What fish are biting in Surf City?

Q: What is the best bait to surf fish with?

Best Surf Fishing Bait: If youre looking to catch any of these three species (corbina, spotfin croaker, and yellowfin croaker), sand crabs should be your number one option. Since these fish regularly feed on sand crabs along the shoreline, its pretty much a no brainer.

Pier Zones from the beach on out.
1. Suds, 2. Slough, 3. Sandbar (100 yards), 4. The Deep, 5. The Deeper

Regulations Change often! Always consult Recreational Guides for Sports Fisherman in your area for updates and changes.

Table of Contents Show

BAIT & TACKLE
REGULATIONS
BAIT & TACKLE
REGULATIONS
What is the best bait to surf fish with?
What fish are caught in Surf City Pier?
What fish are running at Topsail Island?
What is the best time for surf fishing?

SPECIES

Albacore

SEASON

Spring & Fall

PIER ZONE

The Deeper

BAIT & TACKLE

GOTCHA & Diamond Jigs

REGULATIONS

None

Barracuda

July to September

The Deeper

Live fish; bluefish, menhaden

None

Black Drum

Spring & Winter

Suds &
pilings

2-hook bottom rig, shrimp, sand fleas, crabs

10/day
14-25 TL inches (*NOTE one greater than 25 inches may be kept per person per day).

Blowfish

Spring & Fall

Suds on out

2-hook bottom rig; shrimp

None

Bluefish

Spring to Fall

Surf to The Deeper

GOTCHA plug, live bait, cut bait on Bluefish rig

3/day,

Cobia

May to July

The Deeper

Live fish; blue, menhaden, spot, croaker

See most recent DMF proclamation at www.ncmarinefisheries.net

Croaker

Spring to Fall

Suds on out

2-hook bottom rig; shrimp, squid, bloodworms

50/Day

Flounder

Summer to Fall

Suds & Pilings

Carolina Rig, live mullet or strips, mud minnow, live shrimp

Season Closed
See most recent DMF proclamation at www.ncmarinefisheries.net

Gray Trout

Spring to Fall

The Deeper

MirrOlure, plastic grub baits, Shrimp on speck rig; metal jig

12" minimum,
1/day

Jack Crevalle

Summer

The Deeper

Live (blue, menhaden, shad)

None

SPECIES

SEASON

PIER ZONE

BAIT & TACKLE

REGULATIONS

King Mackerel

May to October

The Deeper

King rig; live bluefish , spot menhaden, cigar minnow

24" minimum
(fork length),
3/day

Pompano

April to September

Suds to sand bar (100-yards out)

2-hook bottom rig; fresh shrimp, sand fleas, gold hooks

None

Puppy/Red Drum

Spring to Fall

Suds & Slough

Cut fish, mullet, menhaden, shrimp on Carolina Rig

18 to 27" slot,
1/day

Sea Mullet

Spring to Fall

Slough to
The Deeper

2-hook bottom rig; shrimp, sand fleas. Try nighttime!

None

Sheepshead

April to November

Pilings

Shrimp, sand fleas, crabs, Carolina Rig

10" minimum
(Fork Length),
10/day

Spanish Mackerel

May to October

The Deeper

Live mullet, shad, on a cork, GOTCHA Plug, gold hook rigs

12" minimum
(fork length),
15/day

Speckled Trout

Spring & Fall

Suds to Slough

Green grubs, MirrOlures, plastic shrimp, live shrimp, mud minnows

14" minimum, 4/day, Season Currently closed till 6/15/14

Spot

May to November

Slough & Beyond

Shrimp, bloodworms, Fishbites Bag o’ Worms

50/Day

Tarpon

July to September

The Deeper

Live bluefish, menhaden, pinfish

Unlawful to
Possess

What is the best bait to surf fish with?

Best Surf Fishing Bait: If you're looking to catch any of these three species (corbina, spotfin croaker, and yellowfin croaker), sand crabs should be your number one option. Since these fish regularly feed on sand crabs along the shoreline, it's pretty much a no brainer.

What fish are caught in Surf City Pier?

Summer to Fall, you fish from the Suds zone for flounder. April to September, you fish for pompano from the Suds to the Sandbar. It's exciting to sit on the Surf City ocean pier during the late Spring to summer months and watch people fishing the Deeper zones for king mackerel and tarpon.

What fish are running at Topsail Island?

Red drum, speckled trout, and black drum are the targeted species in the rivers and creeks of the sound on Topsail Beach.

What is the best time for surf fishing?

Arrive at low tide to scope out the beach and look for exposed structure so you can fish it later when it's submerged. The best time to go surf fishing is (from) two hours before a high tide until an hour after high tide.