UTERBlacktip shark fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, blacktip shark peak June–August and are around May–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Blacktips in the surf and the inlets.
Not in Outer Banks & Hatteras this month.
Blacktip shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakBlacktips in the surf and the inlets.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberLeaving
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish blacktip shark 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 207 artificial reef spots in the The Outer Banks map area — the kinds blacktip shark hold on.
What to use for blacktip shark
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Cut ladyfishA whole ladyfish or a head on a 9/0 circle hook and wire for sharks; chunks on the bottom for redfish and drum. The best shark bait in Florida.
- Bonito (cut)Whole on cable for tiger and bull sharks; fillets and chunks on the bottom for grouper and snapper; strips trolled for wahoo.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–16/0
- Braid65–150 lb
Feeds in 68–90°F water, best at 74–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch blacktip shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is June–August. Blacktip shark are in Outer Banks & Hatteras May–September. June: Blacktips in the surf and the inlets.
Where do blacktip shark hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, grass flat, artificial reef — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for blacktip shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: finger mullet, menhaden (pogies), blue runners (hardtails), cut ladyfish. Finger mullet: Lip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–16/0, braid 65–150 lb.
What are the rules for blacktip shark 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.
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All about blacktip shark · The Outer Banks, the whole year