Species guide · North Carolina

Weakfish fishing in North Carolina

Cynoscion regalis, an inshore species also called gray trout, squeteague and tiderunner. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.

Right now it scores best in Croatan and Roanoke Sounds at 66, 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: Off season
Mar: Off season
Apr: Shoulder season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Off season
Jul: Off season
Aug: Off season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Peak season
Nov: Peak season
Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to May, Sep to Jan.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Main wintering grounds lie on the shelf from Chesapeake Bay to Cape Lookout, and some fish stay in North Carolina sounds and inlets. North Carolina catches are best in fall and early winter at inlets and nearshore structure; weakfish are present but uncommon in South Carolina and Georgia estuaries.

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 weakfish score this hour.

66Great

Croatan and Roanoke Sounds

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (72) · 49 named spots

62Good

Currituck Sound

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (62) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 8 AM (66) · 75 named spots

58Good

Alligator River

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (67) · 26 named spots

58Good

Pamlico Sound

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (58) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 10 AM (65) · 331 named spots

55Good

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

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (55) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 PM (69) · 7 named spots

55Good

Neuse and Bay Rivers

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 10 PM (66) · 260 named spots

54Good

Albemarle Sound

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (61) · 21 named spots

52Good

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 12 AM (63) · 134 named spots

45Good

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

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (51) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (64) · 1 named spot

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 55°F to 82°F, best between 59°F and 74°F.
Water depth: 3 to 60 ft of water.
Structure: Channel, inlet, bridge, grass, oyster, jetty, bay and estuary, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers moving water and incoming tide, with moderate current.Weakfish feed along channel edges and grass lines when the tide is moving. The incoming tide that brings clean water is the usual choice in bays; the ebb at inlets and bridges also concentrates bait.
Light: Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 18 kt of wind and 3 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Weakfish hold along channel edges, grass beds, oyster bars and bridge shadows in bays and sounds, usually in 5 to 40 feet of water, and feed hardest at dawn, dusk and after dark. Swim soft plastics or bucktails slowly near the bottom, or drift peeler crab and bloodworms. They have soft mouths, so keep the drag light and the pressure steady.

Methods: casting, drift fishing, bottom fishing, jigging
Lures: soft plastic shads and worms on jig heads, bucktail jigs, metal slab jigs, speck rigs, small swimming plugs
Bait: peeler or shedder crab, bloodworms, squid strips, grass shrimp

Regulations

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 16, 2026.

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