Hatteras Fishing Charters & Guides

Hatteras Fishing Charters

Hatteras, an unincorporated village on the southern tip of the Outer Banks island with which it shares its name, is the quintessential Outer Banks town. Known around the world as a fishing and vacation destination, Hatteras has the Atlantic Ocean deeply ingrained in its history. This town is so heavily associated with the ocean that a sportfishing boat company borrowed its name from the region. A day in Hatteras may consist of taking the ferry to Ocracoke island, visiting the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, or soaking in some rays at the beach. If you’re a foodie, you may be more partial to checking out some of the locally owned and operated restaurants in Hatteras Village. If you’re like us however, the big question for you is: where can I fish? Hatteras’ location makes for a fisherman’s paradise. With the Pamlico Sound to the west and the open Atlantic to the east, anglers have the opportunity to target and catch a tremendous variety of species.

Hatteras Inshore Fishing

The rich waters of the Pamlico Sound offer inshore anglers a shot at speckled seatrout, flounder, redfish, black drum, cobia, and more. Despite the incredible range of species that this body of water offers, redfish are easily among the most popular, and for good reason. Redfish are stubborn fighters, eager to take baits, and can grow over 60 pounds. In fact, the all-tackle world record redfish was caught off of Hatteras in 1984, weighing 94 pounds, two ounces. Although the redfish fishery is great year round, big redfish start showing up in the Pamlico Sound around July, and anglers from around the world come to capitalize. The big fish typically stick around until early October. Booking a last minute redfish charter is near impossible in this peak season, and we suggest getting in touch with a local Hatteras fishing guide well in advance. Anglers looking to tangle into these big reds on artificials will typically employ large swimbaits under a popping cork, intended to create a disturbance at the surface that attracts the fish to the lure. In deeper water, bottom fishing with large pieces of cut mullet often produces strikes. Once you hook up, hold on. On lighter tackle, the big reds are known for an initial run of up to 100 yards, followed by another shorter run before the real fight even starts. Speckled seatrout, although not as large or strong as redfish, are another popular inshore target. They are known for very aggressive strikes, and hit a variety of baits. Prime time to fish for seatrout in Pamlico Sound is from late fall into the winter. During this time, it is not uncommon for anglers to catch their bag limit of trout in one spot. Be sure to check the latest local regulations before harvesting any fish. Similar to redfish, seatrout will strike natural and artificial baits. Although live bait may be the “easiest” way to catch these fish, lunker seatrout are commonly taken on sinking twitchbaits as well. The MirrOlure line of twitchbaits is commonly recommended by local anglers.

Hatteras Offshore Fishing

The proximity of the Hatteras Inlet to the Gulf Stream makes this one of the world’s top offshore fishing destinations. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico, provides habitat and nutrients to many baitfish, which in turn attracts the offshore monsters. The most popular offshore targets are Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna, Wahoo, and Mahi, although other species such as sharks and kingfish can be caught as well. When it comes to marlin, the Blue Marlin is king. This fish essentially symbolizes open water adventure and can grow to be over 1,000 pounds. An absolute “bucket list” fish, anglers from around the world travel to Hatteras for a shot at a giant. June through August is typically peak season. The tuna fishery in Hatteras is also world-renowned, and is focused on the Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna. Yellowfin tuna average from 30-100 pounds, but can grow well beyond that. Fresh yellowfin tuna is known as one of the best tasting fish in the sea. Anglers who wonder what it may feel like to have a speeding compact car on the end of their line will be more interested in pursuing a Bluefin tuna, a fish that can also grow to be over 1,000 pounds. The best time of the year for Yellowfin off of Hatteras is March through June, and September through December. Bluefin Tuna are caught from October through January, with another resurgence in April and May. Wahoo are open water speed demons, and are often caught through high speed trolling. These fish have a torpedo-like body, and are known for being delicious on the grill. Though not as large as tuna and marlin, wahoo have carved out their own right as a prized offshore sportfish. They are most commonly caught from early summer into the fall, with the middle of summer being the peak fishing time.

Book A Hatteras Fishing Trip

Whether you are looking to catch the redfish of a lifetime in the Pamlico Sound or check off some bucket list fish in the Gulf Stream, you would be hard pressed to find a better destination than Hatteras, North Carolina. Many of the fishing guide services here have been operating for generations, and will know exactly when and how to get you on your desired fish. Booking well in advance is recommended, and can be done online with only a 10% deposit to reserve your trip date. Book a Hatteras fishing charter today on FishAnywhere.com.