I've been going to the Northern Outer Banks each year for the past 10 year at about the same time you are going. The key to catching fish is to think small. I know it's a big ocean with lots of big fish, but that area has very flat beaches and can be tough to fish. Look for deeper holes and fish them at dusk and dawn with a two hook bottom rigs and blood worms or shrimp. Bigger baits fished deeper may attract something worthwhile.
As stated earlier a 9 - 10 foot rod with 12 - 15 lb line will suffice for most of this fishing. I take an 8, 9 and 10 foot rod with me and use the smaller 2 for fishing closer to the beach for the mullett, croaker, spot and occasional blue or puppy drum. The larger one I'll bait up with cut bait and try to cast beyond the outer bar (usually doesn't work) and hope for a better size fish. This catches more skates than anything, but I'd rather catch skate than nothing. At this time of year I leave my 12 footers at home, they're tougher to transport and I find I don't need them. The fall (Oct, Nov & Dec) is the time for the heavy gear.
Best of luck. I'll be fishing the beaches up in the Swan Beach area the same week.
Tommy