UTERSailfish fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, sailfish peak July–September and are around June–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Sails off Hatteras.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Sailfish in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeakSpawning drum gather in Pamlico Sound. Big popping corks over the sound shoals at dusk; tarpon roll on the slicks.
- AugustPeakSails off Hatteras.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish sailfish 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 207 artificial reef spots in the The Outer Banks map area — the kinds sailfish hold on.
What to use for sailfish
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- 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.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 70–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch sailfish in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is July–September. Sailfish are in Outer Banks & Hatteras June–October. August: Sails off Hatteras.
Where do sailfish hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, artificial reef — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for sailfish in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: goggle-eyes, pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), ballyhoo. Goggle-eyes: Bridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for sailfish 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 sailfish · The Outer Banks, the whole year