Waterlands

NWS zone AMZ137 · South Atlantic

Neuse and Bay Rivers fishing forecast

North Carolina · Atlantic coast

Score now

76Great
Atlantic croaker · 1:00 PM EDT
Named spots
260
Species scored
24
Tide stations
1
Open in the tide mapAll North Carolina bay systems

Overview

Neuse and Bay Rivers is NWS marine zone AMZ137 on the North Carolina Atlantic coast, in the South Atlantic species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 260 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 1 NOAA tide station nearby.

24 species are scored here in this forecast; Atlantic croaker, Spot, Red drum, Southern flounder and Atlantic tarpon are at peak season now.

At 1:00 PM it scores 76 (great), led by Atlantic croaker. The best window for the rest of today is 5-8 PM (flood tide), peaking at 88 for Red drum. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM, scoring 88.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 12:39 PM EDT.

Best window today

5-8 PM · Flood tide

Top species: Red drum

88Epic

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

  1. Thu, Sep 17

    88

    6 PM

    Red drum

    Best day

  2. Fri, Sep 18

    86

    7 PM

    Red drum

  3. Sat, Sep 19

    84

    7 PM

    Atlantic tarpon

  4. Sun, Sep 20

    85

    8 PM

    Red drum

  5. Mon, Sep 21

    83

    9 PM

    Atlantic tarpon

  6. Tue, Sep 22

    84

    10 PM

    Atlantic tarpon

  7. Wed, Sep 23

    77

    12 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  8. Thu, Sep 24

    76

    9 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  9. Fri, Sep 25

    80

    6 PM

    Red drum

  10. Sat, Sep 26

    83

    1 PM

    Atlantic croaker

  11. Sun, Sep 27

    77

    1 AM

    Red drum

  12. Mon, Sep 28

    77

    2 AM

    Red drum

  13. Tue, Sep 29

    78

    3 AM

    Red drum

  14. Wed, Sep 30

    75

    9 AM

    Crevalle jack

Species · 24

Listed for the South Atlantic region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

76Great
Atlantic croakerMicropogonias undulatus · inshore

Peak season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (82)

74Great
SpotLeiostomus xanthurus · inshore

Peak season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (80)

73Great
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus · inshore

Peak season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (88)

71Great
Southern flounderParalichthys lethostigma · bottom

Peak season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (79)

70Great
Atlantic tarponMegalops atlanticus · inshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 PM (84)

70Great
Crevalle jackCaranx hippos · nearshore

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (80)

68Great
Summer flounderParalichthys dentatus · bottom

Peak season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (77)

67Great
Gray snapperLutjanus griseus · nearshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (79)

66Great
Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus · inshore

Peak season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (83)

65Great
King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla · pelagic

Peak season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (77)

63Good
Black drumPogonias cromis · inshore

Shoulder season, about 19 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (69)

61Good
Florida pompanoTrachinotus carolinus · surf

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (70)

58Good
CobiaRachycentron canadum · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (66)

58Good
Gray triggerfishBalistes capriscus · offshore

Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (64)

58Good
SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 19 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 PM (62)

57Good
Black sea bassCentropristis striata · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 1 PM (65)

57Good
Gag grouperMycteroperca microlepis · offshore

Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (63)

57Good
Red grouperEpinephelus morio · offshore

Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (62)

57Good
Red snapperLutjanus campechanus · offshore

Shoulder season, about 32 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (63)

57Good
Spanish mackerelScomberomorus maculatus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (69)

56Good
Little tunnyEuthynnus alletteratus · pelagic

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 1 PM (65)

53Good
Greater amberjackSeriola dumerili · offshore

Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (61)

52Good
WeakfishCynoscion regalis · inshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 1 PM (66)

35Fair
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix · nearshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 12 AM (35)

Named spots · 260

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

248 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

Beaufort, Duke Marine LabNOAA 865648324.4 mi

Regulations

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 17, 2026.

No reviewed rules for the species listed here are on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep a fish.

Other North Carolina bay systems