The Avon Fishing Pier extends 600 feet into the Atlantic from the village of Avon, roughly in the middle of Hatteras Island. It opened in 1963 and has been a fixture of island life ever since. The pier gives access to deeper water than you can reach from the shore, and the pylons themselves create a habitat where baitfish gather and larger species follow.
Fishing from the pier is excellent for red drum, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel in season. You pay a day fee to fish; watching is free. The pier shop sells bait, tackle, and snacks. Even if you don't fish, walking to the end on a clear day gives you a strong sense of the island's exposed position — open ocean on the horizon, the narrow strip of sand barely visible behind you.