UTERSandbar shark fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, sandbar shark peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Pamlico Sound is a sandbar nursery; release every one.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Sandbar shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakPamlico Sound is a sandbar nursery; release every one.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish sandbar 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 sandbar shark hold on.
What to use for sandbar 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.
- 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 62–86°F water, best at 68–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch sandbar shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is June–September. Sandbar shark are in Outer Banks & Hatteras May–October. June: Pamlico Sound is a sandbar nursery; release every one.
Where do sandbar shark hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, artificial reef — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for sandbar shark in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: finger mullet, menhaden (pogies), cut ladyfish, bonito (cut). 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 sandbar 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 sandbar shark · The Outer Banks, the whole year