Southern Shores Inshore Fishing Adventure
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
4hour inshore charter targeting croaker, drum, and speckled troutFish Pamlico and Albemarle sounds near Oregon Inlet bridgeAll gear, bait, and fishing licenses included onboard
Get ready for four solid hours of Carolina inshore fishing at its finest. Flying Fish Charters OBX knows these waters like the back of their hand, and they're taking you to the sweet spots around Oregon Inlet where the fish are biting. You'll be working the productive waters of Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, targeting structure and drop-offs that hold some serious fish. This isn't your typical tourist trip – it's real fishing with captains who live and breathe these waters year-round. Pack light, bring your appetite for action, and get ready to feel that rod bend.
Your day starts bright and early at the Southern Shores marina, where you'll meet your captain and get the rundown on conditions. The boat's rigged and ready with everything you need – rods, reels, tackle, fresh bait, and even your fishing license is covered. You're heading out to Oregon Inlet and the waters west of the bridge, where the mixing currents create perfect feeding zones for multiple species. The sounds offer protection from big swells, so you can focus on fishing instead of fighting seasickness. Your captain reads the water like a book, adjusting spots based on tide, wind, and what the fish are telling them. This is bottom fishing at its best – you'll be anchored up on structure, dropping baits to where the fish live and feed.
This trip is all about getting your bait down to where the fish are holding. You'll be using bottom rigs with circle hooks – perfect for the species you're targeting. The captain sets up on productive structure like shell beds, channel edges, and underwater humps where croaker, drum, and sheepshead love to hang out. Fresh bait is key here – expect to see shrimp, squid, and cut bait depending on what's working best. The technique is straightforward but effective: drop your rig to the bottom, reel up a turn or two, and stay connected. When you feel that tick-tick-tick of a fish picking up your bait, resist the urge to jerk – let the circle hook do its job. The captain will coach you through fighting fish and landing them properly, whether it's a feisty puppy drum or a stubborn sheepshead.
Bluefish are the workhorses of these waters and they fight way above their weight class. These aggressive predators travel in schools and when you find them, you'll know it. They hit hard and make screaming runs that test your drag. Blues are most active during cooler months and early morning hours, making them a top target for serious anglers. What makes them special is their raw power – a five-pound blue can feel like ten pounds when it's green and angry.
Tautog, or "tog" as locals call them, are the bulldogs of the bottom. These thick-bodied fighters love structure and they'll try to wrap your line around every piece of cover they can find. Fall and early winter are prime tog season, when they're feeding heavily before the cold sets in. They're notorious bait stealers with crushing jaw power, but once hooked, they bulldoze toward bottom with surprising strength. Tog fishing tests your skill and patience – qualities every serious angler needs to develop.
Black drum are the gentle giants you'll encounter in these sounds. Mature fish can weigh 20, 30, even 40 pounds or more, providing arm-burning fights on lighter tackle. They're bottom feeders with excellent senses, often requiring finesse presentations to fool. Spring and fall see the best black drum action, especially around shell beds and oyster bars. What makes them exciting is their size potential – you never know when that steady thump-thump might be a true heavyweight.
Atlantic croaker earn their name from the distinctive sounds they make underwater. These prolific panfish are perfect for building confidence and keeping action steady throughout the trip. They school up in good numbers and provide consistent bites when other species are finicky. Croaker fishing is pure fun – light tackle, steady action, and fish that fight harder than their size suggests. They're also excellent table fare, making them a win-win target species.
Sheepshead are the convict-striped tricksters of inshore waters. Their human-like teeth and bait-stealing abilities make them both challenging and rewarding to catch. They love structure – pilings, rocks, shell beds – anywhere they can pick crustaceans and mollusks. Sheepshead require sharp hooks and quick reflexes, but their distinctive appearance and solid fight make them memorable catches. Spring spawning runs bring the biggest fish into range.
Striped bass, the legendary rockfish of the Atlantic coast, patrol these waters during their seasonal migrations. These silver-sided battlers are prized for their strength, size, and table quality. Spring and fall migrations offer the best striper opportunities, when schools move through Oregon Inlet. A good striper hit is unmistakable – they slam baits and make powerful runs that test your equipment. Landing a keeper rockfish is a highlight of any Carolina fishing trip.
Redfish, also called red drum, are the copper-colored prizes of Carolina waters. Puppy drum (under 27 inches) provide world-class light tackle action with their determined fights and acrobatic jumps. These fish are built for power, with broad tails that generate serious thrust. Redfish feed aggressively in shallow waters around grass beds and oyster bars, making them perfect targets for this type of fishing. Their distinctive black spots and bronze coloring make them instantly recognizable and always photo-worthy.
Four hours of guided inshore fishing with all gear and licenses included – that's serious value for serious anglers. Flying Fish Charters OBX has earned their reputation by putting clients on fish consistently, season after season. The 4-person capacity means personal attention and plenty of room to
Get ready to fish the productive waters around Oregon Inlet aboard this well-equipped 23-foot Sea Hunt center console. Powered by a reliable 225HP Yamaha outboard, this boat cuts through the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds with ease, getting you to the prime fishing spots quickly. The center console design gives everyone plenty of room to move around while fighting fish, and the onboard fish finder helps locate schools of croaker, puppy drum, speckled trout, sheepshead, and tautog. GPS navigation ensures efficient runs to the best bottom structures where these species congregate. With space for up to 4 anglers, there's room to spread out without getting lines tangled. The boat includes a head for convenience during your 4-hour adventure. All your tackle, bait, and licenses are provided, so just bring yourself and get ready to bend some rods in these fish-rich North Carolina waters.
Morone SaxatilisStripers are the classic game fish of the Atlantic coast, with their distinctive dark stripes running along silver sides. Most of ours run 18-30 inches, but we see some real cows over 40. They're structure-oriented fish that love current breaks, drop-offs, and areas where bait congregates. Fall and spring offer the best action during their migrations. These fish fight hard with powerful runs and head shakes that'll test your drag. The meat is excellent - firm, white, and mild. They're opportunistic feeders that'll hit live bait, cut bait, or lures. Dawn and dusk are prime times when they move shallow to feed. My favorite trick is fishing live eels at night around the inlet - nothing beats a big eel for trophy stripers when the tide's moving.
Tautoga OnitisThese chunky, dark-colored fighters are some of the strongest fish pound-for-pound in our waters. Tautog average 2-6 pounds and love hanging around hard structure like rock piles, jetties, and bridge pilings. Spring and fall are prime time when water temps cool down. They're notorious bait thieves with powerful jaws that can crush crabs and shellfish, so you need sharp hooks and quick reflexes. The white, flaky meat is outstanding - some say it's the best eating fish in the sound. They fight hard and head straight for cover, so keep your drag tight. Here's the key: use green crabs or fiddler crabs, and when you feel that subtle tap-tap-tap, set the hook immediately. They'll steal your bait in seconds if you hesitate.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the "convict fish" with their black and white stripes, and they're hands-down the wiliest fish in our waters. Most run 2-8 pounds with human-like teeth perfect for crushing barnacles and crabs off pilings. You'll find them tight to any structure - docks, bridges, jetties. Spring is prime time when they're most active. They're notorious bait thieves that'll clean your hook without you feeling it, but that's what makes them challenging and fun. The white meat is sweet and flaky - excellent eating. Fish right against the structure with fiddler crabs or shrimp, keep your bait pinned tight to the hook, and when you feel them pecking, set it hard. They've got tough mouths, so don't be shy with the hookset.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the heavyweights of our bottom fishing trips, with most fish running 10-30 pounds and some monsters pushing 50+. These gray-black bruisers cruise shallow flats and oyster beds, using their powerful jaws to crush shellfish. Spring is peak season when they school up for spawning. They're not flashy fighters but they're steady, strong pullers that test your tackle. The smaller ones under 15 pounds make great table fare with mild, flaky meat. You'll find them in 5-20 feet of water around structure. The trick is using fresh crab or cut bait on the bottom and being patient - they're methodical feeders. When you feel that steady weight, don't rush it. Let them take it and set the hook when they start moving off.
Micropogonias UndulatusCroakers are the bread and butter of our sound fishing - reliable, tasty, and fun for the whole family. These silvery, spot-covered fish typically run 8-14 inches and make that distinctive croaking sound when you pull them up. You'll find them over muddy bottoms in 10-30 feet, especially around channels and drop-offs. They bite best on moving tides and are active spring through fall. Kids love them because they bite readily and taste great fried up. The meat is mild, white, and flaky - perfect for fish tacos. They're bottom feeders that love bloodworms, squid, and shrimp. Pro tip: look for small holes in the bottom and pump out ghost shrimp for bait. Nothing beats fresh ghost shrimp for croakers, and they'll usually be biting within minutes.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish, or red drum as we call the big ones, are built for shallow water warfare with that distinctive black spot near their tail. Most puppy drum run 16-24 inches, perfect for the dinner table. They love 2-6 feet of water over grass flats, oyster bars, and around docks. Fall is fantastic when they school up and feed aggressively before winter. These copper-colored fighters make blistering runs and dig hard when hooked. The meat is sweet and firm - great grilled or blackened. They're not picky eaters but love live shrimp, cut mullet, and crab. The key is sight fishing in shallow water on calm days. When you see their backs or tails sticking up while they're feeding, cast ahead of them and let your bait sink to the bottom.
Pomatomus SaltatrixBluefish are aggressive fighters that show up in our waters from spring through fall, typically weighing 3-15 pounds. These silver-blue predators love to hunt in schools, often creating feeding frenzies near the surface. You'll find them around Oregon Inlet and the sound's deeper channels, especially when baitfish are active. They hit hard and fight strong, making drag-screaming runs that get everyone excited. The meat is excellent when bled properly - oily and rich, perfect for the grill. Best fishing is during moving water on incoming or outgoing tides. My go-to tip: when you see birds diving and water churning, get there fast with a spoon or popper. Blues will hit almost anything when they're feeding, but cut bait like mullet works great too.
Manteo, NC, United States