Overview
Cape Hatteras on North Carolina's Outer Banks is a legendary fishing destination where the warm Gulf Stream and cold Labrador Current collide, creating one of the richest marine ecosystems on the Atlantic seaboard. This narrow ribbon of barrier islands juts far out into the Atlantic, placing anglers closer to deep water and migratory species than almost anywhere else on the East Coast. For SUP anglers, the sound side of Hatteras offers protected, shallow water perfect for targeting red drum, speckled trout, and flounder, while the more adventurous can work the nearshore ocean breaks for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and cobia. The Pamlico Sound—the largest lagoon on the East Coast—stretches behind the barrier islands, providing vast expanses of wadeable flats and sheltered creeks. Canadian Hole, located between Buxton and Avon, is one of the most famous launch points, offering direct access to sound-side flats that hold enormous schools of red drum during the fall run. The fall red drum run at Hatteras is one of the great spectacles in American fishing—schools of hundreds of bull reds, many exceeding 40 inches, push onto the shallow flats to feed before their southward migration. SUP anglers who time their visit to coincide with this run experience fishing that borders on the surreal. Beyond the fall run, Hatteras offers year-round fishing opportunities. Spring brings Spanish mackerel and cobia to the nearshore waters. Summer sees excellent flounder and trout action on the sound side. The remote, windswept beauty of the Outer Banks adds an element of adventure that few fishing destinations can match.