UTERTautog fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, tautog peak April–May and November and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Best spring month on the bridge and the inlet jetties.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Tautog in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArrivingTautog on the Oregon Inlet bridge rubble and the nearshore wrecks; fiddler or a piece of crab tight to the structure.
- AprilPeakBest spring month on the bridge and the inlet jetties.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberPeakBack on the wrecks and the bridge as the water cools.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish tautog 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 tautog hold on.
What to use for tautog
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 44–72°F water, best at 50–64°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tautog in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is April–May and November. Tautog are here year-round. April: Best spring month on the bridge and the inlet jetties.
Where do tautog hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom, bridge, fishing pier — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for tautog in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: fiddler crabs, blue crabs. Fiddler crabs: A #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for tautog 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 tautog · The Outer Banks, the whole year