Help...? When is the best time of the year to hit OBX??

[sloppy75]

Hello... I am from Philadelphia planning on visiting OBX later this year.
I really want to impress my wife and family with big catches... All they have seen are lil spots and blues...
big drum or striper would be nice..

Any input will be appriciated.

[OCyakin]

I am looking to head down in the fall and was wondering what the best time would be to head down for the fall run. Thanks in advance.

[sloppy75]

How dare you hijack my question..????
I asked first.. so i should be answered first!

[dcast]

Originally Posted by sloppy75

How dare you hijack my question..????
I asked first.. so i should be answered first!

Sloppy, could not agree more....there's way too much hijacking taking place....rude and inconsiderate behavior....although in this case.....both are similar.

Now, to your question..... Oct thru mid/late November seem to be prime time for big drum....water temps will vary and help functuate the best times.

Stripers have really not made any considerable appearance at OBX for a few years now.........a few scattered......can't predict what this year holds....

Never know when precisely the ramps will open up.....need to watch the reports and key websites......

[WoodyWoodchuck]

Dcast has it. Spring is too temperature dependant to plan a trip far ahead of time. It can be fantastic fishing but, no telling what the water will do. If you can plan a spur of the moment commando run depending on reports, you will catch fish!

I go in October and November. If the water is still warm you can catch summer fish like pompano. If it has cooled down a little you catch drum, blowtoads, black drum, blues… If it has dropped really far you can catch stripers. But, as pointed out only the local ones have been around for the past few years in any numbers.

I have always had good luck catching something in the fall. You are at the end of the finger mullet runs also so have a chance at bait. Only bad thing can be the weather. I have rode out some nasty storms hunkered down in the beach house!

Also be prepared for anything. Bring shorts, fleece underwear, gloves, waders, rain gear… Be prepared for hot summer weather or a cold storm passing through, you never know and it can change fast out there.

Interesting note about last falls trip, at least the 2 weeks I was there. The only bite was either side of low tide. I fished from North Buxton to Hatteras Inlet. No morning bite, no evening bite, nothing at any other tide! I rented a front row house in Buxton and could watch the beach all day. Nothing, nada, not even a bluefish at anything but either side of low tide. We’d fish the tide then sit on the porch watching everyone toss bait. I couldn’t believe it but, it did leave some great time to relax and we saved cash on bait and tackle that trip! Well, all the cash we saved went into food and more booze so it actually cost us more in total.

[OCyakin]

Originally Posted by sloppy75

How dare you hijack my question..????
I asked first.. so i should be answered first!

I apologize for the hijacking!!!!!!

[sloppy75]

Appology accepted..

Thx dcast and woody for generous info.
I think I'm going on the 1st or 2nd week of November..
I hear north OBX is better from surf???

oh... I can't wait.

[jellybear]

I go every year at the end of September,Its cooled down a little and the Crowds have thinned.

[WoodyWoodchuck]

That and the rates are ¼ of what they are in the summer! Pretty much the only people you find in the fall are locals, fisherfolks and surfers. Everyone seems more laid back than in the summer also. In the summer you can get lots of people in a hurry to get somewhere, even on the island! Well, you can get folks hurrying in the fall also I guess, the Orange Blossom gets a morning rush right at opening and then we all scurry off to the beach to catch the morning bite and eat uglies! Heck, I’ve been there with 2 other trucks waiting for the sign to go up!

Never fished North of Avon in the fall. Base camp is Buxton and never had a reason to go anywhere else. Actually I have to change that answer. On check-out Saturday I’ll hit Oregon Inlet for at least a few casts before saying good bye to paradise.

[OCyakin]

Thanks for the help!

[Ken Artman]

WoodyWoodchuck, thanks for the post. I also am coming down the week of 9/20. I was wondering about clothes and fishing data. You pretty well gave me what I was looking for. I've never been down there and I'm looking forward to it.

[cdsloop]

We always shoot for late Oct/Early Nov. but it always depends on what the fish and/or Mother Nature decides to do. Have been during this time period and caught nothing and have filled the coolers before. Like others have said watch the message boards and go or roll the dice and book ahead of time. Either way, Time fishin at the Banks is much better than work!

[OCyakin]

Originally Posted by cdsloop

We always shoot for late Oct/Early Nov. but it always depends on what the fish and/or Mother Nature decides to do. Have been during this time period and caught nothing and have filled the coolers before. Like others have said watch the message boards and go or roll the dice and book ahead of time. Either way, Time fishin at the Banks is much better than work!

Amen! Cant wait to get down there for the first time.

[crashq]

Originally Posted by sloppy75

...
I hear north OBX is better from surf???
....

Not necessarily. We go to southern OBX every year for an annual surf fishing trip and do well most years.

[mortimer77]

Originally Posted by crashq

Not necessarily. We go to southern OBX every year for an annual surf fishing trip and do well most years.

Nah crash, up north is definitely better. Duck and Corolla and that area seem to be where most of the fish are.