UTERAtlantic bonito fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, Atlantic bonito peak May and are around April–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Spring bonito off Oregon and Hatteras inlets.
Not in Outer Banks & Hatteras this month.
Atlantic bonito in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingSpring bonito off Oregon and Hatteras inlets.
- MayPeak
- JuneLeaving
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic bonito near Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton
A hundred and twenty miles of barrier island — Ocracoke, Hatteras, Pea Island, Bodie, the northern beaches — with Cape Point at Buxton where the Gulf Stream and the Labrador Current meet, three inlets (Ocracoke, Hatteras, Oregon), and behind them Pamlico, Croatan and Albemarle sounds and the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. The Gulf Stream runs 20 miles off Oregon Inlet.
Fish Scouter charts 267 wreck, 207 artificial reef spots in the The Outer Banks map area — the kinds Atlantic bonito hold on.
What to use for Atlantic bonito
- Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 58–76°F water, best at 62–72°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic bonito in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is May. Atlantic bonito are in Outer Banks & Hatteras April–June. April: Spring bonito off Oregon and Hatteras inlets.
Where do Atlantic bonito hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf, wreck — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for Atlantic bonito in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait). Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for Atlantic bonito in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and change — read the current rule at https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries/rules-proclamations-and-size-and-bag-limits before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.ncwildlife.org/licensing.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
Fish Scouter scores Atlantic bonito for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
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All about Atlantic bonito · The Outer Banks, the whole year