UTERSpanish mackerel fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, Spanish mackerel peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Spanish off the Hatteras and Nags Head beaches.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Spanish mackerel in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakSpanish off the Hatteras and Nags Head beaches.
- JulyPeakSpawning drum gather in Pamlico Sound. Big popping corks over the sound shoals at dusk; tarpon roll on the slicks.
- AugustPeakPiers and inlets at dawn; Gotcha plugs.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Spanish mackerel 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 Spanish mackerel hold on.
What to use for Spanish mackerel
- 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.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Spanish sardinesNose-hooked and free-lined in a chum slick, or slow-trolled on a stinger rig.
- Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 68–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Spanish mackerel in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is June–September. Spanish mackerel are in Outer Banks & Hatteras May–October. June: Spanish off the Hatteras and Nags Head beaches.
Where do Spanish mackerel hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for Spanish mackerel in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), spanish sardines. Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for Spanish mackerel 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 Spanish mackerel 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.
Start 14 free daysMore
All about Spanish mackerel · The Outer Banks, the whole year