UTERPompano fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, pompano peak June and October and are around May–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: Fall fish with the mullet run.
Fall fish with the mullet run.
Pompano in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingPompano in the Hatteras surf.
- JunePeak
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberArriving
- OctoberPeakFall fish with the mullet run.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish pompano 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 pompano
- Sand fleas (mole crabs)On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait.
- 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.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader15–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–1/0
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 62–82°F water, best at 66–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch pompano in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is June and October. Pompano are in Outer Banks & Hatteras May–November. October: Fall fish with the mullet run.
Where do pompano hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, grass flat, channel edge — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for pompano in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: sand fleas (mole crabs), live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Sand fleas (mole crabs): On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait. Tackle: leader 15–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–1/0, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for pompano 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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