UTERNorth Carolina fishing
What's biting in North Carolina in November: black drum, black sea bass, blackfin tuna and bluefish at their peak, with pompano, Atlantic croaker and flounder around too, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. It follows North Carolina fishing across 3 waters, with 99 fish-by-water guides for 62 fish.
Updated
What's biting in North Carolina in November
From the season calendar, best firstPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeak
Black drum
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Black sea bass
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Blackfin tuna
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Bluefish
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
King mackerel
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Little tunny
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Redfish
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Spot
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Spotted seatrout
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Wahoo
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Weakfish
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Whiting
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Yellowfin tuna
Wilmington & Crystal Coast · Outer Banks & Hatteras
Black crappie
North Carolina freshwater
Blue catfish
North Carolina freshwater
Where to fish in North Carolina
3 watersCalabash to Cape Lookout
Wilmington & Crystal Coast
November: Albies through Thanksgiving; trout peak
Fished from Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro, Morehead City, Beaufort, Harkers Island.
1,450 charted public spots — 595 beach / shore access, 276 seawall / riprap, 272 artificial reef. Open the map in the app to see them.
Almaco jackAtlantic bonitoAtlantic croakerAtlantic cutlassfishAtlantic sharpnose sharkAtlantic spadefishBlack drumBlack sea bassBlackfin tunaBlacktip sharkBlue marlinBluefin tunaBluefishBlueline tilefishBonnethead sharkBull sharkCobiaFlounderGag grouperGolden tilefishGray triggerfishGreater amberjackJack crevalleKing mackerelLittle tunnyMahi-mahiMangrove snapperPompanoRed porgyRed snapperRedfishSailfishSand tiger sharkSandbar sharkScampSheepsheadSpanish mackerelSpinner sharkSpotSpotted seatroutSummer flounderSwordfishTarponTiger sharkVermilion snapperWahooWeakfishWhite gruntWhite marlinWhitingYellowfin tuna
Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by monthCape Lookout to the Virginia line
Outer Banks & Hatteras
November: Northeaster drum and blues; trout in the creeks
Fished from Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet, Wanchese, Nags Head, Manteo, Duck.
1,366 charted public spots — 424 seawall / riprap, 313 beach / shore access, 267 wreck. Open the map in the app to see them.
Atlantic bonitoAtlantic croakerAtlantic sharpnose sharkAtlantic spadefishBlack drumBlack sea bassBlackfin tunaBlacktip sharkBlue marlinBluefin tunaBluefishBlueline tilefishBull sharkCobiaFlounderGreater amberjackKing mackerelLittle tunnyMahi-mahiPompanoRedfishSailfishSand tiger sharkSandbar sharkSheepsheadSpanish mackerelSpotSpotted seatroutStriped bassSummer flounderSwordfishTarponTautogWahooWeakfishWhite marlinWhitingYellowfin tuna
Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by monthThe mountains to the Roanoke
North Carolina freshwater
November: Crappie
Fished from Roanoke River, Lake Norman, Jordan Lake, Fontana Lake, Lake Gaston, Nantahala River.
American shadBrook troutChain pickerelLargemouth bassRainbow troutSmallmouth bassSpotted bassStriped bassWalleyeYellow perch
North Carolina freshwater, month by monthRules and licence
Size and bag limits and seasons in North Carolina are set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and change — read the current rule before you keep a fish.
Statewide rules today
NCWRC, where no local rule appliesopen (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 1 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 50 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 14" TL minimum, One fish over 25" per person per day · 10 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 7 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 7 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · No daily creel limit
open (Statewide, salt water) · 36" FL minimum · 1 per person · 1 per vessel (per private vessel per day (for-hire: 4 per vessel)) · changes Jan 1
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
closed today (Statewide, salt water, through Dec 31) · 15" TL minimum when open · 1 per person
closed today (Statewide, fresh water, until Sep 1) · 15" TL minimum when open · 1 per person
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · 24" FL minimum · 3 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 10 per person · 54 per vessel (per trip, whichever is less; headboats 10 per person)
open (Statewide, fresh water) · 42" TL minimum · 1 per person
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 7 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · slot 18–27" TL · 1 per person
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, fresh water) · 15" TL minimum · 8 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 14" TL minimum · 5 per person
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 12" FL minimum · 15 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 50 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · No daily creel limit
open (Statewide, salt water) · 14" TL minimum, One fish over 26" may be kept, counted in the bag · 3 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 100 per person · 400 per vessel (100 per angler up to 400 per vessel)
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 8 per person
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · 12" TL minimum · 1 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 10 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · No daily creel limit
As of 8 November 2026. Source NCDMF / NCWRC, checked 5 November 2026 · For education only — rules change. Always confirm with NCDMF / NCWRC before you keep a fish.
From the blog
All postsHow to Find Wrecks, Reefs and Humps to Fish (Public Data)How to find offshore fishing spots: where public wreck, artificial reef and depth data comes from, reading humps and ledges on a depth map, and fishing them.Water Color for Offshore Fishing: Reading the Blue-Water EdgeHow to read water color offshore: what blue, green and dirty water mean, why fish stack on the blue-water edge, and how chlorophyll maps show it first.North Carolina Fishing Regulations: DMF, WRC and the ZonesHow North Carolina fishing regulations work: DMF for coastal water, WRC inland, the CRFL, proclamations, harvest reporting, striper areas and the I-95 split.
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