OBX/Northern Beaches – October 2026
Kurt, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers on the local piers are seeing some big drum while fishing from the end. Sea mullet and bluefish have made up the majority of the other pier and surf action.
When the water is clean, the surf has produced catches of pompano.
Back in the sound, red drum of all sizes are being caught. The predominant method is Carolina-rigged cut baits.
A couple speckled trout are beginning to show up, but the water is still a little too warm to spend much time focusing on them.
Plenty of bluefish and some spanish mackerel are both in the sound and just off the beach.
Offshore anglers have been on a strong sailfish bite, with white marlin, mahi, wahoo, and some yellowfin tuna also sprinkling in.
Chris, of First Light Charters, reports that flounder keeper season was really good in the area, and inshore boats found lots of healthy, keeper-sized fish around.
Red drum fishing has been getting better, with a couple of the “old” drum mixed in. For red drum, anglers are mostly fishing grass flats or deeper points. The location to fish mainly depends on what the wind direction and tide is doing. Fishing Carolina-rigged cut bait has been the best method overall, as the reds aren’t schooled up enough to be sight-casting artificial baits.
Speckled trout are starting to be included in the catch, though it’s really about a 50-50 mix of whether they are keeper fish or small.
Bluefish are showing up under feeding birds in the sound.
The spanish mackerel bite has been strong off the beach.
Clayton Blackman, of Four Oaks, NC, with a 47″ bull red drum caught in the Manteo area using cut mullet.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that the false albacore bite has picked up.
Strong nearshore mahi action continues, sometimes as close as two miles.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are plentiful just off the beach, and the favorite tactic is to sight-cast Stingsilvers around surface-feeding schools.
Offshore anglers are seeing good billfish action. Sailfish has been the main talk, with white marlin now mixing in.
No real numbers of tuna just yet.
Soundside, the big drum fishing has slowed down as these fish finish their spawn and move out of the sound.
The gray trout action has been good around structure in the sound.
Les, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that surf and pier anglers have enjoyed a mix of bluefish, sea mullet, spot, croakers, flounder, and pompano.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been excellent, with not only numbers but plenty of quality fish as well.
Anglers fishing the Little Bridge have been catching bluefish, spot, croakers, the occasional puppy or black drum, and smaller speckled trout.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that anglers have found a major sailfish bite happening for over a month now. The sailfish continue to hang around, and white marlin are starting to trickle in, too.
The blue marlin seem to be picking and choosing their times to show up, but when they do, numbers can be found.
For all the billfish, most boats are running a traditional spread with circle hooks and squid chain teasers. Keep it simple has been the productive formula.
For mahi, look around for anything floating. There hasn’t been a lot of debris and grass, but when some can be found, the mahi have been a bigger class of fish.
Capt. Kelly Hogan, of Nags Head Light Tackle Charters, caught and released this 7 lb. flounder using a 7″ live croaker. He was fishing 10 miles outside Oregon Inlet in 60′ of water.
McKayla, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that attention is all on the billfish. Sailfish, white marlin, and blue marlin are all around. The possibility is there on any day for a grand slam.
The docks have been lined up with limits of mahi.
Nearshore, the spanish mackerel and bluefish action has been outstanding, with some schools of false albacore around as well.
Inshore, the red drum fishing has been picking up. Slot-sized reds are being caught on the flats around the inlet, and a bunch of big bull drum are cruising along ledges in the sound.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore boats have seen excellent billfish action. On any given day, the daily release flags could include one or all of sailfish, white marlin, and blue marlin.
Some bull mahi have hit the docks, along with good numbers of bailers.
Nearshore anglers are catching lots of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Inshore, the red drum action has been improving, and speckled trout should start showing any day.
Brian, of Nags Head Pier, reports that spanish mackerel have been the best target species, and they’re hitting a variety of Gotcha plugs and casting jigs.
Bottom fishing is mostly producing a mix of smaller late summertime species, such as croakers, sea mullet, and the occasional spot.
Kenny, of Avalon Pier, reports that anglers getting out to cast plugs are catching good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish from the end.
Bottom fishing has been a little slower, with not much to report other than some spots.
Paul, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bottom fishing from the sand when the water conditions are clean is producing healthy pompano. Also included in the bottom fish action are sea mullet and croakers.
A bunch of bluefish and some spanish mackerel have been caught while sight casting Stingsilvers from the beach.
Bigger red drum have started to show, especially on the local piers at night.
Soundside anglers are doing well catching black drum, red drum, and a few speckled trout.
