Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Pamlico Sound
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Pamlico Sound: what the data says
1,106,576-acre sound near Ocracoke. The water tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings (depths referenced to low tide), so the channels, holes and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at Pamlico Sound
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spotted Seatrout fishing at Pamlico Sound
Spring spotted seatrout on Pamlico Sound hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 20 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring spotted seatrout. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at Pamlico Sound
Start shallow in spring: southern flounder sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. They move out to 3 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 34 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for southern flounder in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Striped Bass fishing at Pamlico Sound
Spring striped bass on Pamlico Sound hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 34 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 34 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or a umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft | dawn & dusk | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Bluefish fishing at Pamlico Sound
Spring bluefish on Pamlico Sound hold shallow, usually 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 34 ft. The spot to know is Clark Creek inflow, a inflow / creek mouth in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluefish in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Sheepshead fishing at Pamlico Sound
In spring, sheepshead run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Marina / dock area, a dock line in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for sheepshead in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a small jig + crab piece and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 24 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 24 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 23 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 23 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 23 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 19 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 18 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 17 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 16 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 15 ft
Common questions
How deep is Pamlico Sound?
Pamlico Sound is about 34 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys (charted soundings referenced to low tide), so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Pamlico Sound?
Anglers target striped bass, red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, bluefish, sheepshead on Pamlico Sound.
Where is the best fishing spot on Pamlico Sound?
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Pamlico Sound?
For red drum (redfish), the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.