Pier Fishing

Spanish Bite is On Fire

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I’ve been hearing reports lately of huge schools of Spanish mackerel traveling between the northern beaches south to the point.

Spanish mackerel are a perennial favorite during the warmer months for both surf and pier anglers on the Outer Banks. These aggressive fighters can give the light tackle anglers all they want. It seems they show up once water temperature reaches 68 degrees and follow their migratory patterns in the late summer to fall.

So today, I thought I would spend  several hours on a local pier targeting these lightning speed and aggressive Spanish mackerel. Traveling light, I just packed one rod and a small bag of the preferred baits.

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Most anglers prefer a 6 to 7-½’ medium rods with a fast tip. Load the reel with 10-15 lbs braid and then attach an eighteen inch heavy 20-25 lbs fluorocarbon or wire leader to prevent sharp-toothed fish from biting through your line.

Gotcha plugs are the go to lure but many anglers prefer sting silvers or Clark spoons. But almost any type of flashy jig will work.  Regardless of your lure type, it’s the fast erratic action that produces the hook up

Both pier and surf  anglers should evaluate conditions using the wind and tides to help put the lure in the right position.

Once at the proper place on the surf or pier, the anglers should throw the lure as far out as possible. Count several seconds to allow the lure to sink to the desired depth. Reel in the slack then use sharp, quick pops or jerks of your rod tip while reeling at a fast, steady pace. This makes the lure dart frantically side-to-side. An occasional pause briefly will let it drop again during the retrieve if you don’t get a hit. Sometimes we find that fish may be deeper in the water column so more pauses will tempt them to hit the lure.

Once hooked up, continue your rapid straight retrieve. If on a pier, smaller  fish can be raised up but larger ones need to be drop netted.

Remember, Spanish mackerel have extremely sharp teeth. So use pliers or de-hooker to remove hooks.

Harvested fish should be immediately stored in a ice cooler. And release any unwanted fish unharmed.

It was a successful day for me. Caught six beautiful Spanish mackerel ready for the grill.

Keep in mind, these fish will be migrating soon so if you have always wanted to catch Spanish mackerel, now is the time.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt Tony

Fishing at Night

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When fishing after dark, it can be as different as night and day. Most anglers prefer the comfort of a pretty blue-bird day when the sun is shining and the weather is warm. That comfort level enhances the experience but may not necessarily the catch.

Fishing and catching during the day depends on certain conditions. And depending on the season, these conditions may not always cooperate. But as night falls, conditions begin to favor the angler.

The other night I had an opportunity to try night fishing. I visited a local pier at dusk and hoped to enjoy an “evening out on the water”.

The catch after dark was phenomenal.  It seemed that once the sun went down, the bite picked up.  It did not matter whether I cast under the pier or out and away. The bite was sometimes very soft and others an aggressive hit. One thing that added to my success was the under pier lights that attracted bait fish.

Being a novice at after dark fishing, I noted several important points.

Be prepared and know your gear. During the day, looking for that hook, sinker or even that knife and pliers is simple. But after dark, you depend on pier lights or flashlight to guide you. Probably not the best light to perform tidiest tasks.

Tying knots or getting un-tangled from another angler is made even more difficult at night.

So my advice for night fishing:

Take only what you think you will need. Pack light and organized. Digging through that tackle box or bucket when its dark or spilling your gear on the deck is a good way to lose stuff.

Bring at least one extra rod and reel with the preferred set up that you plan to use.  Have your pliers and line cutter handy. Bait should be in easy reach. And extra bottom rigs, hooks and sinkers should be in separate bags and easy to access.

I would bring a cooler for drinks, snacks and bait. A separate cooler for fish you plan to keep is a necessity. Especially, if you don’t want everything to smell fishy.

My first experience at fishing at night on a local pier was exciting and very successful. We took sandwiches and drinks and made it a great evening out. And yes, we filled a cooler with keeper bottom fish.

All of the local Outer Banks piers are completely safe at all hours especially after dark. And they continue to provide all the amenities you need to enjoy yourself. Kids may even be more attentive to night fishing because the action is more consistent. And their focus is on fishing and not the many distractions that a busy pier brings during the day.

So if you have only fished during the day, you are missing a great experience.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony

Lessons of Change

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September typically means two things to me – the start of a new school year and fall fishing. Classrooms and school buses get crowded and popular fishing spots become deserted. But just like school, there are many lessons to be learned when fishing between the summer and the fall on the Outer Banks.

Summer fishing is a lot like swinging in a hammock. You find a seat in the shade on the pier or maybe under an umbrella on the surf.  You cast your bottom rig out and wait for something to come by and take it. Summer fishing is usually very slow and kind of easy going. There are always plenty of small bottom fish to keep you busy. So as you can see those lazy summer fishing days are a lot like swinging on that hammock. Not real exciting nor a lot interruptions but still a lot of fun.

Fall fishing on the other hand are where the summer lessons you learned are put to the test. The fall species that move into our waters can be very large and both aggressive and fast.  These fish are aware that their main food source will be scarce in the coming months so they must feed aggressively.

The Florida pompano, sheepshead and Spanish mackerel will be leaving for warmer waters soon and two of our most popular fall visitors will be taking their place. The Norfolk Spot and Atlantic croaker are a huge draw on the local piers in the fall. The Norfolk “Spot Run” occurs in mid to late September. During these runs, it is easy to fill a cooler in a matter of hours.

A short time later we begin to see the native speckled sea trout, black drum, puppy drum and big bluefish as well as the huge red drum and many other non-traditional species such as sharks and rays and many others.

When fishing in the summer we typically use light gear. In the fall and with the onslaught of huge and aggressive species moving in, we need to consider the use of stiffer and heavier gear. Larger rods, heavier reels, more stout lines and of course stronger rigs. We need to think about how we present our baits. Fresh baits, such as finger mullet or cut baits and even shrimp or fish bites are your best bets this time of year. Some anglers will stay with artificial plastics, gotcha plugs and metal spoons but their types of natural jig types, the action, vibrations and their retrieves must match the prey.

Weather in the fall is so unpredictable – seasonal and beautiful one day and chaotic and dangerous the next. Outer Banks environment can be friendly or brutal on anglers and gear. So you need to plan accordingly.

Now is the time to prepare. Our local tackle shops, many media outlets and of course my website can help make this year’s fishing experience one to remember.

Fishing in the fall on one of the local piers or the surf can be one of most enjoyable times. Many anglers travel hundreds of miles just to fish this time of year in our waters. Will you be joining us this year?

Captains Tip – always keep a light tackle rod set with you at all times in the fall. Hot action with a light rod and big fish are what memories are made of.

More on fall fishing, moon and best fishing days, proper gear types and techniques in near future – so check back often.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony