surf anglers have seen the bite a little slow with hot summertime conditions still in full swing. Between the heat and the crowds, getting out early or late is key to having a successful fishing trip. Anglers have been able to cast jigs at schools of Spanish mackerel and bluefish, especially early in the morning.
Bottom fishing efforts are mostly producing sea mullet.
Soundside anglers are catching black drum and sheepshead around some of the deeper hard structures.
Speckled trout are mixed in holes around some of the grass flats.
There are some pompano being caught around the inlet.
A few trophy-class red drum have been landed. It is still pretty early for this bite, but these big reds will get a bunch of attention in the coming weeks as they move through the inlets in more numbers and with more frequency.
Offshore runs have found a nice push of bailer-sized dolphin.
Some wahoo are starting to show up, and the bite only picks up as water temperatures in the area cool.
Billfish action remains strong, with catches of blue marlin and plenty of sailfish.
Scattered tuna are rounding out the offshore action.
