Category Archives: Fishing

‘Tis the Season…for Surf-casting that is.

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Outer Banks Fishing

Outer Banks Fishing

Ah, fall on the Outer Banks. I know I talk about how great the OBX is during the fall quite a bit…but that’s only because it is! For reals. Amazing.

It is the end of October (27th to be exact), and we have bright sun, blue skies, 75 degree temps, water at 67 degrees, empty beaches, huge discounts on vacation homes, AND the fall fishing is fantastic!

See what I mean? Amazing, right? Warm air, warm water, and the beach to yourself. Doesn’t get much better.

Fall on the OBX is when the surf-casters start to come out of the woodwork.  Sunrise is a pretty cool sight with shoreline dotted with casters enjoying the start to a day at the beach.

But don’t just take my word for it (although, you could take my word and watch today’s beach report below). I came across a good article discussing Outer Banks fishing, so I figured I’d share with you.

The Connecticut Post recently offered a fall fishing overview of a variety of locations, and the OBX got some great coverage. I’ll let the article speak for itself:

“The Outer Banks, N.C.: The last time a few compatriots and I made the eight-hour drive to the Outer Banks, it was December. A small blizzard was raging when we crossed the bridge at Oregon Inlet. Also raging was one of the most massive bluefish blitzes any of us had ever witnessed. We jumped out of the car and caught 12-pound blues until our arms ached. The bluefish run has slaked in recent years, but there are still plenty of sea trout in the surf. When the mullet arrive in November, the black drum are not far behind.”

Ok, so the article doesn’t talk about the gorgeous fall weather – it actually mentions a blizzard – but still, you get the point…the fishing is amazingly good. Better than the writer “ever witnessed.”

If you are a die-hard fisherman, now is the time to be here. If you’ve never fished, and want to learn, now is the time to be here. If you’re somewhere in between, now is the time to be here. See a theme developing?…now is the time to be here…period.

What do you think? When is the best time to be on the OBX? Got any good OBX fishing stories? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below. :)

Your Secret Weapon: The Local Tackle Shop

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You know when we run across great stories we have to share them with you all, so here it goes! Ever been out fishing and you keep getting bites but end up with nothing when you reel in? Well it happens to me all the time, especially because I am a newbie to the whole surf fishing thing. I have had a few successful trips but since its getting into fall and around here that means the perfect time for surf fishing, I figure I need all the help I can get!

Mike Sweeney of the Daily Advance wrote a great article on a recent fishing trip in Duck, and how he ended up catching over 20 bluefish by getting some tips from the local tackle shop. He also included some great info on whats biting in the area,w here and what kind of bait to use to reel them in. Here is his story…

“I’m at the beach in Duck this week and of course I have a surf rod in my hand.

I notice a sandbar about 100 yards off shore and I have a tandem leader with four ounces of lead on the bottom and shrimp for bait. I bait up the hooks, wade out and let it fly, but I can’t reach the sandbar. I also notice that when I wade out the drop off into the water is steep. It is the kind of beach where you take one too many steps and the water is over your head.

I get a couple of strikes, but when I set the hook I get nothing but an empty leader back. This happens time and time again, but no matter what I do it’s still empty hooks. I changed to smaller hooks, circle hooks, different leaders but nothing works so I know what to do next.

I put up the rod, open the cooler and enjoy the remainder of the day with my grandson on the beach.

The next day I resort to my secret weapon. I wake up early and head to the local tackle store. We are not talking about any huge super store, but the local guy who knows anything and everything about the area that you are fishing in. In Duck it is Bob’s Tackle Shop.

The owners have been fishing there for years and follow the fish in the Outer Banks closer than most. I know that they will be happy to tell me what I am doing wrong. I find out that the fish have positioned themselves right off the beach on the first drop off and in order to find out what is biting, you have to put a blood worm on the top hook and cut bait on the bottom hook, then pitch the bait right over the breakers.

If you catch a spot or croaker, then put blood worms on both hooks. If you catch a blue off of the cut bait, then double up on that.

Armed with that information, I go back to the same beach with the same tide and bait my hooks. I toss it just over the breakers and in less than a minute I set the hook on the first of 20 or so blues that I caught that day all thanks to my local tackle shop.

Those shops are a valuable tool for fishermen and in many cases they are the best asset you can have.

Local shops have first-hand knowledge of what’s happening right then and there in the area that you want to fish. They can give you tips and pointers that can make the difference between a good day and a great day.

Before you go out, make sure you stop by, support the local guy and see how it improves your trip.

There are many shops at the beach, but some of my favorites are Bob’s at Duck, the three TW’s locations up and down the beach and in Hatteras is Frank and Fran’s, but these are just a few.

In Elizabeth City there is Bass Ackwards Lures if you want to know what’s up around town and it’s Currituck Sports for the ICW.

These are just a few so try a bunch and pick your favorite and see how they can help you with your next trip out on the water.

What’s biting and where …

The fishing report this week looks great. With the weather taking a cool turn, it has really turned on the bite.

The north beaches are on fire right now, but ones in the south are still out of reach because of access.

This is the time of year when multiple species can be caught, including sea mullet, speckled trout, black and red drum all within reach. The fish are just off the beach and the water temps are around 70 degrees.

The wind is going to bring the big red drum into casting range this weekend and there was a speckled trout over six pounds weighed in this week.

The Kitty Hawk and Nags Head beaches are holding their own with croaker and a few spot left over. They are catching blues and Spanish off of the piers and the beach.

When you fish for blues off the piers, try the Gotchas and off of the beach you want to try cut bait. The road to Hatteras is still closed, but they are making some progress and should have it opened in the next week or so.

The fleet is back in Oregon Inlet and they are on the tuna bite, so if you like sushi, now is the time to call and book your trip.

The offshore boats have come back every day with limits of black fin and some yellow fin. There was even a couple of nice sailfish this week, but the mahi bite has slacked.

Stripers are in the inlet and if you can get to a bridge piling you have a chance of catching some nice fish. The season just opened on the Oct. 1 and the reports are good for this early in the year. The size this season is 18” minimum, three a day in the sound, and if you can catch a live croaker and drift it by any bridge structure, you may just be in for a ride.

The fresh water bite is also looking up with the large mouth catch getting better each week. Throw an off color spinner bait around the wood and flip the pads with your favorite worm. I like to throw a red, 5” ring worm with as small a weight as I can get away with and still make it through the vegetation.

Poppers and buzz baits are also a good choice, but you want something with a little color to it like yellow or red. If you throw a white bait, they are short striking the lure and you will miss out on some fish.

The white perch and brim bite is also on with Beatle Spins and live crickets the bait of choice.”

Catch it, Clean it, Cook it.

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The best part about moving into fall is 1-the weather and 2-the fishing. The surf and pier fishing is definitely hot but often you find yourself wondering what you should use for bait, to jig or not to jig, how big to be a keeper, etc. Luckily Jennette’s Pier will be offering a great new class on Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon this month.

Catch-it, Clean-it, Cook-it with veteran fishermen Charlie Brewer will show novice anglers how to go from the hook-up to the flat-top. Just imagine hooking a big one and then turning it into lunch with help from an expert.

Jennette’s will also be offering surf fishing classes taught by Chris Crockett and other pier staffers on Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. Anglers will hit the sand right by the pier and learn how to read the beach, land a fish in the surf and other essentials techniques to take home the catch of the day.

Additional fishing classes this fall include: Little Anglers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:10 a.m. to noon; Family Fishing weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m.; Pin-Rig Fishing Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays starting at 7 a.m.; Advanced Fishing on Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and Introduction to Jig Fishing on Thursday from 8 to 10 a.m.

Classes for children include Beach Explorations on Wednesdays Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon, Marine Crafts on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m., Plankton Investigations on Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. and Wonders of the Wind on Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m.

Night time classes include two favorites around Jennette’s – Parent’s Night Out on Thursdays and Creatures of the Night on Fridays. Parents can first drop their kids off for a program and pizza before heading out on the town from 6 to 9 p.m. The class is offered to children ages 5 to 12 each Thursday (except Sept. 22).

In Creatures of the Night, children can discover animals that lurk in the night around the pier on the beach and in the surf zone. Armed with buckets, flashlights and nets, participants hunt for creatures of the night from 8 to 9 p.m.

For more information, go to www.jennettespier.com or call 252-255-1501, ext. 200.

Outer Banks Summer Blue Fish Blitz – 6.30.11

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Yesterday was a pretty classic OBX day. Dare I say that it was the best day of the year so far?! Perfect OBX conditions.

Bright sun, temps in the 80′s, light onshore wind blowing a cool breeze with a fresh salt air smell, the water was an amazing aqua green-blue, crystal clear, and 75 degrees! Doesn’t get much better than that.

The great day carried over to a great evening on the beach too. We had a fun company picnic planned for the beach after work, and as I set up the food, and popped the first adult beverage, I saw the distinct vision of a classic fish blitz starting. The water close to shore was “popping” with blue fish, and the shore fishing crew was hustling with their poles towards the water line. The summer blue fish blitz was on!

The fish were biting for almost two hours. The school of blues moved up and down the beach, and fish were being caught with almost every cast. Amazing site to see, and some great entertainment for our picnic.

Here’s a quick video of the action…

Outer Banks Treasure: Oregon Inlet

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Saltwater Game Fish

Ever actually watched a boat unload its catch of the day? It is actually pretty neat to see what everyone is talking about when they say how great Outer Banks fishing is. We went out to Oregon Inlet Fishing Center to include it as an Outer Banks Treasure and was lucky enough to get them unloading an awesome catch of dolphin and tuna.

I never actually realized how much of a city girl I was until the day I went to get this video. Before I headed to Oregon Inlet I had to make that always dreaded trip to the DMV to get my car registered. When I get to Manteo I ask where the License Plate office is and they tell me its at a pharmacy…? Being from Charlotte, NC where there is a DMV building on every corner with a line out the door I was completely in awe that they would have a DMV in a pharmacy with 2 people in line! I was in and out in about 15 minutes.

I had been to Oregon Inlet Fishing Center before but never in the summer. I was surprised to see how many people were there and was so excited to see a boat bring in its catch, since I had never seen it in action. As I was walking around I found myself feeling particular about what catches I wanted to film. Kind of funny huh? Well someone was unloading a boat of blue fish and I thought…eh not big enough :) I’m getting too spoiled with the whole fishing thing! Anyway I saw the Outrigger of Nags Head coming in and thought I would see what they were going to unload.

Like I said its weird that I am so spoiled because as they were unloading the boat I had to ask my boyfriend (the fishing guru) what kind of fish they were bringing out. I had never seen dolphin or tuna before so it was awesome to finally see what they looked like. Pretty big too! I would have to say that since living in the Outer Banks I have definitely grown to enjoy fishing especially in salt water. Ive decided I have to throw my girly-girl status out the window if I’m ever going to fit in around here.

After we visited the fishing center we went down to the Bonner Bridge which was another treasure in itself. Whether it is for fishing or laying out on the beach it is truly a beautiful place with views of the Bodie Island Lighthouse which is pretty neat. The fishing turned out to be amazing on Friday. We usually climb down on the pileands because if you fish from the bridge, with the current sometimes it is hard to feel when you have a bite. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are with someone who knows what they are doing though, because it could be dangerous. We ended up catching about 70 lbs worth of sheepshead (a type of fish), which is really rare and supposedly a delicacy to eat! They are also pretty funny looking and have teeth similar to a humans.

Between the fishing center and the areas around it for fishing, Oregon Inlet is surely a treasure and offers lots of fun for the whole family. The boys can take off to the bridge while you watch from your beach chair with your toes in the sand, or head to the fishing  center to see the catches of the day or check out the state record fish displayed. A real treasure is unexpected and unique. For me the fun in fishing was definitely unexpected and is promised to be the same for you! Make sure if you are in the area you check it out and if you need any tips or have questions make sure you let us know. Enjoy.

Outer Banks, Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 4.29.11 – Kitty Hawk Pier in the Distance

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Kitty Hawk Pier From a Distance

Good Afternoon everyone! Here is the Outer Banks beach, surf and fishing report for Friday April 29th, 2011.

This video was shot at the Eckner St. beach access in Kitty Hawk.

Gorgeous day today with temperatures in the low 70′s and expected to remain pretty close throughout the weekend. The sun is shining and people are out enjoying this beautiful Friday out on the beach. Yesterday we had some serious storms rolling through the area with Tornado warnings in effect throughout Currituck and Dare counties most of last night. There were some reported tornados that touched down but thankfully still no damage reported for any of our area.

Surf was pretty nice today, had a fairly clean waist high wave coming in this morning with winds NW around 5 to 10 mph. Waves are supposed to be calm this weekend so not much to look forward to there until next week.

As for fishing you can tell that summer is just around the corner. We are continuing to get reports of blue fish getting caught off the piers and this morning Nags Head pier was reporting some dogfish catches and the Outer Banks pier was reeling in some sea mullet. Offshore fishing is still going strong with reports of tuna and even some cobia moving into the area.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Enjoy!

OBX Pic O’ the Day: We’ll be having some fun, under the boardwalk

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Soak up the sun because it is back! Temperatures at 52 degrees with a WSW wind at 8 mph. Heating back up to  the 70′s tomorrow. Not much for surf in the area until this weekend. Tuna still biting. Hopefully will be fishing out of the surf soon.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 4.5.11 – Windy Day here in the OBX

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Windy day here in the Outer Banks. Wind gusts from 20-35 mph throughout the day. Temperatures in the mid to upper 60′s but definitely feels a little chilly with the wind. Large blue fin tuna biting offshore, reports that they are too large to keep. Chest to shoulder high surf this afternoon fading to a stomach high later in the day. Ready for the warm weather we had yesterday to come back!

Outer Banks: Mother Nature Closing Oregon Inlet?

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Mother Nature Closing Oregon Inlet? - 4.1.11

Mother Nature Closing Oregon Inlet? - 4.1.11

The Virginia Pilot recently reported the U.S Coast Guard’s intention to close the Oregon inlet channel connecting the Outer Banks Sound to the Atlantic Ocean. With water depths dropping to substantially low levels of 9 feet from the typical range of 30 to 40 feet, Coast Guard officials are worried about the safety of current conditions and the alternate routes some boaters are taking.

Mother Nature is filling the inlet with sand faster than the Army Corps of Engineers can clear in its daily dredging of the inlet. An effort was made two years ago with over $12 million in stimulus dollars appointed to dredge the inlet but was later destroyed by a storm.

With federal funding at only $1 million compared to the usual $4 million, a projected $10 million as an estimate to complete the job fully, and nature’s inclination to draw sand into Oregon Inlet, officials and taxpayers are less than eager to throw more money at the problem.

A long-term, lasting solution is clearly needed. But, in the meantime, shaving a few million dollars from the dredging work is likely to do more damage to the local OBX economy than it is to help ease the federal deficit.

According to a 2006 study by Dare County, the boating and fishing industries generate more than $682 million a year in revenues and support close to 10,000 jobs.

Given the economic detriment of allowing the inlet to close, Outer Banks residents and vacationers hope Congress and the Obama Administration fund the project until a more permanent fix is found.

We sent one of our roving reporters to Oregon Inlet the other day, and the below video helps demonstrate the issue. If you are familiar with Oregon Inlet, you will recognize the familiar scene of a fishing boat heading home from a trip to the Atlantic and approaching the Bonner Bridge. But rather than the usual straight shot through the channel, the pictures demonstrate that due to the sand filling in and the lack of consistent dredging recently, boats are now required to make an awkward approach to the bridge where they must turn south before swinging north close to the bride and hugging the bridge before turning west at the last minute to make their way under the bridge. This is a relatively complex approach that is adding danger to a usual easy cruise through the Inlet.

Update: The Virginian Pilot is now reporting that the Coast Guard plans to ban large vessels from Oregon Inlet. There are mixed reviews on this issue but it seems that Mother Nature isn’t backing down and now we have to ask…. Where do we go from here?

Update: WRAL reports that Governor Bev Purdue will order the Coast Guard to close Oregon Inlet declaring it impassable for large fishing vessels.

Update 4/18: WRAL reports that a larger dredge is moving into the area to make sure Oregon Inlet remains open to commercial fishing vessels.

Update 4/20: The Virginia Pilot is reporting that unless a new funding source is confirmed, the dredging at Oregon Inlet will stop in early June. “The $4 million budget for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the channel this fiscal year will be exhausted within the first week of June…When that money is gone, there is no plan to maintain the waterway for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.”

Hopefully Federal and/or State funding is secured before early June.

Killer Whales (aka Orcas) on the Outer Banks?

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Outer Banks Killer Whale

Outer Banks Killer Whale

Killer Whales on the Outer Banks? For real?

It’s true. Killer Whales have been spotted off the Outer Banks coast this week by a number of fishing boats.

The Outer Banks offers a wide variety of sea life, and as I mentioned in our recent post about whales, the winter months seem to increase the activity of these amazing creatures. It is not completely unheard of for orcas to be spotted along the OBX, Wikipedia says they are in every ocean, but it certainly is not a common occurrence. So it’s pretty cool to see these awesome animals in the wild.

To add to the amazement, if you look closely at the above picture, you can see a 150 pound blue fin tuna in its mouth! The orcas were hanging out near the boats and taking the tuna catches right off the hooks as the crews were hauling the catches in. In the video below, you can see the killer whales surfacing, and eventually they latch onto a 250 pound blue fin tuna!  Wow!