Two different things live on this page, and they are labelled as such. Confirmed catches are logged by hand from named sources. The conditions-based outlook below them is generated from live NOAA CO-OPS readings — it is an informed forecast, not a report of fish anyone actually caught.
The OBX surf fishing report you’ll bookmark. What’s biting, where, and on what — plus wind, water temp, swell, and beach access notes.
Live conditions last updated: 7:04 pm on August 17, 2026 (9 min ago) · Source: NOAA CO-OPS stations 8651370, 8652587, 8654467 (nearshore water temp) + 8654400 (tides).
Live Nearshore Water Temperatures
Water temperature varies dramatically along the Outer Banks. A single number from a weather app doesn’t tell you what’s happening 80 miles down the beach. Here are the nearest live water-temperature stations reporting right now:
| Location | Water Temp | Wind | Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Pier (northern beaches) | 74.8°F — last observation 6:54 pm | ENE 7 mph | 8651370 |
| Oregon Inlet Marina (mid / inlet) | 84.4°F — last observation 6:54 pm | SSE 2 mph | 8652587 |
| USCG Station Hatteras (Hatteras Island) | 85.6°F — last observation 6:54 pm | WSW 7 mph | 8654467 |
Today’s Tides — Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier
| Event | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low tide | 5:12 am | 0.1 ft |
| High tide | 11:35 am | 3.4 ft |
| Low tide | 5:51 pm | 0.4 ft |
| High tide | 11:46 pm | 2.9 ft |
| Sunrise | 5:55 AM | — |
| Sunset | 8:01 PM | — |
Wind & Wave Map
Live wind across the OBX from Windy.com. Use the layer controls (top right) to switch between wind, waves, and other layers. Colors indicate wind speed; moving particles indicate direction. Click a location for the exact speed and direction.
Confirmed Catches
Fish that someone actually reported, with a source and a date attached. This block is updated by hand several times a week — nothing automated ever writes into it, and nothing goes in without a name behind it.
No confirmed catches have been logged yet for this stretch of the week. Rather than pad this section with guesses, it stays empty until someone actually reports a fish. The conditions-based outlook below is still current, and the pier houses and tackle shops listed at the bottom of this page will have same-day word.
Caught something? Send it in. This section only works if people fishing the beach report what they found, so the form below goes straight to a review queue. A person reads every report before it appears here, and nothing publishes automatically.
Report a catch
Prefer a full page? Use Report a Catch instead — same form, more detail on what happens to your report.
Conditions-Based Outlook
This is a conditions-based outlook, not a confirmed catch report. It is inferred from the live water temperatures and tides above and from established seasonal patterns for each area — always confirm against a local tackle shop or pier before you plan a trip.
- North Beaches (Duck, Corolla, Kitty Hawk): When the water here is still cool (roughly the low 60s °F), expect striped bass holdovers and slower action; as it warms, bluefish and sea mullet become more likely. Check the live temperature above for today’s reading.
- Oregon Inlet area: Warmer inlet water (mid-70s °F and up) tends to turn on red drum, with striped bass tapering off as temperatures climb. The point on a moving tide is the classic spot — verify what’s actually being caught locally.
- Cape Point / Hatteras: This area often runs warmest. Warm, stable water opens the door to migratory species such as cobia and Spanish mackerel in season, with drum around the point after dark. Confirm current seasons and any open/closed status with NCDMF before targeting migratory fish.
- Sound side (Pamlico/Hatteras): Shallow sound flats warm faster than the ocean and hold speckled trout and puppy drum, best worked at dawn. A local report will tell you which flats are producing right now.
Where These Reports Come From
Tackle shops are the most reliable source because they’re talking to anglers all day. Call ahead or stop in: TW’s Bait & Tackle — multiple locations from Nags Head to Avon, with the Avon store knowing Cape Point inside out. Frank & Fran’s (Avon) — Hatteras Island’s institution. Red Drum Tackle (Buxton) — Cape Point specialists. Frisco Rod & Gun — fresh bait and a straight take on what’s biting. Whalebone Tackle (Nags Head) — for the northern beaches.
Pier houses are the most reliable for what’s working right now because they’re watching the deck. Each pier keeps its own catch board, and pier websites and Facebook pages often post citation catches the same day: Jennette’s Pier (best year-round reporting), Avon Pier (big-fish reports during the fall run), Nags Head Pier, Avalon Pier, and Rodanthe Pier.
Other sources worth checking: NCDMF for regulation updates, closures, and species assessments; the Outer Banks Voice fishing column for weekly roundups; and OBX surf fishing Facebook groups for real-time posts (filter for veteran posters).
Beach Access Notes
Shorebird-nesting and turtle closures shift week to week through the season and most affect Cape Point, Hatteras Inlet spit, and Ocracoke North Point. Always check the current ramp and beach-access status with NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore before heading out.
Going Deeper
- What’s typically biting this month →
- Where to fish, spot by spot →
- Species guide: red drum, stripers, blues, sharks →
How to Read This Outer Banks Surf Fishing Report
A useful OBX surf fishing report does not just say “the fish are biting.” It tells you which species, which beach, which bait, and which tide. That is what this page is built to do, and it is data-driven from top to bottom — water temps come from NOAA CO-OPS stations along the Outer Banks, tides come from NOAA CO-OPS Station 8654400 at the Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier, and the “what’s biting” outlook is inferred from those live readings against the temperature windows each species favors.
Use the water-temp table first. The Outer Banks runs roughly 80 miles north-to-south and the spread between the northern and southern beaches can easily exceed 15°F. Red drum, striped bass, pompano, sea mullet, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel each have their own temperature window — match the buoy reading to the species you want and you have already cut the guesswork in half. Then check the wind. Anything over 20 knots out of the east or northeast and the surf is going to be muddy from Corolla to Ocracoke. South wind 5–15 knots is the sweet spot for most of the OBX.
How These Conditions Are Sourced
Every reading on this page is pulled automatically from public NOAA CO-OPS data. Water temperature and wind come from the CO-OPS stations at Duck Pier (8651370), Oregon Inlet Marina (8652587) and USCG Station Hatteras (8654467); tides come from NOAA CO-OPS Station 8654400 at the Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier. Readings are cached on the server every 15 minutes and refreshed again in your browser, so the numbers you see are also the numbers a search engine sees. The species outlook is derived from those readings, not from any single day on the sand. Spot a reading that looks off, or a regulation that has changed? Email hello@obxmaps.com.