Lots of people travel to Cape Hatteras to fish the Gulf Stream waters that lie just a short distance from the coast. Many plan a day or two offshore for an exciting activity during their week long stay on the Outer Banks, while others make the drive just for a day's fishing.

Either way, an offshore adventure can be an event of a lifetime, and you never know what will happen from one day to the next. We can, however, try to predict the best time to fish for a particular species based on years of experience, but it's not uncommon for the Gulf Stream to "throw us a curve" from time to time.

The cooler months tend to produce our best catches of yellowfin tuna. I like March and April in the spring, while preferred fall months for yellowfin are October and November.

The month of November also ushers in one of my favorite fisheries. Our "live bait" king mackerel fishing is unlike anywhere else in the world. You just have to experience it, 20-50 pound kings on 20-pound class tackle. It is a blast.

The last few years have produced some excellent bluefin tuna fishing in the late winter and early spring. February and March have been productive for 80-150 pounders. The bag limits change according to what quota has been caught, but we can normally keep one, and release the rest.

In May, we usually begin to have excellent dolphin (mahi) fishing. We catch dolphin all year, but May through September is the best time.

I like late summer and early fall for wahoos, and we often do well on these lightning fast pelagics.

Hatteras is known for its great marlin fishing too. May through September holds pretty good promise of a billfish bite. I tend to think that our better blue marlin fishing is earlier, May to June, while our white marlin and sailfish bites seem to pick up in July. It is not out of the question to catch any and all of our billfish species through the summer months, and there is always that possibility of a "grand slam," especially in July and August.

This is just a brief overview of what you can expect offshore of Hatteras, throughout the year. For more information, go to the Species Sought page, or feel free to email me with your questions.

Read the latest from the Outer Banks Fishing Report

5/17 Hatteras Offshore Fishing Report

- 5/17/2012
We always have good luck when my friend Bobby comes along. Today was no exception.

For starters, the ocean was nice and calm. We watched as a huge thunderstorm tracked toward us, but fortunately, as we began to enter the leading edge, the storm began to dissipate, and the lightning subsided. Fishing was pretty steady. We scrapped along at the gaffers and wound up with a nice catch, plus a few blackfins. Congratulations Don, on a 37 pound citation dolphin! Thanks again Bobby!

Double Team

- 5/16/2012
Ken and Todd tag-teamed the gaffers today while Vickie took pictures!

The dolphin action was very steady today, and these two got all the action they could stand. We caught gaffers all day, quite a few in the mid to upper 20 pound range, but none that broke 30 pounds I don't think. The weather was very cooperative too, and even though thunderstorms are building across the sound this afternoon, we were pretty much in the clear all day. Thanks Ken, and I look forward to working on that list for you some more!

5/14 Hatteras Offshore Fishing Report

- 5/14/2012
We ventured offshore slowly this morning due to a steep southeast sea.

The ride offshore took longer than usual, but when we got there, the fishing was as good as it gets. We caught gaffer dolphin until 11:00, and left hem biting. My guys felt compassion on the one "green" member of the group, and decided to take him home. Still, they had all the fish they needed and were thrilled with their great luck! Thanks Howard, and I'll see you guys this fall.

5/13 Hatteras Offshore Fishing Report

- 5/13/2012
The ocean was a little bumpier today, but we still had pretty good fishing.

Fishing was about the same as yesterday, but today there was much laughter, as it always is when Tony and Linda are along. They always have a lot of fun regardless of the fishing! Anyway, we wound up with another nice mess of dolphin today. Thanks guys!

5/12 Hatteras Offshore Fishing Report

- 5/12/2012
Today the ocean was SLICK!

As is the case on every pretty weekend day in the summer, there were LOTS of boats out. I try to steer for a clear spot on the horizon (where I can't see boats) and hope for the best. A couple of the boats found some really good dolphin fishing, but for most of us we had to work pretty hard all day for what we got. Still, by the end of the day we wound up with a pretty nice catch of dolphin. Thanks Ronnie for a great day offshore and for bringing Steve and Brian to share it with you!

5/11 Hatteras Offshore Fishing Report

- 5/11/2012
More "off the hook" gaffer dolphin fishing today!

We picked at the gaffers all day, and by quittin' time had another beautiful catch. There were a few billfish encounters around the fleet, in fact we had a brief encounter with a white or a sail on a longrigger, but he never took the bait. There were a few wahoos caught as well, but all of our action was dolphin. Thanks Steve, and I'm looking forward to the next time!