UTERWahoo fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, wahoo peak April–May and October–November and are around April–December, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: Wahoo off Hatteras.
Wahoo off Hatteras.
Wahoo in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilPeak
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakWahoo off Hatteras.
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAround
Where to fish wahoo 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 wahoo hold on.
What to use for wahoo
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- Opelu (mackerel scad)Bridled live and slow-trolled or drifted down for ahi, ono and marlin; cut for bottom fishing.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 70–86°F water, best at 74–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch wahoo in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is April–May and October–November. Wahoo are in Outer Banks & Hatteras April–December. October: Wahoo off Hatteras.
Where do wahoo hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck, artificial reef — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for wahoo in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: ballyhoo, blue runners (hardtails), goggle-eyes, opelu (mackerel scad). Ballyhoo: Rigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for wahoo 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 wahoo · The Outer Banks, the whole year