Fly Fishing Cape Hatteras (continued)

Herring Shoal Island Slough (Coast Guard Station Slough)

    Approximately three miles south of Bodie Island Lighthouse is Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.  Park in the lot in front of the Coast Guard Station (boat ramp area).  Just to the right of the "no trespassing" sign on the fence surrounding the Coast Guard Station is a path along the outside perimeter of the station grounds.  The property outside the fence belongs to the Park Service.  The path leads to a channel that runs north and south behind  the station. 

    This is not the easiest place to fly fish.  The brush is usually fairly high along the shoreline and when you wade out into the channel you will be in five foot of water before you are twenty-five foot from the shore.   Additionally, the current is always very strong.  Despite these shortcomings, this is at times a very productive location for speckled trout.

    You must get your fly down on the bottom to catch fish here.  I would recommend at least a 250 grain high density shooting head.  The only break fish have from the current are small ridges in the sand bottom of the channel.  Close to the bottom is seldom good enough here, you must present the fly within inches of the bottom.

Propeller Slough

    At the southwest end of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center parking lot is a large ship propeller.  Just to the west of this propeller is the continuation of the slough that runs behind the Coast Guard Station.  On most days the water  is clear enough to see the darker area of the channel.  There is plenty of room for a backcast here and hundreds of yards to wade along.  At daylight the fish often move up on the shallower ledges along the edge of the channel.  This area is continually shifting.  The sloughs shift with every storm.  Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, redfish, flounder, striped bass are all possibilities when wading this area.  This area is a good place to find big fish in very shallow water just at daybreak (before the charter boat fleet roars out).

Green Island Slough

    This is one of the most consistent hot spots for wadding anglers on the Outerbanks.  It is also one of the most dangerous.  Tidal currents are very strong, numerous steep drop-offs, and in some areas close to the bridge the shoreline is very unstable.  Every inshore gamefish that is available on the Outerbanks can be caught in Green Island Slough.  The slough begins at the south end of the Bonner Bridge (Oregon Inlet Bridge) and is accessible to wadding anglers for more than 1,000 yards back to the southwest.  I recommend avoiding the area near the bridge where there are steep sod banks.  Lots of snags and this shoreline is not always stable.  Just beyond the sod banks the deep water veers away from the shoreline.  You can begin wadding here.  When the water is clear the edge of the deeper water is easy see. 

    Most local anglers only fish Green Island Slough during ebb tide.  Falling water at daybreak is a great time to fish there, even during the doldrums of mid-summer.   A sixty foot cast from waist deep water will land your fly in 10 or more foot of water in many places along this slough.  At least a type IV shooting head (30') is necessary to get you in the strike zone due to the strong tidal currents.  If you do not have a fast sink line, you may be able to scratch out a few fish by concentrating your efforts along the edge of the drop off.    The edge between 4 and 6 feet deep can be a flounder hot spot.   At first light many gamefish many cruse up along this edge. 

    Close to the bridge on the eastern side is a wadeable bar that occasionally fishes well on the flood tide.  In years past it has been a prime gray trout hot spot in early to mid-June.  This is not a good location timid waders or poor swimmers.  

New Inlet

    Approximately six miles south of Oregon Inlet is what once was New Inlet.  The opening to the ocean has long since closed and the only indication that this once was an inlet is the remnants of an old wooden bridge. 

    What remains of the old channel is best fished out near the bridge.  Easiest  access is to wade from the boat launch area out along the north marsh line to the base of the bridge.   The dark bottom and slow currents allow this area to warm quickly in early spring.

    Poppers and gurgles are a good choice for attracting both specks and redfish during low light conditions.    

Dredge Slough

      When beach erosion threatened Rt. 12 just north of the village of Avon, the State used a dredge to pump sand from the back side of the Island on to the beach.  For many years this deep slough on the soundside was a dependable summer fishing hot spot.  Time has taken its toll, today this slough is mostly filled in.  The remnants of the slough does not hold nearly as many fish as in the past.  The best of the fishing here is now at night.

      Beginning two miles north of Avon and continuing north for a couple of miles is a series of ORV trails that lead back to the soundside and the remnants of this slough.  Small redfish and croakers are the primary fair here.

Canada Hole

      Just north of Buxton is an area where the Island was breached several times by storms back in the 60's and 70's.  The Canada Hole is the result of these storm breaches.   There is a nice soundside parking are adjacent to the "hole" and the area is extremely popular with wind surfers.  During the warmer months and on most weekends it is best to plan your fishing here for very early in morning or for after sundown.

      Deep water and minimal tidal currents make this area an excellent fly fishing location.  Every species of fish that frequents the Pamlico Sound is found in the Canada Hole at one time or another.  Grey trout, croakers, speckled trout, and small redfish are caught here all summer

"Shot Tower Area"

      South of the Hatteras Inlet Coast Guard Station is a ORV trail  to Hatteras Inlet.  Not far from the Station is an area that was the site of a Civil War munitions manufacturing operation.  Molten lead was drooped from a wooden tower.   As the lead fell, it cooled in almost perfectly round musket shot.  All signs of the operation have long since faded away, but it is still interesting to think about as you fish.

      Grass flats lead out to the channel.  Speckled trout and redfish are occasionally thick on these flats in the fall.  Assorted panfish can be caught here all summer.  Small striped bass are a good bet almost any night when the wind is blowing from the deep toward the shallows (north or northeast wind).  Stingray wadding protocol is highly advisable on these flats during the summer.   

Harry Hall    sefly.com  

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