Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

I will be down on Emerald Isle, toward the end of next week. I would like to do some surf fishing from the beach. I have done very little ocean shore fishing. Cought some spiny catfish looking things and sting rays in FL. I will be taking two of my largest spinning poles, which are still slightly smaller than the typical surf set-up. I'll check for info, etc, at the local bait store (if they have one). Looking for any tips or techniques to catch anything that might be biting this time of year. The fish doesn't need to be good eating, just needs to bend my pole!

Re: Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

well the best way is off the pier there in atlantic beach<br /><br />Other than that it is hit an miss - there are schools of this and that that run up and down the coast - so you have to be there when they are hitting.<br /><br />LONG LONG casting is needed<br /><br />But the weather is supposed to be in the high 70's next week and everything should just be starting to bloom

Re: Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

I'll let you know how I fare. If I catch anything, I'll consider it a success.

Re: Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

Fished Sportsman's Pier and the surf, using a rig that holds in sand and pieces of shelled shrimp. My son and I caught a few puffers, both on pier and surf. Only other type fish we saw caught, were small sting rays. <br /><br />PS: Weather was in the 70's, till we left Sat AM.

Re: Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

hello<br /> I will relate a funny story<br /> a few years back I noticed a lot of mole crab shells on the beach near my uncles place in ocean sands. tide was right sun was a bit overcast. light northeast breeze that had the waters cloudy at the surf line. man what a joyous day. dug up a few dozen mole crabs in the soft shell state,with the help of the kids, and grabbed my trusty 16ft cane pole with 30 lb test and headed out. while all the yankees were getting sunroasted casting 10-12 ft surf heavers 100+ yards I set about catching puppy drum. pulled 15 or 20 out in rapid succesion some that were close to 20 pounds. finally a yankee had to come ask a yokel what the L I was doing. I showed him and explained at the end of a full moon phase and the tide is up and the mole crabs are shedding the fish move into the surfline to feed. as there was no food 100+ yds off the surf all they were getting was the occasional spot and croaker. if your not fishing where the fish are and with what they are eating its called fishing not catching. read about the species you are targeting, read about what they eat and where what they eat lives. sometimes 100+yd casts are nessary sometimes your 95+ yards out to far. if ya want a real battle tangle with puppy drum while standing in the surf with a cane pole . fiddler crabs work well too

Re: Help an inland yankee fisherman catch something in NC surf

To catch fish in the North Carolina surf you need to know what to look for. Here is a little help. First fish on an incoming tide and watch the breakers try to find some that are breaking off shore a ways and then reform before they get to shore. What you have here is a troth, that is a sand bar away from shore and deeper water closer to shore. Cast in the troth where the waves are not breaking and you should find some of the larger fish waiting for the smaller bait fish to be washed in from the sand bar. You do not have to cast a long ways sometimes as little as twenty feet to be in deep water where the big fish hang out.