Waterlands

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Spanish mackerelOff season

Cape · North Carolina

Horniblow Point

36.01°N · 76.57°W · Cape · Albemarle Sound

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Best score today · 8 AM · Spanish mackerel

65/100Great
Now
359 AM EST
Best window
9-10 AMMorning light

Data from: ECMWF · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 9 AM · now

Time9ANOW
Score35Fair
Wind9 kn Sgusts 14 · steady
Air temp71°Warm
WeatherPartly cloudy44% cloud

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

IN EFFECT NOW

No rule for Spanish mackerel is on file here yet, so its status is unknown, not closed. Confirm limits with NCDMF before you keep a fish.

Source: NCDMF · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Spanish mackerel is best here

Out of season for Spanish mackerel · shoulder season starts in 17 weeks

Spanish mackerel season by week of the year. Out of season for Spanish mackerel · shoulder season starts in 17 weeks.
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  • Shoulder
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Spanish mackerel in North Carolina →

Spot profile

Horniblow Point

Depth
1-7 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · flat bottom
Season
Off seasonSpanish mackerel

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Horniblow Point

Horniblow Point is a cape in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. Depth in the nearest water is 1-7 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 25 species here; the best right now are little tunny, bluefish and red drum. It is peak season now for little tunny, bluefish, red drum and spotted seatrout, and shoulder season for striped bass, king mackerel, Atlantic croaker and spot. Little tunny peak from October through November. Bluefish peak from March through April and from November through December. Red drum peak from August through November.

Tackle & technique

Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel school along beaches and around inlets, jetties, piers and bridge-tunnel structures, and along tide rips in 5 to 40 feet of water once the water climbs above about 68 degrees F. Troll small spoons or cast metal jigs and retrieve fast, or look for birds diving on bait and cast into the school. FWC calls for a 30 to 60 pound monofilament leader because their teeth cut light line.
Little tunny
Little tunny travel fast in schools that pin bait against inlets, points, jetties and tide rips, usually within a few miles of shore and often in less than 60 feet. Stay off the school's path, wait for it to surface within range, and cast small metal or epoxy jigs with a fast retrieve. When fish stay down, troll small feathers along bait edges and color changes to find them.
Bluefish
Bluefish travel in size-sorted schools and feed where tide pushes bait past structure: inlet mouths, rips, shoal edges and the surf line, mostly in water shallower than 60 feet. Look for birds and breaking bait and cast metal or poppers into it, or soak cut bunker or mullet on the bottom from the beach. Use a short wire or heavy leader because their teeth cut light line.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Bluff Point

    Cape · 6.4 mi

    65
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 65
    • Bluefish 59
    • Spotted seatrout 59

    9 kt S

  • Reedy Point

    Cape · 4.9 mi

    64
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 64
    • Bluefish 58
    • Spotted seatrout 58

    7 kt S

  • Black Walnut Point

    Cape · 6.3 mi

    64
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 64
    • Bluefish 58
    • Spotted seatrout 58

    7 kt S

  • Cherry Point

    Cape · 2.5 mi

    63
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 63
    • Bluefish 57
    • Red drum 57

    9 kt S

Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with NCDMF before you keep a fish.