Species guide · North Carolina

Spanish mackerel fishing in North Carolina

Scomberomorus maculatus, a nearshore species also called spanish, spanish mack and spaniard. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM at 71, 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 5 more weeks

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

Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Oct.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

NOAA: fish reach North Carolina by early April and spawn April to September off North Carolina and Virginia. Northeast Florida and Georgia fish best in spring and fall; the Carolinas hold them all summer.

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 spanish mackerel score this hour.

71Great

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

Best window today 6-10 PM (72) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 7 AM (72) · 7 named spots

71Great

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

Best window today 6-10 PM (71) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 8 AM (71) · 1 named spot

68Great

Croatan and Roanoke Sounds

Best window today 8-10 AM (70) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 9 AM (70) · 49 named spots

65Great

Neuse and Bay Rivers

Best window today 8-10 AM (66) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (68) · 260 named spots

65Great

Pamlico Sound

Best window today 4-10 PM (67) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 10 AM (68) · 331 named spots

63Good

Alligator River

Best window today 8-10 AM (66) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 10 AM (67) · 26 named spots

62Good

Currituck Sound

Best window today 6-10 PM (66) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 7 PM (66) · 75 named spots

61Good

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers

Best window today 6-10 PM (63) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 3 PM (64) · 134 named spots

60Good

Albemarle Sound

Best window today 3-8 PM (62) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 2 PM (63) · 21 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 68°F to 90°F, best between 72°F and 84°F.
Water depth: 5 to 50 ft of water.
Structure: Inlet, rip, pass, jetty, pier, beach and shoal, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers incoming tide and outgoing tide, with moderate current.Spanish feed where current pushes bait against structure or along tide rips at inlets and passes. Clean incoming water at an inlet is often best. Slack water scatters the schools.
Light: Bites best around dawn and dusk.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 18 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

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.

Methods: trolling, casting to surface schools, pier fishing, live bait
Lures: small trolling spoon (Clark or Drone), Gotcha plug, metal jig, small bucktail or duster, planer and spoon
Bait: live glass minnows, pilchard, finger mullet, shrimp

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 spanish mackerel rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.