America’s largest lagoon: shallow, wind-tided and wild. Home of the world-record red drum and genuine gator trout, backed by the Outer Banks surf and inlets.
Region: Southeast Atlantic · NC. Coordinates 35.2226, -75.6905.
This zone reads from NOAA CO-OPS tide station 8654467 — USCG Station Hatteras, NC — for tide predictions and observed water level, with wind, gusts, air temperature and marine warnings from Open-Meteo and the National Weather Service. Water temperature comes from the same station's thermometer.
Every reading is fetched when you open the page, so nothing here is a published forecast: the tide timeline covers the next 48 hours with highs, lows and moon phase, and the bite outlook scores the current tide stage, water temperature, wind and pressure for the species you pick. Open the console to watch this water on one screen, or see it in context on the coastal map.
For recreation only — not for navigation. In an emergency call 911 or hail the Coast Guard on VHF 16.
Catalog species that hold in this zone: Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Striped Bass, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia.
| Season | Species present |
|---|---|
| spring | Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Striped Bass |
| summer | Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead, Cobia |
| fall | Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Striped Bass |
| winter | Speckled Trout, Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum) |
Regional targets beyond the catalog: Bluefish · Sea mullet (whiting).
What to tie on: 32 lures and baits in the lure & bait database are proven for the species that hold in Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks, and the smart lure tool narrows them to today's conditions on this water.
Wind tides rule here — a hard southwest blow can empty a flat regardless of the lunar tide. Spring wakes trout and puppy drum in the creeks. Summer brings cobia to the inlets and old drum to the shoals. Fall is legendary: trophy drum, speck limits, and the flounder bite before closure. Winter trout hole up in the creeks — handle fish gently after cold snaps.
Base camps and launch areas inside this zone:
Running these waters? Pull the official NOAA chart before you go — it opens centered on this zone. Check the regulations for Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks for current size and bag limits, and run the launch-prep checklist before you leave the ramp.
Rather fish Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks with someone who runs it every week? These local businesses call this zone home port:
Browse every listing in the charters & guides directory, or — if you run trips here yourself — list your business.
The what's-biting report and the angler reports on this page are sample content, clearly labeled as a demo in the app — posting and replies activate with the community account system. Live tide, water temperature, wind and warning data are real and pull from NOAA and Open-Meteo on every visit.