UTERFlounder fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, flounder peak May–September and are around April–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Flounder in Oregon and Hatteras inlets and on the sound shoals.
Leaving through the inlets.
Flounder in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeakFlounder in Oregon and Hatteras inlets and on the sound shoals.
- JunePeak
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeakInlet channels and the nearshore wrecks.
- SeptemberPeakShort harvest window in early September — check NCDMF.
- OctoberLeavingLeaving through the inlets.
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish flounder 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 flounder
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- 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.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- 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.
- Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–2/0
- Jig head1/4–1/2 oz
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 54–82°F water, best at 60–75°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch flounder in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is May–September. Flounder are in Outer Banks & Hatteras April–October. May: Flounder in Oregon and Hatteras inlets and on the sound shoals.
Where do flounder hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on channel edge, dock / pilings, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for flounder in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: mud minnows (killifish), finger mullet, live shrimp, pinfish. Mud minnows (killifish): Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–2/0, jig head 1/4–1/2 oz, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for flounder 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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