Fishing is exceptional in Currituck County due to the miles of ocean shoreline and the 30-mile wide Currituck Sound, which has the surprising distinction of being able to accommodate both freshwater and saltwater species.

Renowned for its largemouth bass fishing, the Currituck Sound is historically one of the most famous fishing regions of coastal North Carolina, and was one of the first areas of the Outer Banks that was designated as a "tourist destination," solely because of its fishing and waterfowl hunting opportunities.

Modern visitors will find similarly exceptional conditions, but will want to keep the following in mind for ensuring the best possible Currituck fishing trips.

Fishing Charters

Local Charter Boats

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Currituck County is home to a handful of inshore charter businesses which embark on guided fishing and hunting trips through the Currituck Sound. Half day and full day options are typically available in the $300 - $800 range, depending on party size and type of trip, and parties of 1-6 can generally be accommodated. Advanced reservations are required, although parties of 1-2 can often "hop aboard" an unfilled fishing charter at the last minute.

Popular inshore fishing charters which serve the Currituck Sound region include the Carolina Sunrise, East Carolina Charters, Albemarle Fishing Charters, Island Girl Charters and Outer Banks Charter Fishing Adventures.

Visitors to Currituck County can also find offshore charters available in the town of Wanchese, located approximately 20-30 miles away, the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, located about 30-40 miles away, and in Hatteras Village, which is a good 60-70 miles away but is a scenic trip that covers the length of Hatteras Island. These offshore charters take patrons out 10-18 miles to the Gulf Stream, where big game catches including wahoo, marlin, dolphin, amberjack and snapper are waiting.

Offshore fishing trips are generally more expensive, and are priced in the $450 - $1,200 range, depending on the trip (half day or full day) and the party size, but are the optimal way to reel in a big game or sport catch that weighs in at 20 lbs. or more.

Note that you do NOT need a fishing license to take a charter fishing trip, as the captain's license covers all parties aboard.

Regardless of whether you embark on an inshore exploration of the Currituck Sound, or an offshore trip to the Gulf Stream, be sure to have the following items handy.

  • Sunscreen
  • Small cooler for water, beverages and snacks
  • Camera
  • Plastic containers or waterproof baggies for camera, phone, and other electronic equipment
  • Dramamine, especially for offshore charter trips with winds greater than 10 mph
  • Bug spray for Currituck Sound and inshore trips
  • Bathing suit or extra T-shirt and shorts in case you get wet
  • Cash tip for the first mate or captain. (Tipping is customary for a charter trip.)

Licensing

Licenses are required for both "freshwater" fishing in the Currituck Sound as well as surf fishing along the Atlantic Ocean-facing beaches. Licenses are available via the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and range from $10-18 for a 10 day temporary visitor's license to $30-36 for an annual license. Licenses are required for all anglers over the age of 16, and lifetime fishing licenses are also available for NC residents and frequent visitors.

Currituck County is unique in that the type of license required is dependent on whether you fish in fresh or saltwaters, but both the NCWRC website and local tackle shops can point anglers in the right direction when it comes to purchasing the required license for a targeted area.

An NC fishing license can be purchased online on the NCWRC's website at http://www.ncwildlife.org/, by telephone at 1-888-248-6834, or at a number of local tackle shops.

Where to purchase a fishing license in Currituck County:

  • TW's Bait & Tackle, 815B Ocean Trail, Corolla, NC 27927
  • Currituck Sports, 4306 Caratoke Hwy, Barco, NC
  • East Coast Home & Garden, 512 Caratoke Hwy, Moyock, NC
  • Midway Marina & Motel, 157 Coinjock Development Rd, Coinjock, NC 27923
  • Stewart's Hunting Lodge, 773 Bells Island Rd. Currituck, NC
  • Jones Grocery & Supply, 385 Knotts Island Rd. Knotts Island, NC

Surf Fishing Regulations

The Wildlife Resources Commission determines the minimum length and bag limit for all species of fish caught in the Atlantic Ocean or the Currituck Sound, and the limits vary greatly by species. A complete list of current regulations can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/recreational-fishing-size-and-bag-limits, and anglers are required to possess a fishing license at all times in Currituck County.

What's Biting

What's biting in Currituck County is dependent on where an angler fishes, as well as the time of year. The Currituck Sound is known for its freshwater catches, including largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish and crabs, while the ocean-facing beaches are home to a range of saltwater species.

Generally, anglers can be on the lookout for the following saltwater species during their respected seasons:

  • Winter: Bluefish, clams, oysters, bay scallops, flounder, spotted sea trout, and striped bass
  • Spring: Bluefish, clams, croaker, flounder, gray trout, king mackerels, red drum, sea mullets, spotted sea trout, and striped bass
  • Summer:Bluefish, clams, cobia, crabs, soft-shell crabs, flounder, grouper, king mackerel, sea bass, sharks, Spanish mackerel, spotted sea trout, tarpon, and pompano
  • Fall: Bluefish, gray trout, clams, oysters, false albacore, grouper, king mackerel, oysters, red drum, sea mullet, sharks, flounder, spotted sea trout, spots, and striped bass

Keep in mind that the ocean waters will produce very different results than the neighboring Currituck Sound, as the sound waters are considered almost freshwater.

Tournaments

The Outer Banks regions which border Currituck County are home to a wealth of fishing tournaments, with prizes in the $1,000, $10,000 and even $100,000 range.

The biggest of these tournament is the Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament, an offshore fishing tournament based in the southern Outer Banks that covers the bulk of the NC Gulf Stream-bordering region.

The town of Manteo is also home to several tournaments, including the historic Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament and the Alice Kelly Tournament, an offshore fishing competition strictly reserved for female anglers.

Further down the beach, fall Currituck County visitors can take part in the annual Red Drum tournament on Hatteras Island, a surf fishing competition that's been going strong for more than 60 years.

The local marinas, including the Pirates Cove Marina in Manteo and the Coinjock Marina in Currituck County, are good resources for information on upcoming fishing tournaments that take place on the beach, the local Outer Banks piers, and offshore, and anglers should note that a number of tournaments may require advance sign-ups or a formal invitation, and should plan accordingly.

 

Corolla Outer Banks and The Currituck Mainland Tourism

Corolla Outer Banks and The Currituck Mainland Tourism

Discover Historic Corolla Park with its wide open green spaces and scenic views, Historic Corolla Park is the heart of Currituck County in Northeastern North Carolina. It’s a great place to take in a seasonal event or simply take a walk, and is home to three unique landmarks — The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Whalehead in Historic Corolla, the Currituck Maritime Museum and the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. Outdoor activities such as fishing, crabbing and kayaking the Currituck Sound are welcomed, as are bicycles, kites and leashed pets.

Morris Farm Market

Morris Farm Market

We're celebrating 40 years at Morris Farm Market and it's another beautiful day to hang out on the farm! There's so much to do here; the music is setting up for your entertainment and the craft and food truck vendors are also setting up so you can check out their wares. In the market, we have fresh produce, an amazing bakery with pies, cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls and breads. In the back of the market, you'll find treasures perfect for your home decorating needs. With the food trucks, we have gumbo, Brunswick stew, nachos, lamp gyros, softshell crab sandwiches, quesadillas and so much more!

Brew Thru

Brew Thru

No trip to the Outer Banks is complete without cruising through Brew Thru, the Outer Banks’ original drive thru convenience store. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing cold beverage of Coke, Pepsi and other soft drinks on the go, stocking up your cooler with refreshments to enjoy at the beach or piling up on beer and wine for a party, Brew Thru is a fun and unique experience all vacationers need to see for themselves.

Drive-Through Beer & Gear

Brew Thru is Your One-Stop Shop at the Beach

The year was 1977, and Dana and Becky Lawrentz were chatting with friends over brews in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. They got to talking about a gas station convenience store in the area that had built a makeshift drive-through. Everyone agreed it would be pretty great if you could actually drive through a convenience store and pick up everything you needed without getting out of the car. But what would you call a place like that?

Well, you’d call it a Brew Thru.

It was an idea they couldn’t shake, so the Lawrentzes moved to the Outer Banks and built the first Brew Thru with the help of a partner. The idea was that people could come buy everything they would need for their trip to the beach—beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, ice—without getting out of the car. That same year, a t-shirt salesman visiting the store and talked them into adding t-shirts to their product line—and 44 years later there are now more than five million Brew Thru t-shirts out in the wild.

The Lawrentzes’ daughter Brandy and her husband Philip Foreman purchased the business from them in 2002, and they now operate five locations across the Outer Banks.“We love being the one-stop shop for folks on the way to their beach house,” Foreman says. “Our car tenders are the friendliest people at the beach. We’re here to greet you, get you everything you need for your trip, load it up in the trunk for you, and have you leaving with a smile on your face.”

The store is quite expansive, featuring more than 100 brands of beer, dozens of wines and even a vast selection of cigars—not to mention all the snacks, t-shirts and other gear. To make ordering a little easier, customers in line get a menu—fondly known as the Summer-y—that outlines everything available at the store. These Summer-ies are also available in many of the beach rentals, which allows vacationers to decide what they want before driving through.

For customers who would like to get out and stretch their legs, there’s the Brew Thru Shop in Kill Devil Hills, where you can find their world famous t-shirts and other gifts. New t-shirt designs are created each year, making a yearly Brew Thru t-shirt a favorite of locals and annual visitors to the Outer Banks.

The Foremans both grew up in the Outer Banks, and they love that Brandy’s parents’ vision for a friendly and convenient place for people to grab their brews and other beach stay essentials is continuing to flourish.

“Our family has been welcoming people to the Outer Banks since 1977,” Foreman says. “We love this beautiful place, and we want everybody to get to enjoy it.”

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Bob's Wild Horse Adventure Tours

Bob's Wild Horse Adventure Tours

Welcome to Bob’s Wild Horse Adventure Tours, Corolla’s #1 source for family fun since 1996. We offer guided tours to see the Corolla Wild Horses in several ways. The first is Absolutely Wild – The Corolla Wild Horses Tour. It’s Wild squared! While it’s wild, it’s also perfectly safe – for a view of the Outer Banks wild horses, wildlife and landscape like no other. Your tour guide will regale you with stories of history and fun facts.