Chilly November Brings Big Moves on Carolina's Atlantic Coast - Hunting Sheepshead, Drum, and Offshore Trophies

Artificial Lure here with your Saturday, November 8th, 2025, fishing report for North Carolina’s Atlantic coast. We’re in that classic November swing—air’s crisp, water’s holding a fall chill, and the fish are moving. Here’s what you need to know before you hit the water.

**Sunrise was at 6:54 a.m. and sunset will come early at 4:56 p.m.** according to Tide-Forecast.com. The days are getting short, so make every minute count.

**Tides today are big movers**—the tidal coefficient is up there at 88 this morning and dropping to 80 by midday, according to Tides4Fishing. That means strong currents and plenty of bait moving, which can spike fish activity.

**Tide chart for Atlantic Beach shows:**
- Low at 2:23 a.m.
- High at 8:19 a.m. (3.8 ft)
- Low at 2:19 p.m.
- Second high at 8:42 p.m. (4.4 ft)
That morning high tide right around breakfast is prime time to target inshore and nearshore action.

**Weather’s shaping up fair**—expecting calm seas and a gentle breeze, just enough to put a little ripple on the water and keep things feeling lively.

**Fish activity has been solid, especially inshore.** Hatteras Harbor Marina reported inshore folks are hauling in limits of Sheepshead and Black Drum. Red Drum and Bluefish picked back up on the outgoing tides, especially in tidal creeks and off the piers. Offshore, it’s been spotty with the weather, but when the boats could get out, there’ve been decent King Mackerel, Wahoo, Blackfin Tuna, and a few Albacore and Dolphin. Sheepshead have been thick around the bridge pilings—perfect with those strong currents flushing crabs and shrimp through.

**What’s working for bait and lures?**
- Sheepshead: Can’t beat fiddler crabs or fresh shrimp fished tight to structure.
- Red Drum: Cut mullet, menhaden, or even soft plastic paddletails like the Strike King Swim’n Caffeine Shad, especially during those current changes.
- Bluefish: Gotcha plugs and metal spoons off the surf or pier will draw hits, and they’re slamming finger mullet on a Carolina rig.
- King Mackerel & Wahoo offshore: Live blue runners or slow-trolled cigars work, plus flashy deep-diving plugs.
- Black Drum and Sea Bass: Skillet up some shrimp or squid strips on a bottom rig around rocky edges and reefs.

**Recent catches:** Hatteras Harbor saw full limits of Sheepshead for inshore boats, Red Drum, Bluefish, and even a Sand Tiger Shark reported this week. Offshore when conditions allowed, there were good numbers of Wahoo, a couple Sailfish releases, King Mackerel, and Albacore. If you’re near Emerald Isle, FishingReminder notes good Solunar conditions around 1–3 p.m., so the afternoon slack tide should pop for drum and trout.

**A couple of hot spots worth checking:**
- **Oceanana Pier and Atlantic Beach Bridge pilings:** Great for Sheepshead and Drum on today’s hard-moving tides.
- **Cape Lookout shoals:** Good for chasing migrating Albacore and King Mackerel, particularly if you can find bait balls around slack high.
- **Hatteras Inlet:** Classic fall bite for Drum, Bluefish, and slot-size Trout.

Heads up for offshore crew: NOAA Fisheries closes the commercial blueline tilefish season this week, so plan accordingly.

It’s shaping up as a classic November day—pack some layers, keep the tackle box simple with jigs, shrimp, and spoons, and work those tide changes. Thanks for tuning in to your trusted local report—don’t forget to subscribe for more updates and tips, and as always, tight lines!

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