Species guide · North Carolina

Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing in North Carolina

Thunnus thynnus, a pelagic species also called bluefin, giant bluefin and school bluefin. Listed for the South Atlantic region.

Where it's scoring now All North Carolina waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Atlantic

Jan: Peak season
Feb: Peak season
Mar: Peak season
Apr: Shoulder season
May: Off season
Jun: Not present
Jul: Not present
Aug: Not present
Sep: Not present
Oct: Off season
Nov: Shoulder season
Dec: Peak season

Peak: Dec to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Nov to Apr.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Almost entirely a North Carolina fishery. Tagged bluefin occupied the North Carolina shelf from October to May with peak residency December to March, fished off Morehead City, Cape Lookout and Hatteras. Little recreational bluefin fishing south of North Carolina.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 2

North Carolina bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's atlantic bluefin tuna score this hour.

No score

Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM

Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 AM (35) · 7 named spots

No score

Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm

Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 7 AM (35) · 1 named spot

Not scored in this forecast: Albemarle Sound, Alligator River, Croatan and Roanoke Sounds, Currituck Sound, Neuse and Bay Rivers, Pamlico and Pungo Rivers and Pamlico Sound.

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 50°F to 80°F, best between 58°F and 72°F.
Water depth: 40 to 3000 ft of water.
Structure: Bank, ledge, canyon, shoal, rip, open water and bluewater, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Tide has a small effect offshore. On banks and ledges a moving tide sets bait up on the edges, which helps, but bait, birds and temperature breaks matter more.
Light: Some lift around dawn and dusk.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Bluefin tuna follow schools of herring, mackerel, sand eels and menhaden over banks, ledges and shoals, mostly in the top 150 feet. Troll spreader bars and daisy chains to find fish, then switch to live bait, chunks or stick baits once a school is located. Heavy tackle and a NOAA HMS permit are required, and size-class limits change through the season.

Methods: trolling, chunking, live bait, kite fishing, casting, jigging
Lures: spreader bars, daisy chains, stick baits, poppers, vertical jigs, ballyhoo on trolling heads
Bait: live mackerel, live herring, live menhaden, butterfish chunks, sand eels

Regulations

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 21, 2026.

No reviewed atlantic bluefin tuna rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.