It’s a fishing day

Nags Head Beach fishing conditions · North Carolina

Tomorrow, 1 pm–3 pmStriped bass

The bite peaks at 55. Water is 65°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Beach Hazards Statement until Monday 8 pmCoastal Flood Advisory until Thursday 2 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 53 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. 533 am
  2. 53
  3. 53
  4. 536 am
  5. 43
  6. 47
  7. 439 am
  8. 43
  9. 43
  10. 4712 pm
  11. 47
  12. 55
  13. 513 pm
  14. 51
  15. 51
  16. 556 pm
  17. 51
  18. 51
  19. 519 pm
  20. 51
  21. 51
  22. 51Tue
  23. 47
  24. 47
  25. 513 am
  26. 51
  27. 51
  28. 516 am
  29. 51
  30. 51
  31. 559 am
  32. 51
  33. 51
  34. 5112 pm
  35. 55
  36. 55
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
65°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
16 mph

From the northeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:18 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
59°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

55MarginalTomorrow, 1 pm–3 pm

Water

65°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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. More on striped bass

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

65°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Red drum prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside red drum's active range. 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. More on red drum

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

65°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside bluefish's active range. 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. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

65°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. 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. More on spotted seatrout

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

–Not scoredOut of season

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

Water

65°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. 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. Likes an outgoing tide. More on summer flounder

The water

  • Water temperature65°F
  • Seas6.9 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer30.37 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:18 am
  • Sunset today6:13 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:20 am–8:20 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

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 3 pm
100Go

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.