As of November 7, 2024, the fishing scene in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina is buzzing with activity. Here’s what you need to know for a successful day on the water.

### Tidal and Weather Conditions
Today, the sun rises at 7:14 AM and sets at 6:29 PM. The tidal cycle is quite active, with high tides at 7:23 AM (5.2 ft) and 7:47 PM (4.6 ft), and low tides at 1:06 AM (-0.4 ft) and 1:49 PM (-0.4 ft).

The water temperature has been slowly dropping, currently around 72 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, which is ideal for many species.

### Fish Activity
The fall season is in full swing, and the fish are responding well to the cooler waters. Yesterday saw a mix of species being caught. Red drum, both slot and over-slot, were active, particularly in the inshore areas and around the inlets. Live mullet on the bottom during the falling tide has been a successful tactic.

Speckled trout are also on the rise, with numbers being strong when fishing live shrimp under floats in cleaner and clearer water conditions, especially during the rising tide.

Nearshore anglers were catching plenty of Spanish mackerel and bluefish off the beaches, with some false albacore starting to appear in the 5-mile area.

### Best Lures and Bait
For speckled trout, live shrimp under floats, artificial shrimp imitations, soft plastics, and MirrOlures with brighter color patterns are working well.

For red drum, live or cut mullet has been the best bait option. Cut pogies are also effective for the nearshore bull red drum.

For Spanish mackerel and bluefish, using live baits or trolling with dead cigar minnows can entice strikes.

### Hot Spots
One of the hot spots is around the inlets, where anglers are catching over-slot red drum on both live and cut baits. The Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier is another productive spot, with anglers catching a mix of red drum, black drum, and flounder.

For those venturing further offshore, the 50-60 foot range is good for king mackerel, and towards the end of November, look out in the 80-100 foot range. The Gulf Stream is also producing good catches of blackfin tuna and wahoo.

In summary, today promises to be an excellent day for fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina, with a variety of species active and the right conditions to make your trip memorable.