The Crystal Coast offers a variety of fishing opportunities!
About 3 hours southeast of Raleigh, Beaufort, NC, sits on a rich estuary system fed by three rivers on the Crystal Coast. “The Crystal Coast is a beautiful place,” comments Jason Frivance with Back Sound Fishing Charters. “The Water is crystal clear with great beaches.”
The Neuse River flows into Pamlico Sound here. In Carteret County, Beaufort sits between the mouths of the Newport and North Rivers. Also called the “Inner Banks,” these waters offer abundant fishing opportunities for various inshore, nearshore, and offshore species.
Beaufort Inshore and Nearshore Fishing
Red Drum Steal the Show
“Our prime target is Red Drum,” Frivance advises. “The Harkers Island area is a good place to look for them. During a flood tide, we fish structure, docks, oyster reefs, and rocks. We go up in the marsh and estuaries. I love to sight-cast to reds on a falling tide when they school up. It’s fun seeing 60 reds gathered. A Rapala Skitter Walk is my favorite topwater bait for Red Drum.”
Also called Redfish, Red Drum stay around Beaufort all year long, but June turns red hot for these spot-tailed predators. Many channels, oyster reefs, and marshy islands make great places to catch Reds with various natural and artificial baits. The old standby – a gold spoon – still delivers enticing wobbles. Topwaters also provide explosive action on big Reds.
The hot action lasts into September or October. In the summer, Redfish stay around the mouths of the Newport and North Rivers. As summer progresses, bait moves upriver and Redfish follow. Tempt these fish with a gold 1–1.25 oz Johnson Silver Minnow spoon or topwater bait worked around flooded spartina grass or oyster reefs. For “Bull” Reds, fish live finger mullets about 4–6 inches long under a popping cork. Mullet chunks and live or fresh shrimp also work.
Beaufort Shallow-Water Spring Species
Anglers fishing for Reds might also catch Speckled Trout on many of the same baits – especially live shrimp and any artificials that mimic shrimp or small bait fish. Flounder also hit shrimp and lures.
Starting in late March or early April, Bluefish start showing up. Most Blues run in the 5–8 lb range, but some exceed 15 pounds. Bluefish will smash a topwater plug and, along with Spanish Mackerel, will hit anything shiny that mimics a bait fish. During the warmer months, watch for Cobia to materialize around any structures or floating objects, too.
“We catch a variety of species,” says Brian Slesinski with Beaufort Charters. “In the summer and fall, we catch Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish when trolling. If we stop, we’ll catch Black Sea Bass, Speckled Trout, Redfish, and Sheepshead. Any rock jetties, piles, bridge pilings, and other hard structures hold fish.”
In the spring, Atlantic Bonito also appear. Bonito hunt in shallower waters. They can exceed 15 pounds and typically eat small mackerel, menhaden, and other bait fish, as well as squid. Powerful fish, Bonito give anglers a great fight.
“Bonito is a delicacy,” Frivance opines. “They stay around until mid-May and we catch them near the reefs on ¾ to 1 oz jigs. Sometimes, we see them busting bait. Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel are great species for kids to target because we can keep them active catching fish.”
Fall Fishing Targets in Beaufort
When cold fronts hit in the fall, shrimp start migrating out to deep water in the Atlantic. Everything eats shrimp! Predators follow the crustaceans as they migrate. That’s when anglers normally catch the biggest Speckled Trout – some top 5 pounds! Use live shrimp under a popping cork or freeline finger mullet for monster Specks.
“During the fall, we catch Speckled Trout near the river mouths,” details Jack Jackson with FinchasersUSA Charters. “As fall progresses, they move up the river to the backs of the creeks. Trout stay very active in the winter, as do Black Drum at the rock jetties. For Trout, we use soft plastics under a popping cork. I also like suspending hard baits, like a MirrOlure 17MR and topwaters.”
Later in the fall, anglers catch giant Bull Reds off the beaches. David Deuel set the all-tackle world record for Redfish at 94 pounds, 2 ounces with a fish he caught in November while surf-fishing off Hatteras Island just up the North Carolina coast!
Best Beaufort Inshore Fishing Gear
“For giant Redfish, we anchor on a shoal in the evening and fish the edges where water drops from 8 feet deep to 12 feet,” Jackson says. “We fish a Lupton rig, named after Owen Lupton who designed it. We catch several Redfish exceeding 50 inches every fall! These big breeders come in from the ocean into Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River to spawn.”
Like a short Carolina rig, a Lupton rig consists of a fixed egg sinker, a short leader, and a circle hook. Crimped in place, the sinker cannot slide up and down the line. Bait it with cut or whole mullet or whole menhaden.
“I tie a Lupton rig with 3 inches of 80–100 lb monofilament and a snelled hook,” Jackson explains. “The idea is to prevent gut-hooking those big breeders so we can release them. In the daytime, we also fish for big Reds with 5–6″ swimbaits under a popping cork up on the flats and shoals. Sometimes, we’ll throw swimbaits without a cork.”
Black Drum like to stay around the rock jetties just outside the inlet, especially during the cooler months. Most Drum average about 3–5 pounds. For smaller Drum, use shrimp on the bottom, while giant Drum love crunching crabs. Sheepshead also stay around any barnacle-encrusted structures. They relish live shrimp, but fiddler crabs also make for great enticements.
Offshore Fishing in Beaufort, NC
Just a short boat ride through Beaufort Inlet, you can enter the Atlantic Ocean. The edge of the continental shelf runs about 42 miles south of the inlet. At the shelf edge, water drops to about 600 feet deep. Along the edge, anglers troll for King Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Sailfish, Blackfin Tuna, Blue Marlin, and other big game fish.
“In the spring, we troll, but we also stop at the shelf edge to bottom fish,” Slesinski says. “Starting in March, we catch Bonito, Bluefish, and Black Sea Bass. Depending upon the season, we catch Red Snapper, Vermilion Snapper, and several other Snapper species. We also catch Amberjack, Hogfish, Porgies, Tilefish, and Triggerfish all year long. Many people even enjoy catching Sharks in the summer.”
For bottom fishing, Slesinski uses heavy jigs or weighted hooks. He sweetens them with cut mackerel, mullet, or other bait fish. He also uses squid. As water cools farther north in the fall, many pelagic species start migrating southward toward Florida.
“Fall is my favorite time to catch Sailfish and Mahi,” Slesinski remarks. “We catch some Sailfish in the 100-pound range when they come closer to shore. We’ll catch them 15 to 20 miles from shore in 80 to 100 feet of water.”
As the water turns colder, and pelagic fish migrate south, anglers resume bottom fishing. Black Sea Bass, Porgies, and various Snapper species remain active during the winter.
While in the Area…
Beaufort dates to 1709. The North Carolina Maritime Museum features displays of the rich historical heritage of the area, while Civil War enthusiasts should visit Fort Macon State Park. The Union Army captured the fort in 1862, giving you plenty to explore when you’re not on the water!
Have you been fishing in Beaufort, NC? Where did you go and what did you catch? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
The post Fishing in Beaufort, North Carolina: An Expert’s Guide for 2026 appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.
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