Single-zone SST guide
Blackfin Tuna water temperature at Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore.
Thunnus atlanticusTunaMay: peak
Typical May SST in Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore is 70–78°F. Blackfin Tuna prefer 68–82°F with peak activity in 72–80°F.
Blackfin Tuna SST threshold
Outside toleranceSuboptimalGoodPeak·Dashed line = hard threshold
Year-round overlap with Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore SST
Where the Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore typical monthly SST band overlaps with blackfin tuna's preferred and optimal ranges, the species is in range.
Peak overlapFishable (preferred range)Outside preferred range
Best months
April, May, June, July, August, September, October
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58–66°F | Outside |
| Feb | 56–64°F | Outside |
| Mar | 60–68°F | Outside |
| Apr | 66–74°F | Peak |
| Maynow | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Jun | 74–82°F | Peak |
| Jul | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Aug | 78–84°F | Peak |
| Sep | 76–82°F | Peak |
| Oct | 70–78°F | Peak |
| Nov | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Dec | 60–68°F | Outside |
Best months
May, June, September, October
Chunk bait at offshore reefs, rigs, and the Gulf Stream edge. Vertical jigging is highly effective. Sunrise and sunset bites are strongest.
Verify with current SST imagery
These ranges are climatological norms. Actual SST varies year over year — get an SST satellite shot the day before you run.
Live SST imagery for Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore.
Bield: Fish overlays current NOAA CoastWatch SST onto your chartplotter view and alerts you when Onslow Bay & Morehead City Offshore hits blackfin tuna's optimal 72–80°F window.