UTERTarpon fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, tarpon peak August–September and are around July–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Peak in the sound off the mouths of the Pamlico and Neuse; a cut menhaden on the bottom.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Tarpon in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyArrivingTarpon start rolling in Pamlico Sound on the slicks.
- AugustPeakPeak in the sound off the mouths of the Pamlico and Neuse; a cut menhaden on the bottom.
- SeptemberPeakThe last fish leave the sound.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish tarpon 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.
What to use for tarpon
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- 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.
- 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.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Leader50–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook5/0–8/0
- Jig head1–1 1/4 oz
- Braid40–65 lb
Feeds in 74–90°F water, best at 78–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tarpon in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is August–September. Tarpon are in Outer Banks & Hatteras July–October. August: Peak in the sound off the mouths of the Pamlico and Neuse; a cut menhaden on the bottom.
Where do tarpon hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf, bridge, channel edge — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for tarpon in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: blue crabs, threadfin herring (greenbacks), pilchards (whitebait), finger mullet. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 5/0–8/0, jig head 1–1 1/4 oz, braid 40–65 lb.
What are the rules for tarpon 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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