Hatteras Island closed to visitors as N.C. 12 stays shut; surf anglers still finding red drum

Fishing trips to Hatteras Island are off for now. NCDOT says N.C. 12 is closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe after king-tide flooding damaged more than 1,100 feet of pavement near the Pea Island Visitor Center. There is no timeline for reopening. Crews began removing broken pavement on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Until the road reopens, the island can only be reached by the emergency Rodanthe-Stumpy Point ferry or the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry, and both are limited to essential travel. Dare County's state of emergency bars visitors from Hatteras Island. Frisco Rod and Gun said on Oct. 25 that the emergency ferries, then in their fourth day, were boarding only priority groups 1 through 3.

Local anglers are still fishing. The shop's Oct. 25 report said the surf produced red drum but had no sound, inshore or offshore reports. Sound water was 63 to 64 degrees, the ocean was about 66, and winds gusted to 31 mph.

Anglers planning a trip should check Dare County and NCDOT updates before heading to the island.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: NCDOT — N.C. 12 closure between Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe (Oct. 26, 2026); also Frisco Rod and Gun — Hatteras Island Fishing Report (Oct. 25, 2026) and Dare County.