It’s a fishing day

Nags Head Beach fishing conditions · North Carolina

Sit it outno striped bass window clears the bar in 36 hours

Water is 64°, close to the 62° striped bass like best.

Coastal Flood Advisory until Thursday 2 pmBeach Hazards Statement until Monday 8 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 37 for striped bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 3710 am
  2. 37
  3. 37
  4. 371 pm
  5. 35
  6. 35
  7. 354 pm
  8. 35
  9. 35
  10. 357 pm
  11. 35
  12. 35
  13. 3510 pm
  14. 35
  15. 35Tue
  16. 271 am
  17. 27
  18. 35
  19. 354 am
  20. 35
  21. 35
  22. 357 am
  23. 35
  24. 35
  25. 3510 am
  26. 35
  27. 35
  28. 351 pm
  29. 35
  30. 35
  31. 354 pm
  32. 35
  33. 35
  34. 277 pm
  35. 27
  36. 35
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
64°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
16 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 6:13 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
63°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are North Carolina regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

37Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

64°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Atlantic Ocean only — 28–31" slot, 1 fish/day, year-round. Albemarle Sound and the Central Southern Management Area are currently closed to striped bass harvest.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Season here: Apr–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

25Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

64°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside bluefish's active range. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum size. 5 fish/day from shore or private boat; 7/day on for-hire vessels.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Season here: May–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

25Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

64°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 20" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14–20" slot, 3/person/day, with one over 26" allowed. DMF can close the fishery by proclamation after a winter cold stun.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Season here: May–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

0Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

64°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Below red drum's active range (65–85°F). Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 27" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18–27" slot, 1 fish/day. Anything over 27" must be released.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Season here: May–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

64°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 1 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 2026 season Sep 1–14 only (Proclamation FF-27-2026): 15" minimum, 1/person/day, hook and line or gig, and every flounder kept must be reported to DMF. A separate ocean-only Gulf flounder season ran Mar 9–22 south of Portsmouth Island. Seasons are set each year by proclamation.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · North Carolina

Season here: Jun–Oct, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on summer flounder

The water

  • Water temperature64°F
  • Seas6.9 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer30.36 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today6:13 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:19 am
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 12:30 am–2:30 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. NC Wildlife Resources Commission has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

Outer Banks surf from Jennette's Pier south toward Oregon Inlet. Red drum in spring and fall, bluefish and speckled trout in fall, striped bass in winter, summer flounder in summer.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore33 mi · North CarolinaBest today 5 pm to tomorrow 6 pm
80Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Nags Head Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Nags Head Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Nags Head Beach?

Nags Head Beach is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Nags Head Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Nags Head Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Nags Head Beach have?

Nags Head Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Nags Head Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Nags Head Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Nags Head Beach tidal water?

Yes. Nags Head Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.