UTERYellowfin tuna fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, yellowfin tuna peak April–June and October–December and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Yellowfin off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Yellowfin tuna in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryAroundSea bass on the wrecks; a giant bluefin some winters. Sea bass on the Hatteras wrecks; ocean stripers only in the coldest winters.
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArrivingTautog on the bridge; blues and drum on the way. Crab tight to the Oregon Inlet bridge rubble; the first spring fish at Cape Point.
- AprilPeak
- MayPeakYellowfin off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras.
- JunePeak
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeakFall yellowfin on the edge.
- DecemberPeakTrout in the creeks; yellowfin offshore. Deep creeks and canals for trout; watch the inlets when the ocean drops to the mid-40s.
Where to fish yellowfin tuna 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 spots in the The Outer Banks map area — the kinds yellowfin tuna hold on.
What to use for yellowfin tuna
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- 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 72–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch yellowfin tuna in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is April–June and October–December. Yellowfin tuna are here year-round. May: Yellowfin off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras.
Where do yellowfin tuna hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for yellowfin tuna in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring (greenbacks), opelu (mackerel scad). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for yellowfin tuna 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 yellowfin tuna · The Outer Banks, the whole year