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1,106,576-acre sound near Ocracoke. The water tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Pamlico Sound runs 1,095,552 acres with 746.5 miles of edge, broken up by 88 islands. An index of 5.1 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 61% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 75.4 mi with a 40.8-mi widest point. The nearest mapped water is Lake Mattamuskeet, 14 mi to the northwest.
In spring, red drum (redfish) run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 15 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring red drum (redfish). Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (7 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | Clark Creek inflow (3 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (12 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Come spring, look for spotted seatrout tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 20 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: southern flounder in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 18 ft, wintering in 10 to 34 ft. Top water on the chart: Old creek channel, a creek channel in the 18 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (2 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | Clark Creek inflow (3 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 34 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 34 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 24 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (24 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 34 ft for winter. The spot to know is Clark Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluefish in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Creek inflow (3 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (5 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Clark Creek inflow (3 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts sheepshead in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 30 ft. Summer sheepshead concentrate at Marina / dock area, a prime-rated dock line around 2 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small jig + crab piece covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Gravel shoal (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (2 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Gravel shoal (5 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
The chart marks 72 structure features on Pamlico Sound; the deepest is Deep basin at about 24 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for North Carolina waters are set by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Pamlico Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Carolina fishing regulations →
Pamlico Sound is about 34 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, striped bass, bluefish, sheepshead 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. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
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.
Fishing on Pamlico Sound is regulated by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Check the official North Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Mattamuskeet 14 mi · Back Sound 56 mi · North River 65 mi, NC/VA · Bogue Sound 67 mi · Currituck Sound 69 mi, NC/VA · North Landing River 85 mi, VA/NC · Back Bay 86 mi, VA · Southern Branch Elizabeth River 100 mi, VA/NC · Elizabeth River 107 mi, VA/NC · Roanoke River 108 mi · Masonboro Inlet 129 mi · Northeast Cape Fear River 132 mi, NC/SC
See how Pamlico Sound stacks up: best striped bass lakes in North Carolina · best red drum (redfish) lakes in North Carolina · best spotted seatrout lakes in North Carolina · best southern flounder lakes in North Carolina
Browse all North Carolina fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.