NCsaltaire

Summer Fishing is Now

The first weekend in August means the advent of summer fishing. The summer has been extremely exciting for me.

I have fished from Duck to Cape Hatteras – catching near citation pompano in Buxton, landing plenty of speckled trout and dozens of small bottom fish at the various bridges and piers and surf.

I can’t think of a previous year that was this phenomenal.

So let’s talk about what we should focus on for the remainder of the summer.

I would recommend hitting the surf. Bottom fish are abundant right now in the wash. This method is an in-expensive way to enjoy angling and a great way to introduce the young ones to a fantastic hobby.

The equipment should be a light to medium 6 to 7 foot rod with a spinning reel. You can pick up a complete rod /reel set at any variety store but I recommend a local tackle shop. Not only will they provide a superior gear but advice to catch fish.

Bottom rigs with #2 or #4 “J” hooks are perfect. Look at the wave height and match the sinker to the current which will allow you to keep the bait fixed on the bottom.

In some cases, we want the bait to move in the wash, so don’t just focus on always holding the bottom – bank sinkers work best here.

Bait of choice is blood worms, fresh shrimp and sand fleas. I typically buy “table fare” (eating) shrimp and dig my own sand fleas. A lot of anglers use squid. And this is good bait for flounder but unless you are very patient, you will not find flounder as plentiful as other bottom fish. And young anglers can get bored quickly. So go after the more abundant species.

I always try to fish in the mornings and evenings. Fish feed more aggressively during these times.

Several other items you will need would be a sand spike, cutting board, and small bait knife, cooler to keep the bait fresh. I always take several extra rigs, hooks and weights so if I need to change out – they are available. A bucket, chair and fluids should round out the list.

So now you are ready – Right? Not quite. In North Carolina you need a license to fish. The local tackle shop can help here with the license requirements.

One final note – knows the species bag limits and only keep what you can use. And return the rest to be caught again.

So now you are ready. Good luck and keep me updated on your success.

Until next time – Tightlines. Capt. Tony

August 9, 2013 at 4:46 pm Leave a comment