Morehead/Atlantic Beach – October 2025
Frank, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that anglers have been catching flounder around structure inside and out on nearshore ARs. Carolina-rigged live bait, soft plastics on jig heads, and bucktails made up most of the arsenal.
Surf fishing catches include smaller bottom species and a few pompano.
Fishing crabs or shrimp around the deeper hard structures continues to produce sheepshead and some black drum.
Slot-sized red drum are scattered around inside, and the drum are fired up by all the bait movement in the area.
The bull red drum fishing has been a little more difficult with the long stretches of northeast winds.
On the tide changes, spanish mackerel and bluefish are breaking in the inlet, and plenty of fish are off the beaches as well.
King mackerel should begin showing up nearshore in early October.
Offshore anglers are catching wahoo.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that off the beach, spanish mackerel are around in a variety of sizes. Sight-casting Beach Bum or Hogy Epoxy jigs (3/4-1 oz.) with pink and silver color patterns is the favorite tactic.
Mixed in this sight-casting action are bluefish, false albacore, and even schools of jacks.
Cobia will soon appear in the area as they migrate south, and expect king mackerel in early October.
Those looking to bottom fish are targeting black drum, as some of the bigger fish move shallower with water temperatures cooling down.
Inshore, speckled trout will show up soon, but the season doesn’t officially kick off until later in October.
The fall spot bite is slowly picking up in deeper holes near the inlet and port.
Red drum are scattered up against the flooded grass in the marshes and creeks. A 5” jerk shad under a popping cork or a twitch bait both make for great lures to throw for the reds.
Ryan Farrell, of Hoboken, NJ, landed this 8 lb. sheepshead in Adam’s Creek on a live shrimp. He was fishing with Capt. Justin Ragsdale of Breakday Charters.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that the mullet run is going on and has the action fired up.
Flounder are available for anglers fishing around inshore structure and over nearshore ARs. Nearshore, bucktails tipped with Gulp (4” white shrimp or chartreuse swim baits) are easily out-fishing live mullet.
Off the beach, anglers can target bluefish and a class of 2-4 lb. spanish mackerel. Sight-casting jigs is the top tactic.
False albacore are showing up with temperatures cooling down.
Inshore, red drum fishing is best with a falling tide. Cast baits around oysters, rocks, or other inshore structure.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that red drum anglers are doing well casting artificials such as topwater plugs and soft plastics. If the reds are uncooperative, a cut bait (mullet or menhaden) on a Carolina rig or under a popping cork can usually do the trick.
As the king mackerel work their way closer to the beach, fishing live menhaden is usually the most productive bait.
Anglers should watch the surface for the opportunity to sight-cast jigs at schools of spanish mackerel and false albacore.
Bottom fishing trips will produce a mixed bag of vermilion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, and some other scattered reef fish.
Inshore, speckled trout fishing should pick up in October. Live shrimp on Carolina rigs (or under popping corks and slip corks) and topwater plugs are great choices. These same bait setups will also entice strikes from red drum, black drum, sheepshead, and gray trout.
Lee, of Top Gun Fishing, reports that the flounder bite saw big fish (to 8+ lbs.) caught both on the nearshore reefs and around structure inside. These fish will be mixed in the inshore action for weeks to come.
Inshore anglers are seeing an invasion of bigger bluefish (to 10 lbs.) when fishing around bridge pilings, deep holes, and docks in deeper water.
Slot-sized red drum are in the same areas as the bluefish, and live mullet on a Carolina rig will entice strikes. Scattered speckled trout (to 3+ lbs.) will pick up live baits in these deeper areas, too.
Off the beach, larger spanish mackerel (3-5 lb. range) have shown up around the inlet and out along the beachfront. Anglers have had success sight-casting jigs to the surface-feeding schools.
Big numbers of false albacore have popped up in the same nearshore areas and are tearing up the glass minnows.
Bottom fishing anglers are looking for the bigger black sea bass to start working their way closer to the beach.
Silas Santarelli, of Raleigh, caught this false albacore near Cape Lookout on a Game On lure. He was fishing with Capt. Tanner Lynk of Noah’s Ark Charters.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that the wahoo action has picked up drastically with the cooler weather. Don’t over-run these fish, as there’s good action well inside of the break.
Focusing bottom fishing efforts in the 120’ area is producing catches of triggerfish and plenty of vermilion snapper.
In a little shallower, the larger black sea bass are moving in.
Scamp and red grouper have been scattered, with runs further southwest producing more fish.
Jason, of Ali-Kat Sportfishing, reports that nearshore trips have been seeing some excellent spanish mackerel and bluefish action. Schools of false albacore are also showing up.
King mackerel fishing is on the cusp of firing off. Anglers have already been finding some snake and teenager-sized kings.
Offshore trips should see the wahoo bite steadily improving, and scattered blackfin tuna will likely be mixed in.
Cody, of Reel Time Charters, reports that the wahoo bite is picking up around the break.
Anglers have also found a class of 10-15 lb. blackfin tuna and the occasional mahi out in the same areas.
Billfish continue to stick around, including a late season push of blue marlin out deep (600’) and a handful of sailfish.
Bottom fishing efforts in the 100-200’ range will be a great option for anglers looking to load up on vermilion snapper and some quality triggerfish.
