Fishing from Land on the OBX

We are finally entering the official start of summer so it’s a good time to review some of the best places to fish from land.

The most frequently asked question by visiting anglers. Where can I go fishing while visiting the Northern Outer Banks? Well, here are some of the locals’ favorites.

Daniels Bridge – great bridge deck to fish from only the south side. Easy access, parking, restrooms, shaded area, fishing cleaning station. Good for crabbing. Look for channels and moving water. There is deep hole approximately one hundred fifty yards south of bridge. Long casts and covering more water increases catches.

Wildlife Pier / Baum Bridge – long dock that separates the Albermarle and Roanoke Sounds. Easy access, parking, portable restrooms, shaded certain times a day, benches. Fish the north and east sides of dock. Drag baits along the pilings and cast north into the slough / channel leading into the marina. Avoid the south side – rubble and snags from bridge construction.

Various boat ramps – Wildlife pier ramp (under Baum bridge) and Oregon Inlet (near Coast Guard Station) ramp as well as many other ramps that line the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds are good places to find many bottom fish. Long casts into the sound and slow retrievals into the ramp holes increase catches. Watch to boats being launched and loaded.

Oregon Inlet Fishing Center – south point on east side of basin. Good wade fishing and crabbing Watch for waves from boats and deep holes while wading. Parking is good at marina. Restroom facilities are fishing center.

Mid Island – Various dune cross-overs. KH, KDH and NH have dozens of dune break for immediate access to the surf. Some areas require a long walk. Some areas have adequate parking, potable toilets, and stairs and ramps. Fish the moving tides and focus on the close in sloughs.

North Island and Corolla Beaches – most of this area is a 4-wheel access. A great location during the entire year. Permits are required during the summer months.

BeBop Pier – west end on Mann’s Harbor Bridge. Easy access, limited parking, shaded area with benches.  North side is good for shallow fishing. East and south are adjacent to bridge. Long casts toward bridge into slough increases chances. Lots of crabs and mosquitoes during the summer.

Bodie Island Slough – west end of parking area at the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Long walk through gate at end of circle along a dirt road. Minimal parking. No restrooms adjacent to fishing area. Once at slough, good fishing to the north or around any structure. Lots of crabs and mosquitoes most of the year.

Pamlico Sound / Hatteras Island Sound fronts – many pull offs along the entire coast with direct access to shallow water. No facilities. Park parking permits may be needed if off pavement.

Bonner Bridge Pier – this a new pier at an old location. Located on the south end of the new Basnight Bridge. Extends into the Oregon Inlet channel. Need a license to fish here.

Obviously, there are dozens more but these are my favorites. We haven’t included the piers because they are a given. These are the special spots. Piers will be discussed during another post. Remember – anglers will need a license to fish any of these spots.

Until Next Time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony

A Call for Help

October is the peak fishing month on Ocracoke Island. Jumping mullets move along the inlets and beach, providing a great source of bait for game fish such as drum and bluefish. Water temperatures start to cool down toward the end of the month, bringing larger bluefish and citation (over 40 inches) red drum to the surf.

But this year was different. On September 6, 2019, Hurricane Dorian approached the small island of Ocracoke of North Carolina flooding the entire island with over seven feet of water and devastating winds. The flooding destroyed homes, businesses and infrastructure. And what the water didn’t do, the wind finished it. But most of all it affected the people. Their spirit is broken as well as their lives. But they are a determined to not let the storm defeat them.

Businesses on Ocracoke Island depend on their summer visitors to live but they need the fall visitor to survive. This year after the Hurricane Dorian, they and the rest of the island are suffering.

But we can help. You can help.

Alan and Melissa at Tradewinds could really use your help now. Have you ever wanted an official T-shirt, sweatshirt or even a hat from Tradewinds Tackle? Well now you can get one delivered right to your door and help them. Now you can order one from e-bay.

To place an order for any of their merchandise, use the link below.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264496952701

Ocracoke Island Slogan, ““A Short Ferry Ride Away But A World Apart” by Alan Sutton

Friends helping friends – let’s all pitch in and do what we can to help.

Tightlines – Until Next Time – Capt. Tony

WOW, that water is cold!!

Over the past several weeks, visitors and anglers have experienced a significant decrease in the ocean’s water temperature. This is not new but can be expected during the typical summer months when most beachgoers are in the water.

This phenomenon is known as up welling. It is typically caused by circular wind motion due to a front from the south west that blows winds along the beach. The steady wind blows the warm summer water out at a diagonal direction which ultimately takes the warm water out to sea. With the warm water now gone, the cold water from the bottom replaces it quickly – thus the sudden decrease in water temperatures from one place on the beach to another. Tides can also aid in replacing the warm water with the cold water. (Double click on picture for water movement).

If you find yourself in an upwelling situation, either wait it out or move down the beach until you find a warmer spot. Unfortunately, if the wind continues to blow, cold water is here to stay. You may either suffer with the cold water, stay on the beach or find a nice pool.

There are fish to be caught so just because you can’t swim doesn’t mean that you can’t fish. Fresh bait, keeping the gear light is the ticket to a great time.

And don’t worry, this situation typically doesn’t last very long, so it might be a great time to visit one of our local tackle shops.

And want something to do during this cold water stretch? The Outer Banks has a new tackle shop. Oceans East Tackle is located in the old Whalebone Tackle building on the Nags Head Manteo Causeway. They had done a fantastic job of bringing a new look to our area. If you haven’t stopped by yet, it is a must.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony