The Outer Banks of North Carolina, a narrow strip of barrier islands, is a paradise for anglers looking for a good catch and a great story. Here’s your local guide to the inshore and nearshore fishing opportunities—from Nags Head to Ocracoke—that make the OBX a favorite fishing destination on the East Coast.
Spots to Check Out in the Outer Banks
Nags Head
In Nags Head, fishing opportunities are everywhere. Inshore, you’ll find yourself pulling flounder, speckled trout, and the ever-elusive red drum out of the Roanoke Sound.
For more excitement, head over to Jennette’s Pier where you might hook into some cobia or king mackerel. Not too far away, Oregon Inlet is a good spot for those looking to get into deeper waters. Here, Nags Head fishing charters might target larger fish like bluefin tuna and mahi-mahi.
For a quieter fishing spot, you might try the creeks around Bodie Island, too. They’re less crowded, and good for snagging croaker and striped bass. Early mornings or late evenings are the best times to fish, especially near the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
Manteo
Manteo, located on Roanoke Island, offers good fishing throughout the year. (Roanoke Island is associated with the OBX due to its close proximity and shared history, but is technically distinct from the barrier islands that make up the Outer Banks.)
The area around the old shipyard docks and the marshes of Croatan Sound is known for its striped bass. Local anglers frequently pull in impressive catches from these waters.
For those who like to fish in less crowded areas, the docks at the Manteo Waterfront are a popular choice. Here you can enjoy the nice views while fishing for species like spotted seatrout and red drum (redfish). Spotted seatrout are known for their distinctive, speckled appearance and tend to be more active during early morning or late evening hours, especially in the cooler months. Reds can often be found cruising the shallows near the docks, and you’ll often spot them swimming around if you recognize the distinctive black spot on their tail.
Wanchese
Wanchese is central to North Carolina’s commercial fishing industry on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks. The docks in Wanchese are sturdy, weathered, and often busy with fishermen unloading their day’s catch. It’s a real working town where you can get a sense of the fishing industry firsthand.
While it’s busy with industry at times, local anglers find excellent spots for catching sheepshead and black drum in the inshore waters near the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park. This area sees a lot of boat traffic, which stirs up the water and attracts plenty of fish.
Local fishers also head to spots like Mill Landing Road and the waters near Rondthaler Channel, where the fishing is reliable and less crowded. You can enjoy a quiet morning fishing here, often seeing only the occasional boat pass by.
You might also think about taking a short boat ride to spots like Shallowbag Bay near Manteo or even the Roanoke Sound. These areas are known for their calmer waters and variety of fish, including flounder and bluefish.
Corolla
Untouched and underrated, Corolla sits at the northern tip of the Outer Banks, a bit removed from the typical tourist tracks, which helps keep its waters and docks less crowded. The Currituck Sound here is a reliable place for fishing, well-stocked with spot and croaker. These fish are particularly drawn to the sheltered coves and grassy shallows, making them relatively easy targets for anglers.
Fishermen here here often set up along the shorelines near the lighthouse or launch small boats to explore the surrounding waters. Just west of the lighthouse, the area around the Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary offers some quieter spots where the waters are shallow and clear, ideal for sight fishing. The northern beaches, accessible by 4×4, are less frequented and can be excellent for surf fishing, especially during the migration seasons.
For nearshore fishing, the waters off Corolla’s beaches are a great place to target species like Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and the occasional cobia, again especially during their migration.
The shoreline near the Corolla Light is a popular spot for launching small boats or kayaks, giving anglers access to slightly deeper waters where these fish tend to roam.
Corolla is a place where you can enjoy fishing without the noise and competition found in busier parts of the Outer Banks. It’s a spot where you can take your time, enjoy the peace, and maybe get lucky with a catch or two.
Duck
Duck, with its quaint boardwalks and upscale atmosphere, might not scream “fishing hotspot”—but the waters tell a different story. Here, fishermen chase after bluefish and Spanish mackerel as they run through the sounds. The town’s namesake, Duck Sound, provides a perfect setting for fly fishing and light tackle users.
If you head north towards Sanderling, the coastline opens up with fewer people and more fishing spots, particularly good during the early mornings or late evenings when the fish are biting.
For a change of pace, you can take a kayak out from the public launch near the Waterfront Shops. Paddle around the sound, and you’ll find quiet coves and marshy inlets alive with smaller fish species.
Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk, a name synonymous with the Wright brothers, also holds its own in the fishing community. The Albemarle Sound, fed by the fresh waters flowing down from the north, is a hotspot for largemouth bass and catfish. It’s a freshwater paradise, with conditions perfect for those lazy days spent waiting for a bite. However, you can still catch some inshore saltwater species, but it’s less common directly around Kitty Hawk due to the predominance of freshwater.
For catfish, many head out near Baum Point or the waters just off the shores of Sandy Run Park. These spots have deeper holes where the big cats like to hang out. You’ll also find some folks fishing near the old causeway, close to the Kitty Hawk Bay area—an overlooked spot that can yield surprising results, especially if you know where to cast.
Tip: If you’re more into shoreline fishing, the area around the Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve is worth exploring. The marshy edges are prime territory for those who prefer to wade in and cast their lines. It’s quiet, out of the way, and the fish don’t see a lot of pressure.
For inshore saltwater species like speckled trout, flounder, and red drum, you’d typically need to head further south towards the more brackish or saltwater areas, like those near Roanoke Sound, Nags Head, or Oregon Inlet. These areas offer a better mix of salinity that attracts those inshore species. So while you might get lucky with the occasional brackish-water species near Kitty Hawk, it’s not really a go-to spot for inshore fishing.
Ocracoke
Accessible only by ferry, Ocracoke feels like a world apart. It has a distinct, almost isolated feel. And for fishermen, it’s a place where you can escape the crowds and focus on what really matters—catching fish!
The surrounding waters are a habitat for many game fish. In particular the Pamlico Sound offers good opportunities to catch red drum and flounder. These waters, stretching out wide and shallow, are ideal for drifting and bottom fishing. The areas around Teach’s Hole (named after Blackbeard’s infamous hangout) are particularly popular for red drum, especially after the summer is over, around fall when the big ones move through.
Silver Lake Harbor offers opportunities for those who prefer casting from shore or piers. The harbor is less wild but still productive, especially for flounder and the occasional speckled trout. The narrow inlets and marshy edges along the harbor’s outskirts are where a lot of the local, experienced fishermen go. But out on the open ocean side, just beyond Ocracoke’s long, windswept beaches, lies deeper waters where people go after cobia and king mackerel. You need to know what you’re doing a bit more out here, and have the right gear, but the rewards can be big.
How to Fish North Carolina’s Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is more than a series of islands—it’s a community, woven together by the threads of maritime history and a shared love for being on the water. You’ll find locals who’ve been fishing these waters for generations, each with their own tales of the one that got away… or the unexpected monster catch they hauled in.
Each town, from Nags Head to Ocracoke, offers unique fishing adventures, whether you prefer to cast in the shadow of the piers or in the quiet stretches of the sound, the fish here are plentiful and the adventures are waiting to be had.
Looking to fish the Outer Banks like a local? OBX Fishing Charters has you covered. Whether you’ve been fishing for years or just starting out, our inshore and nearshore trips offer plenty of action. Get on board, and let’s see what you can reel in! Click here to book your trip.