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My first experience surf fishing was with my father on Wrightsville
Beach, NC in the 60's. He parked our shiny black Ford Fairlane
in a gravel parking lot off the beach and we hiked over the dunes
to the surf, carrying rods, buckets, tackle box and various other
fishing paraphernalia. I remember him catching bluefish, croakers,
puppy drum and flounder as I played in the tidal pools nearby.
Later, my grandmother would fry the filleted fish to a golden
brown and we would eat them with hushpuppies and coleslaw.
Years later, in the mid-eighties, I remember an early winter
fishing expedition near Oregon Inlet, south of Nags Head, this
time with my husband, 8-month old daughter and a Chesapeake Bay
Retriever puppy. My husband had come in from duck hunting and
had heard the big blues were hitting the beach! We parked our
4-wheel drive truck nearby on the hard sand and with the baby
playing contentedly in her car seat and the puppy chewing on
anything he could find, we lined up along the surf with a few
dozen other fishermen, casting the heavy silver spoon lures into
the churning waters of the big blue blitz. Cast after cast we
were rewarded with huge bluefish, twelve to sixteen pounds, filling
up a wheelbarrow in a pyramid of large fish. Later we filleted,
boiled and ate the fish in casseroles made with mashed potatoes.
Needless to say, we were eating bluefish casseroles all winter
long.
Surf fishing is exciting, rewarding and accessible to all.
Most locations can be reached either by car or ferry. With a
basic understanding of seasons, conditions, equipment and regulations,
an angler can get lucky just about any time of the year, but
typically the very best times to surf fish are spring and fall.
Popular and prolific sport fish species you may catch surf
fishing along the North Carolina coast include:
Channel bass (red drum, puppy drum) --
The spring season generally begins in April. This run will peak
by mid May and taper off in early June. Average size in spring
is 35 to 50 pounds. In September the smaller drum will enter
the surf. These fish will range between 2 and 15 pounds. They
are more plentiful than the larger variety and can be found in
most sloughs. In late October the bigger drum (40-70 pounds)
return and remain until late November. Bait of choice is fresh
mullet; rods are 9 to 11 feet with medium to heavy action tips.
Size allowed is between 18" and 27" with a daily bag
limit of 1 per person.
Bluefish --
Blues are available in a variety of sizes from April to December
to surf fishermen and boaters as well. Large size blues (8-12
pounds) arrive in May and remain until November. Their departure
is generally hastened by the arrival of the fall run of 15-20
pound giant blues. These later fall visitors are plentiful and
powerful. They'll take bait (mullet, spot, or menhaden) or almost
any type of lure. Fishing rods 9 to 11 feet are preferred. Bag
limit of 15 per day per person. Only 5 allowed over 24"
total length (from tip of snout to tip of compressed tail).
Spanish mackerel --
This fish is somewhat of a tourist, arriving in June and staying
until later September. The Spanish is delicious, averages 1 to
3 pounds and presents a real challenge to any angler. Spanish
mackerel are usually taken on fast moving metal lures. Fishing
rod of choice is a 9 foot light action. Minimum size allowed
is 12" fork length (from tip of snout to middle of fork
in tail). Bag limit of 15 per day per person
Striped bass --
Recently during the winter months striped bass have returned
to NC waters in great numbers. October, November and December
are the best times for fishing, with fish still showing up as
late as February. In Atlantic waters, size limit is over 27"
total length with bag limit of 2 per day. For sounds and other
areas, consult the NC Marine Fisheries website.
Flounder (summer, southern)--
Flounder begin biting in May as the water warms. By June, the
fishing is going strong, with both summer and southern flounder
being caught. Southern flounder dominate the catch in inshore
and southern NC waters, while summer flounder dominate the catch
in offshore waters north of Cape Hatteras. Many flounder are
caught using cut baits and some are caught using jigs. When jigs
are used, they work best when tipped with fish, shrimp or a mullet
minnow.
Other species available to North Carolina surf fishermen are
pompano, croaker, trout, spot, hogfish and whiting (sea mullet).
Be advised that there is a proposed recreational saltwater
fishing license which is scheduled to take effect January 2006.
The license is still being debated by the North Carolina General
Assembly and you should check the NC Marine Fisheries website
(http://www.ncfisheries.net) to determine if a license is required
before fishing the NC coast after that date.
Also, the size regulations and limits given above are accurate
at the time of this writing (summer 2005) but are subject to
change, so check the NC Marine Fisheries website to confirm these
regulations before your fishing expedition.
Whether beginning angler or old salt, surf fishing is a popular
and fun activity with minimal expense, no boat required, easy
access to great fishing conditions and plenty of action. With
a minimum of effort and expense, you can catch a variety of excellent
eating fish, have a great time and start making your own memories.
E. A. Edwards is a free-lance writer with a variety of professional
and personal interests. You will find more information about
fishing and fishing gear on http://www.fishing-rod-guide.info.
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