Nelson Bay Fishing
Carteret County, coastal fishing waters.
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Nelson Bay, sized up
In Carteret County, Nelson Bay forms a bay of the coast. Census water polygons carrying the name total about 1.6 square miles. The state rule map puts its center in coastal fishing waters. The Central Southern Management Area sets striped bass seasons here.
State and OSM layers show 12 coastal launches nearby.
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NCDMF reef guide, NC DCM access sites, NCWRC access areas and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
Other ramps by Nelson Bay
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 1 mile
- Salters Creek1 lane, 15 trailer spaces, 1 dock, coastal waters, 1 mile
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 1 mile
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 2 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 2 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 2 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 2 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 3 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 4 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 4 miles
- Unnamed slipway (Carteret County)boat ramp, coastal waters, 5 miles
- Oyster Creek2 lanes, 13 trailer spaces, 3 docks, coastal waters, 5 miles
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and OpenStreetMap slipways.
Structure off Nelson Bay
| Reef | Depth (ft) | Materials | Built | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR-275 Billy Smith Reef | 55 | Concrete (3), Vessel (2), Reef Ball (2) | 1991 to 2007 | 7 miles |
| AR-396 Oriental | 15 | Reef Ball (4), Natural Material (3), Tires (3), Concrete (2) | 1973 to 2013 | 18 miles |
| AR-285 George Summerlin Reef | 65 | Concrete (3), Vessel (1), Metal (1), Reef Ball (1) | 1989 to 2007 | 22 miles |
| AR-315 Atlantic Beach Reef | 49 | Concrete (17), Vessel (5), Unknown (4), Metal (2), Aircraft (2), Reef Ball (2), Other (1) | 1974 to 2008 | 24 miles |
| AR-255 | 84 | Concrete (2), Metal (1) | 1995 to 2022 | 25 miles |
NCDMF Artificial Reef Program. All North Carolina reefs.
Ocean inlets near Nelson Bay
- Unnamed breakwater (Atlantic)breakwater, 4 miles
- Ophelia Inletinlet, 4 miles
- New Drum Inletinlet, 5 miles
- Unnamed breakwater (Davis)breakwater, 6 miles
- Unnamed breakwater (Davis)breakwater, 6 miles
- Unnamed breakwater (Davis)breakwater, 7 miles
USGS GNIS, NC DCM inlet hazard areas and OpenStreetMap.
Creel limits, Nelson Bay
NCDMF rows, striped bass set by the Central Southern Management Area.
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red drum | 1 a day | 18-27 in | Year-round |
| Flounder (all species) | 1 a day | 15 in minimum | Sept. 1-14, 2026 |
| Spotted seatrout | 3 a day | 14-20 in, plus 1 over 26 in | Open (reopened July 1, 2026) |
| Weakfish | 1 a day | 12 in minimum | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Black drum | 10 a day | 14-25 in, plus 1 over 25 in | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Sheepshead | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Striped bass (Central Southern Management Area) | none may be kept | no size limit | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Bluefish | 5 a day | no size limit | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Spanish mackerel | 15 a day | 12 in minimum | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Cobia | 1 a day | 36 in minimum | May 1 – Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Spot | 3 a day | 14-20 in, plus 1 over 26 in | Open (reopened July 1, 2026) |
| Atlantic croaker | 50 a day | no size limit | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
| Blue crab (recreational) | 50 a day | no size limit | open all year unless closed by proclamation |
NCDMF recreational size and bag limits and 2026 proclamations, checked October 2026. Coastal and joint limits.
For-hire boats and bait at Nelson Bay
Guides working near Nelson Bay
- A1a Fishingcoastal charter (trip type not stated), Morehead City, (252) 241-0210
- BreakDay Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Atlantic Beach, (252) 732-0990
- Cape Lookout Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), emerald isle, (252) 241-0210
- Captain Stacycoastal charter (trip type not stated), Atlantic Beach, (252) 648-6155
- Crystal Coast Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Beaufort, (202) 369-1063
- Crystal Coast Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Morehead City, (252) 808-7067
- Down East Guide Servicecoastal charter (trip type not stated), Morehead City, (252) 671-3474
- Reel Faith Fishing Charterscoastal charter (trip type not stated), Morehead City, (919) 369-6403
Bait stores near Nelson Bay
- Cedar Creek Marinamarina, Carteret, 1 mile
- Joann's Lil Shopcountry store with bait, Beaufort, 11 miles
- Town Creek Marina, 114 Town Creek Drmarina, Beaufort, 15 miles
- Cape Pointe Marinamarina, Harkers Island, 15 miles
Neighbors of Nelson Bay on the map
Places to stay by Nelson Bay
- Atlantic3 miles
- Davis7 miles
- Marshallberg12 miles
- Harkers Island15 miles
Other bays by Nelson Bay
- Core Sound6 miles south
- Long Bay6 miles north
- Jarrett Bay7 miles southwest
- Turnagain Bay9 miles northwest
Which counties Nelson Bay crosses
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Species to expect near Nelson Bay
Photo: Mick Johnson, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Attackgirl (talk) (Uploads), Public domain
Photo: Donna Fernstrom, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jorge Alarcon or Dr. Daniel Benetti, Public domain
Nelson Bay in a few answers
What route leads to Nelson Bay?
Carteret County, which the rule map calls coastal fishing waters.
Which license works on Nelson Bay?
Coastal waters take a Coastal Recreational Fishing License from age 16 ($20 resident, $40 nonresident).
Is red drum open on Nelson Bay?
Red drum: 1 a day, 18-27 in; Year-round.
When is flounder season on Nelson Bay?
Flounder: 1 a day, 15 in minimum; season Sept. 1-14, 2026.
Is striped bass open on Nelson Bay?
Central Southern Management Area applies. Was open April 1-30, 2026; 1 fish, 18 in minimum, 22-27 in protected
Which ramp is nearest Nelson Bay?
Start at Unnamed slipway (Carteret County); there are 12 coastal launches.
Is there pier fishing at Nelson Bay?
None in the pier list nearby.
Which captains take paid trips on Nelson Bay?
18 charters and guides list a county on it.
Which tackle counter is nearest Nelson Bay?
Try Cedar Creek Marina (1 mile).
Load the boat for Nelson Bay
Coastal and joint waters each have their license rules; read them first.