2025 Hatteras Island Surf Fishing Challenge
The 2025 Hatteras Island Surf Fishing Challenge, held September 26–28 and headquartered out of Camp Hatteras’ Conference Center in Rodanthe, brought together surf anglers from across the region for a weekend of camaraderie, competition, and coastal resilience. Despite some rain and bait-stealing pinfish, the tournament delivered solid fishing and a few standout catches that defined the leaderboard.
Anglers registered Friday from 4:00-11:00 pm before spreading out across the beaches from the northern end of Rodanthe down to Hatteras Inlet for the midnight start of 36 hours of fishing. Weigh-ins were held at five stations: Hatteras Jack (Rodanthe), Frank & Fran’s (Avon), Black Drum Tackle (Buxton), Frisco Rod & Gun (Frisco), and Teach’s Lair (Hatteras Village).
The event pays out five places for each of the four leaderboard species (Bluefish, Black Drum, Sea Mullet, and Pompano), as well as three places for the Slot Red Drum TWT and then junior, lady, and senior angler secondary prizes.
Shane Monroe, of Jarvisburg, NC, finished atop of the competitive Bluefish Division in the 2025 Hatteras Island Surf Fishing Challenge. His 5.4 lb. bluefish, that hit a cob mullet strip at Ramp 55, was weighed in prior to the 5.4 lb. bluefish weighed in by second place finisher L. Lyons.
The Bluefish Division was won by Shane Monroe, of Jarvisburg, NC, who landed a 5.4 lb. bluefish around 8:00 am Saturday morning while fishing the Ramp 55 area. Monroe was fishing with friends and using a drop-shot style bottom rig built around a three-way swivel. His bait of choice was cob mullet, rough-scaled and cut into 3” x 3” strips to release scent and improve hook presentation.Â
The fish hit hard during the morning tide, and Monroe’s rig proved ideal for the conditions. He also placed second in the Slot Red Drum TWT with a 4.6 lb. red caught later that day between Ramps 30 and 32.
Larry Hart, from Indian land, SC, brought in the tournament’s heaviest sea mullet, tipping the scales at 1.6 pounds. His fish came on Sunday morning around 8:30 am while fishing Ramp 32 with sand fleas on a river rig.Â
Hart had found several sea mullet on Saturday evening but none weighed over one pound, then on Sunday the bite turned to all sea mullet weighing over one pound. His 1.6 lb. sea mullet was the heaviest he found on Sunday.
The top honors in the Pompano Division, with a 0.8-pound catch, wen to Sam Koonts (age 13), from Lexington, NC. He hooked the winning fish on Saturday around noon using Fish Bites and sand fleas north of Avon Pier.
No black drum were weighed in this year.
Nancy Wigley, from Toano, VA, took first place in the Slot Red Drum TWT of the 2025 Hatteras Island Surf Fishing Challenge. Her 4.9 lb. red drum hit a piece of cut mullet in the area of Ramp 49 on Sunday morning.
The Slot Red Drum TWT title went to Nancy Wigley, of Toano, VA, who landed a 4.9 lb. red drum at Ramp 49 on Sunday morning around 9:30 am. Fishing with her husband and neighbors, collectively known as “The Reel Neighbors,” Wigley battled relentless pinfish that devoured bait almost instantly. She used a nine-foot Ugly Stik rigged with a 5/0 hook and a piece of cut mullet, casting close to the channel and reeling in quickly to avoid losing bait. Her winning fish was the only one caught by her group all weekend, making the victory especially sweet.
Brandon Elinich, of Reading, PA, landed one of the weekend’s most talked-about fish—a citation-worthy 49” red drum—showcasing 16 years of experience with fishing the Hatteras surf. Using light tackle, smaller hooks, a spinning rod, braid, and downsized rigs, Elinich maximized sensitivity to detect even the softest bites, carefully playing and landing the massive drum. Though the fish didn’t qualify for the Slot Red Drum TWT due to its size, it earned Elinich a spot on the prestigious Big Red Hall of Fame award as the second fish and the second name to be engraved on the forever plaque.
For a more complete leaderboard, as well as information on next year’s Hatteras Island Surf Fishing Challenge to be held Sept. 25-27, 2026, please visit www.FishermansPost.com.
