Waterlands

NWS zone AMZ136 · South Atlantic

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers fishing forecast

North Carolina · Atlantic coast

Score now

71Great
Atlantic tarpon · 4:00 AM EDT
Named spots
134
Species scored
25
Tide stations
0
Open in the tide mapAll North Carolina bay systems

Overview

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers is NWS marine zone AMZ136 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 134 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System.

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

At 4:00 AM it scores 71 (great), led by Atlantic tarpon. The best window for the rest of today is 6 PM-12 AM (flood tide), peaking at 81 for Red drum. Over the next 13 days the best hour is Sun, Sep 20 at 6 PM, scoring 81.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 11:38 PM EDT.

Best window today

6 PM-12 AM · Flood tide

Top species: Red drum

81Great

Best hour of each day, next 13 days

  1. Sun, Sep 20

    81

    6 PM

    Red drum

    Best day

  2. Mon, Sep 21

    79

    7 PM

    Atlantic croaker

  3. Tue, Sep 22

    79

    9 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  4. Wed, Sep 23

    78

    11 PM

    Atlantic croaker

  5. Thu, Sep 24

    76

    12 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  6. Fri, Sep 25

    75

    7 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  7. Sat, Sep 26

    80

    7 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  8. Sun, Sep 27

    80

    7 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  9. Mon, Sep 28

    80

    7 AM

    Atlantic croaker

  10. Tue, Sep 29

    75

    7 AM

    Spotted seatrout

  11. Wed, Sep 30

    73

    4 AM

    Spotted seatrout

  12. Thu, Oct 1

    76

    5 PM

    Atlantic croaker

  13. Fri, Oct 2

    77

    6 PM

    Southern flounder

Species · 25

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

71Great
Atlantic tarponMegalops atlanticus · inshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (79)

70Great
Atlantic croakerMicropogonias undulatus · inshore

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (79)

69Great
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus · inshore

Peak season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 PM (81)

68Great
Southern flounderParalichthys lethostigma · bottom

Peak season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (76)

67Great
SpotLeiostomus xanthurus · inshore

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (79)

65Great
Gray snapperLutjanus griseus · nearshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 PM (72)

63Good
Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus · inshore

Peak season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 6 PM (78)

62Good
Crevalle jackCaranx hippos · nearshore

Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 7 PM (75)

58Good
Summer flounderParalichthys dentatus · bottom

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (73)

56Good
King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla · pelagic

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 11 AM (70)

56Good
Black drumPogonias cromis · inshore

Shoulder season, about 19 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 PM (69)

52Good
Little tunnyEuthynnus alletteratus · pelagic

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 7 AM (70)

52Good
Red snapperLutjanus campechanus · offshore

Shoulder season, about 31 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (61)

52Good
WeakfishCynoscion regalis · inshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (68)

51Good
Spanish mackerelScomberomorus maculatus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (63)

50Good
Black sea bassCentropristis striata · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (65)

50Good
Gray triggerfishBalistes capriscus · offshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (61)

49Good
SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 19 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (63)

48Good
Gag grouperMycteroperca microlepis · offshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (62)

48Good
Red grouperEpinephelus morio · offshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (61)

47Good
CobiaRachycentron canadum · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 7 AM (58)

44Fair
Florida pompanoTrachinotus carolinus · surf

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 2 PM (66)

44Fair
Greater amberjackSeriola dumerili · offshore

Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (56)

35Fair
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix · nearshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Fri, Oct 2 at 6 PM (59)

No score
Striped bassMorone saxatilis · sea-run

Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 12 AM (35)

Named spots · 134

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

122 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

No NOAA tide station page sits within 60 km of this zone’s center.

Regulations

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 20, 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