Outer Banks fishing report for late April

Spring fishing cranking up in Outer Banks surf

With the Outer Banks counties of Currituck and Dare starting to let a few people back through their borders, it’s good to know some fish are biting for anglers to catch.

According to tackle shops along North Carolina’s famed OBX islands, the surf is alive with standard springtime fare. Whiting and blow toads are biting, plus a few big drum to the south. Anglers are finding most of the best action has been south of Oregon Inlet.

In the Nags Head area, reports from Ocean’s East Tackle Shop indicate that trout have been biting in the sound and around the “Little Bridge” — which carries US 264/64 from Manteo to Whalebone Junction and Nags Head. Trout and stripers are biting around the two US 64 bridges across Croatan Sound between the mainland and Roanoke Island.

Frank & Fran’s Fisherman’s Friend in Avon reports sea mullet and blow toads in the surf. Anglers are also catching a few grey trout around Avon. Some speckled trout are biting in the Pamlico Sound behind the villages of Waves, Salvo and Rodanthe.

A few bigger fish have shown up at the southern end of the Outer Banks, from Buxton to Hatteras. Both the Red Drum in Buxton and Frisco Rod & Gun in Frisco report some big drum in the surf at Cape Point. Anglers also continue to catch some big sharks. The surf near Ramp 55, between Hatteras village and the end of the island, has been producing drum — both slot-sized and over the slot, along with whiting and blow toads.