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Spring · MAY
What's biting in May on the Outer Banks?
May is the month everything shows up: cobia along the beach, Spanish mackerel in clear water, and the best of the spring bottom bite.
The May lineup
- Prime
- Running
Prime means plan a trip around it. Running means the fish are here but not at their best.
| Quarry | Rank | The read |
|---|---|---|
| Red Drum | Running | Sound flats and channelsRunning |
| Sea Mullet | Prime | Spring runPrime |
| Bluefish | Prime | Spring runPrime |
| Spanish Mackerel | Running | First arrivalsRunning |
| Speckled Trout | Prime | Spring peakPrime |
| Flounder | Running | Into the soundsRunning |
| Black Drum | Prime | Spring bitePrime |
| Sheepshead | Running | First arrivalsRunning |
| Croaker | Running | First arrivalsRunning |
| Cobia | Prime | Migration peakPrime |
| Striped bass | Running | Winter fish. Cut bait on the bottom near an inlet or a sound hole.Running |
Build the day around these
SEA MULLET
Sea Mullet
Sea mullet are the first fish back in the spring surf, and sand fleas are almost all you need.
BLUEFISH
Bluefish
Blues will eat almost anything and fight like they mean it. Bring wire, because they cut leaders for a living.
SPECKLED TROUT
Speckled Trout
Trout live in the sound around grass and oyster bars, and they eat a slow bait better than a fast one.
BLACK DRUM
Black Drum
Black drum are the shell-crushers of the drum family, and crab is the bait they cannot pass up.
The month in bait
May tactics
A few reminders tuned to this stretch of the calendar.
Look for cobia cruising the beach on a clear, calm day.
Spanish mackerel want a fast spoon or Gotcha in clear water.
Work the sloughs for mullet, pompano, and flounder as the water warms.
May is the busiest month on the water. Get to the ramp early.
Before you head out
BAITS
What should I put on the hook this month?
Shrimp is the bait of the month. The guide covers everything else on the shelf.
SINKERS
What size sinker do I need today?
Lead for Sea Mullet and the rest of a spring May, sized to the water.
TIDES
What tide is it right now, and does it matter?
May is spring on the Banks. See what the tide is doing right now.
Updated Oct 30, 2026