Manteo, NC Fishing: The Mysterious Town in North Carolina

Behind its beauty and serenity, Manteo, North Carolina, is home to one of the world’s most mysterious events, which continues to pique the interest of many archeologists. The disappearance of the first English Colony in North America is one of those events. This settlement led by John White is said to have vanished from the map. 

Centuries have passed, but up to this day, the Lost Colony remains a mystery, including the disappearance of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas.

This beautiful place on the Island of Roanoke has a lot to offer for both tourists and anglers. There are parks, gift shops, art galleries, antique stores, restaurants, and other specialty shops to visit once you decide to tour the place. Whether you go on a day trip or a week-long vacation, finding a place to stay will never be an issue. Charming beds and breakfast, manicured lawns, and gorgeous gardens can all be found in downtown Manteo. While for anglers, a fishing spot will be the least of your concern. With an ample amount of fishing destinations that you can visit all year round, catching your target fish species is undoubtedly going to be a success.

Manteo is known for its historical mystery and its bountiful number of fish species surrounding its amazing bodies of water. It is roughly a 10 to 15-minute drive to the Outer Banks' top tourist destination. The merging of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current creates an underwater gathering of all types of marine life, making the waters in Manteo somehow the best in the world. This event results in a more incredible fishing opportunity for local and tourist anglers. Although this spot is famous for some angling actions, there are still plenty of recreational activities you can try, such as surfing, clamming, paddle boarding, kayaking, hang gliding, and the like. 

Manteo Fishing 

Way before Manteo became a tourist spot, anglers from across the country would bravely make their way to set up a makeshift campsite along the shore for protection against winds and strong waves, all that for an exceptional fishing experience in the Outer banks. But now, with a modernized community, different fishing charters with experienced charter captains, practical fishing tools, and baits, the exceptional fishing getaway in Manteo has become more enjoyable and accessible than before. 

The Outer Banks is among the best fishing locations in this place. They offer different kinds of charter fishing that you can enjoy together with your family and friends. If you are a solo angler, you can book your charter trip a week in advance to see if you can join the pre-existing fishing trips of other anglers at a low cost. The experienced charter captain will help you find a nice spot to snag your favorite fish species such as mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, amberjack, and king mackerel. 

Charter fishing is a must-do if you want to enjoy the trip to the outer banks' excellent waters. A coastal recreational fishing license is required before you can start fishing in this spot, but there is an exception, including customers on most charter boats and children below 16. The coastal license allows you to fish in coastal and joint fishing waters, but a unified fishing license is required f to fish in inland or fresh water in North Carolina.

There are plenty of fishing techniques that you can use in any of Manteo's waters. Deep-sea fishing is famous for both local and non-local anglers in Outer banks. But another well-known fishing technique that is quite popular here is bottom fishing. It is a simple method of dropping the baits and rigs to the bottom of the water where your target fish locates. 

Although it is considered the most straightforward way of angling, there are still tips that you should follow for successful bottom fishing, such as the size of the bait and the hook you're going to use. Both should be proportionate to each other, and it varies from one species to another. You can also try different types of baits, such as fresh, frozen, or artificial lures, but the bait you're going to use will depend on your fishing location. Furthermore, if you don't have a fixed spot for fishing, you should try to cast as far as possible while letting the rig crawl at the bottom to cover more areas and secure a great catch.

Top 10 Fish Species in Manteo, NC

The top 10 fish species to catch in Manteo, NC is yellowtail amberjack, striped bass, black drum, bluefish, king mackerel, little tunny, redfish, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, spotted weakfish, and bluefin tuna.

Seasonal Fishing 

The best time to go deep-sea fishing in Manteo is during summer. But the excellent waters surrounding the area and the abundance of different fish species enable the anglers to experience an exciting fishing getaway all year round. Manteo has plenty of fishing destinations where you can surely take home your favorite fish species. But if the seasonal changes make you anxious with your future catch, hiring a guide is a must. They are the person who knows where and when to catch a big snatch of your personal favorites. 

Outer Banks is one of the favorite go-to destinations for recreational and sports anglers. There are reports of good catches of offshore fish species from April to May, like yellowfin tuna, big gaffer, mahi-mahi, and wahoo. In inshore or nearshore fishing during the spring, bluefish, stripers, or red drum schools are often found in the inlets. 

During June to August, the warmer summer days make the outer banks fishing heated. This month is when tourists and anglers come and experience the beauty of the area and the abundance of fish. Yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, white marlin, and blue marlin are just a few of the top offshore fish species. During this season, you can try inshore fishing at the Oregon inlet and see how it fills with massive schools of Spanish mackerel and bluefish. 

The fall makes the fish go hungry and is now bulking up to go south, making the months of September to November an exciting month for the anglers of outer banks. Offshore fishing is a great way to catch yellowfin and bluefin tuna. You can even see the schools of Mahi almost everywhere during this time. A few miles off the beach and inlet, King mackerel, false albacore, and giant bluefish will sometimes be seen.

December to March is a hit or miss when it comes to fishing. Since the cold winds are breaking through, anglers wait for a weather forecast before going on a trip. During this time, the main targets of offshore fishing are yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, and occasional giant bluefin tuna. Some inshore areas have large schools of striped bass or big chopper bluefish. You can visit Hatteras and Ocracoke Inlets for the large red drum available during the winter.

Manteo is truly a fishing haven, with a wide variety of fishing opportunities available all year.

Explore the Remarkable Town of Manteo

Manteo is not only a great place to go fishing, but it is also a fantastic tourist destination. It may appear to be a typical coastal area in North Carolina, but it is packed with exciting activities and numerous attractions that will keep visitors entertained for hours. These are some of the spots you may want to visit:

1. Experience Island Life at N.C Aquarium

If you are looking for a place that suits everyone, try to visit this aquarium in North Carolina and have a taste of the island life. This place is the best spot for kids to see the different types of marine life and somehow connect and interact with them. 

2. Take an Air Tour at Dare County Airport

If you think that the Outer Banks are pleasing when you see it on land, imagine how amazing it is to see it in an aerial view. Several air tour companies offer a helicopter ride and open cockpit biplanes to roam around your favorite spots in this place. If you have an extra budget, you might want to try this exciting activity of a lifetime. 

3. Enjoy the Dare Day Festival 

Experience the culture of Manteo by attending one of their longest-running festivals. This festival is a whole-day event with live music and many activities such as Hog way Speedway Racing Pigs, the Rain gutter Regatta, and a kids' zone open for locals and tourists.