The easiest way to experience Outer Banks fishing is right off the beach, by simply casting a line right off the shore and seeing what hits. Because of convenience – virtually any stretch of beach will do – this is easily the most popular type of fishing on the Outer Banks, and it’s not unusual, particularly in the off-season fall and spring seasons, to see lines of pole holders in between the beach blankets.
Little equipment is needed for beach fishing, but you’ll want to be sure you have a surfing rod available for long casting and to hold up in the ocean waves. Surf fishing can be a tricky venture as any passing current might give the line a tug and send you reeling. Look for quick rapid movements as a telltale sign that some sea critter is actually on the line.
As for bait, there’s plenty available at your local tackle shops, and the staff should be able to point you in the right direction. Depending on what you’re casting for, you can choose from squid, small mullet and other bait fish, shrimp, or even blood worms.
Quick Beach Fishing Tip
If you find yourself stranded on the beach without any bait left, a quick fix is to find a lumpy pile of sand right in the ocean wash and start digging. Small mole crabs, affectionately known as “sand fleas” or “sand diggers” seasonally gather and nest in the low tide line right where the waves are coming ashore, and a larger sand flea (about 2 inches) can work remarkably well as surf fishing bait.
Best Places to Cast
With all that gear and tackle on board, many anglers find the best way to go beach fishing is via a little beach driving trip.
In the central Outer Banks towns of Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Kitty Hawk, driving on the beach is permitted in the off-season, although permits may be required in some areas.
On Hatteras Island beaches, anglers can drive 4WD vehicles on the beach year-round, although some of the more popular fishing beaches are closed seasonally in the summer months.
Also, in order to drive on the beach, you will need a beach driving permit, which is distributed by the National Park Service (NPS) in several locations along Hatteras Island, like near Oregon Inlet, and at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Park Service Station. To receive a permit, you’ll need to watch a 10 minute video on beach driving and pay a weekly or annual fee.
Once you have your permit, there are a number of beach access ramps, marked with brown NPS signs, all along Hatteras Island from Rodanthe to Hatteras Inlet. Before driving up the ramp, be sure and slack your tires down to around 20psi. (There are plenty of gas stations with free air to fill your tires back up once you’re off the beach.) You may also want to bring a shovel and boards along just in case you get stuck.
While the best beach spots to explore can certainly vary based on what’s biting and where, there are a few fishing beaches that remain popular with anglers all year long.
Cape Point: Arguably the best fishing spot on the ‘banks, Cape Point is the exact location where Hatteras Island jets out into the ocean before making a western turn towards the mainland. Because of its location, it literally runs with the East Coast’s two major currents: The Labrador Current and The Gulf Stream. The treacherous Diamond Shoals lurk offshore, creating sweeping sandbars off the beach that change daily, if not hourly. All of these factors combine to make Cape Point one of the best surf fishing locations on the East Coast.
If you go, be prepared to have company. Cape Point attracts fishermen from all over the world, and during the most popular fishing times (particularly September and October), Cape Point can be elbow-to-elbow with anglers.
Not that this should deter you – just be sure and be mindful of your fishing neighbors when casting, or if you want more privacy, head south a hundred yards or so to South Beach, also known as “The Hook,” where the fishing is comparatively good. Also bear in mind that Cape Point is sometimes closed in the summer months, so check with the NPS first to be sure it is open to fishermen.
Pick an Inlet: Another sure spot is any of the inlets that intermittently break up the barrier islands of the Outer Banks. North of Hatteras Island lies Oregon Inlet, below the Bonner Bridge, and north of Rodanthe you’ll find the new “Irene’s Inlet,” which is a small inlet formed after Hurricane Irene in 2011.
Further south lies Hatteras Inlet, the large watery gap between Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, and Ocracoke Inlet, which separates Ocracoke from Portsmouth Island. Because of the deep channels these inlets create, fishing is almost always good. Again, these inlets are seasonally closed, so it’s best to check with NPS to be sure accessing them by foot or vehicle is permitted.
What to Know Before you Go
In addition to a beach driving permit, (if you choose to go beach fishing with a 4wd vehicle), you’ll also need a North Carolina fishing license. Fishing licenses can be purchased online before your vacation from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s website, or at almost any tackle shop on the Outer Banks while you’re here.