OBX/Northern Beaches – October 2025
Allie, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the red drum bite has been on fire. Anglers getting out on the piers from Nags Head down to Rodanthe are having loads of success.
Plenty of red drum are being caught from the surf as well.
Soundside anglers are seeing a mixed bag of bluefish, speckled trout, flounder, and puppy drum.
Offshore anglers expect to see catches of mahi, billfish, and (maybe) some tuna in October.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that in the sound, speckled trout fishing has been okay, with most of the fish being a little smaller. The sound is also seeing a decent slot red drum bite, with cut bait out-producing anyone throwing artificials.
Nearshore trips are finding good numbers of spanish mackerel with some giant (to 10 lbs.) bluefish mixed in.
False albacore fishing is getting really good and should stick around until November.
Out a little further, anglers are still catching surprising numbers of mahi while both trolling or casting.
Fishing the wrecks is producing big amberjacks.
Further offshore, the white marlin bite has been awesome for those fishing between Kitty Hawk and Virginia, but the fall tuna bite has almost nonexistent so far. The yellowfin tuna should show up anytime, though.
There is also a good wahoo bite when heading offshore and running south (between the inlet and Ocracoke).
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that the nearshore action has seen plenty of cobia being caught by sight casting bucktails.
Citation-class red drum are on the ocean side, and they’re hitting fresh cut baits.
Speckled trout fishing has been excellent when throwing popping cork setups rigged with soft plastics.
Harold Williams, Jr., of West Virginia, caught this bluefish on the flats near Oregon Inlet using cut mullet. He was fishing with Capt. Ben Morris of SaltyWaters OBX.
Vincent, of Stick Em Fishing Adventures, reports that large red drum are being caught in and around the inlet with big chunk baits. Ledges off the channel edges or around the pilings are the main areas to target.
Working grass banks and potholes with popping corks rigged with Outer Banks Lure Co. paddle tails or topwater plugs is a good fall tactic for puppy drum.
The speckled trout bite has become more steady, with the better hookups coming further away from the inlets as these fish have begun their transition towards the rivers.
Flounder have been and will keep biting while drifting baits around the inlet.
The bridges up around Nags Head are producing some catch-and-release striped bass action.
Les, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that anglers have been almost solely focused on the excellent red drum fishing the area is seeing off the beaches and piers. Anglers are using fresh cut mullet for most of the success.
Fish are being caught all day long, though nighttime anglers are seeing the best numbers.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that the white marlin bite has been excellent, and this bite should continue through the first half of October. A naked ballyhoo rigged with a circle hook is the go-to setup.
Yellowfin tuna are starting to move back in as fall conditions settle in. As the tuna arrive, anglers will switch over to J hooks and Sea Witch skirts. Color patterns will vary trip by trip, so start off running both light and dark skirts and adjust accordingly.
McKayla, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that anglers are coming to the docks with good numbers of mahi and scattered tuna in the mix.
The fleet expects to still see more billfish releases in October.
Soundside trips have been catching primarily puppy drum and flounder, and the speckled trout bite should start picking up.
Jewella Patterson, of Waves, NC, caught this 50″ red drum on cut mullet in the Pamlico Sound. She was fishing with Capt. Mark McGuire of Reel Em In Charters.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore anglers are returning with solid catches of mahi, and there’s even been blue marlin releases.
Nearshore trips are finding great bottom fishing action for black sea bass.
Look for hookups of mahi and billfish, with the tuna bite not far behind.
Brian, of Nags Head Pier, reports that drum fishing is firing. When the northeast winds have the surf all stirred up, the bull red drum move in in great numbers, and anglers can expect to see action all day and into the night.
Spanish mackerel should push back in when the water is clear.
Joe, of Avalon Pier, reports that the churned-up surf kicked off the big red drum bite, with some impressive numbers of fish (to 41”+). Fresh cut baits are producing most of the action.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports productive red drum fishing out in the surf and on local piers with the run of onshore winds.
As conditions settle back down, the bottom fishing species will show back up. These catches will include spot, croaker, sea mullet, and a few pompano.
Bluefish are up and down the surf, with fish hitting both casting jigs and cut bait.
Soundside anglers are hooking some flounder, and red drum and scattered speckled trout make up the other inshore action.
Nearshore anglers are having success trolling for spanish mackerel, bluefish, false albacore, and scattered king mackerel.
