Whiting

Season in Outer Banks

Peak months: May, Oct.

NCDMF: southern kingfish the most abundant of the three kingfish in NC. Carolina Sportsman: sea mullet abundant in May with pompano; Island Free Press: Rodanthe Pier and Hatteras beaches in August, common in the October surf; spring sea mullet at Ramp 48 below Cape Point. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Surf troughs and the piers, often with pompano; Cape Point south (Ramp 48) in spring.

First trough, often only 20 to 40 yards out.

What to look for

A defined first trough with moving water; sandy bottom.

Bait

Fresh shrimp pieces, Bloodworms, Sand fleas, Fishbites (bloodworm or shrimp). Double-drop bottom rig, small circle hooks (#2 to 2/0), 2 to 3 oz sinker.

Leader

20 to 30 lb mono on the rig.

Common mistakes

• Casting far past the fish
• Hooks too big
• Old, washed-out bait

Landing

Simple; reel it up the beach.

Handling

No special hazards.

Keep or release

Excellent eating. Check NC rules.

Recipes for whiting

Typical: 6 to 10 in, about 0.5 lb. Large: 14 to 16 in. SC record 2 lb 10 oz (1968).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the NC limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

• NC Division of Marine Fisheries: kingfishes (sea mullet) (Official source)
• Carolina Sportsman: Outer Banks fishing report, May 2026 (Angler knowledge)
• Island Free Press: Outer Banks Angling, fishing report for Aug 19 to 24 (Rob Alderman, 2010) (Angler knowledge)
• Island Free Press: October Fishing, Change is a good thing (Capt. David Wilson, Oct 23 2017) (Angler knowledge)
• Carolina Sportsman: Outer Banks surf fishing report, trout, drum, mullet (Oceans East Bait and Tackle, Nags Head) (Angler knowledge)
• SCDNR species profile: southern kingfish (whiting) (Official source)

All the fish of Outer Banks