Species guide · North Carolina

Black sea bass fishing in North Carolina

Centropristis striata, a nearshore species also called sea bass, humpback and knothead. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM at 61, one of 9 North Carolina bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Shoulder season

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

Shoulder season, about 1 more week

Jan: Shoulder season
Feb: Shoulder season
Mar: Peak season
Apr: Peak season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Shoulder season
Jul: Shoulder season
Aug: Shoulder season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Peak season
Nov: Peak season
Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Mar to Apr, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Southern stock, managed by the South Atlantic council. Resident on hard bottom and reefs year-round with little migration; spawn February through May. Juveniles are common in high-salinity estuaries in summer, but keepers mostly come from nearshore reefs and wrecks.

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

Where it's scoring now · 9

North Carolina bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's black sea bass score this hour.

61Good

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

Best window today 5-8 PM (62) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 5 PM (68) · 7 named spots

61Good

Currituck Sound

Best window today 5-8 PM (61) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 9 AM (68) · 75 named spots

60Good

Croatan and Roanoke Sounds

Best window today 5-9 PM (65) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (68) · 49 named spots

59Good

Neuse and Bay Rivers

Best window today 5-9 PM (61) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (64) · 260 named spots

59Good

Pamlico Sound

Best window today 5-9 PM (62) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (64) · 331 named spots

57Good

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

Best window today 5-8 PM (59) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 8 AM (63) · 1 named spot

57Good

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers

Best window today 5-9 PM (62) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 2 PM (64) · 134 named spots

56Good

Alligator River

Best window today 5-11 PM (57) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 1 PM (65) · 26 named spots

51Good

Albemarle Sound

Best window today 5-9 PM (56) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 21 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 48°F to 82°F, best between 55°F and 72°F.
Water depth: 10 to 180 ft of water.
Structure: Wreck, reef, ledge, jetty, oyster, pier, bridge and channel, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers moving water, with light current.Fished at anchor or on a slow drift right over structure. A light current carries scent and keeps fish up and feeding; strong current makes it hard to hold bottom on deeper wrecks.
Light: Little tied to dawn and dusk.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Black sea bass hold tight to wrecks, reefs, rock piles and jetties, from 15 feet inshore in late spring to well over 100 feet on offshore wrecks in late fall. Anchor or drift right over the structure and fish a two-hook high-low rig with squid or clam, or bounce a small jig on the bottom. The biggest males sit on the highest relief.

Methods: bottom fishing, jigging, drift fishing
Lures: diamond jigs, bucktail jigs, soft plastics on jig heads, slow-pitch jigs
Bait: squid strips, clams, cut fish, shrimp, crab

Regulations

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 18, 2026.

No reviewed black sea bass rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.