Fishing Portsmouth Island

[Mike S]

For years I've been wanting to take the trip there to do some drum fishing. This spring if I can con one of my friends to make the trip south, I'd like to go for it. If anyone has ever been there I was wondering about the logistics of doing this trip. Is the ferry over to there out of the Cedar Island area? How about the bait situation. If I travelled all the way down 95 and cut across to Carteret County is there going to be any reliable place to get good menhaden or am I going to need to be totally self sufficient in catching my own bait once I'm on the island? Maybe in Atlantic Beach or Morehead City? I would probably just rough it and sleep in the truck or pitch a tent for a few days, but just out of curiosity how fast do the cabins fill up?

[derf]

cabins fill pretty fast ...
they usually have some bait at the marina ....but if ya can get some before you get there you are better off .
the ferry to portsmouth is out of atlantic ..
i need to look for my notes on where to get bait there
we are usually in a hurry to make the ferry over , so haven't had a lot of time to 'explore ' ..
derf
hopefully chuck will chime in

[billy g]

Mike, fish there every fall, but spring can be really good, around april, cabins fillup fast, but they aways have cancellations, also need resevations for the ferry over to P.I. from Alantic,N.C, Morris Marina runs the ferry, they have a web site,just do a search, as I cannot list it on this site. We go two ways [from Delaware], down rt13 across CBBT, still on rt13 untill rt17 some where about south of VB, or the best way to go is to the OBX and take the Cedar Island ferry from Ocacoke to Cedar Island, Alantic is only about 15 miles from the ferry, either way it is about an 8 hour trip. Morris Marina sells bait[shrimp,mullet], ice, and about anything else you would need, plus there are a couple fish houses close buy that sell all kinds of fish and bait

[derf]

glad ya chimed in billy
couldn't remember what ya posted as over here
derf

[Mike S]

Thanks guys. I guess one option would be to head down through Hatteras and stop at Frank & Fan's and load up on bait. Maybe then fish Ocracoke for a night and then catch the ferry over to Cedar Island. From what I remember that ferry ride is a long one. Around 3 hours? I only took it once on my way to Harker's Island.

[derf]

yup 3 hrs sounds about right
we usually do it cedar is to ocracoke to hatteras &
i usually take a nap
derf

[Mike S]

How far out do you need to make reservations for the trip out to Portsmouth? Is it the kind of deal where I could watch the weather for the right conditions and just call ahead a day or two?

Billy G, do you usually call ahead to those fish houses to see what they have for bait? I'm wondering about the shops in Morehead/Atlantic Beach as a source, but I don't really remember seeing any fresh bait at those places when I've been down that way albie and wreck fishing in the fall.

[derf]

Is it the kind of deal where I could watch the weather for the right conditions and just call ahead a day or two?

if you are feeling lucky
they only make a certain number of trips a day ; when those are booked .there are no more .....
derf

[billy g]

Mike, I make my Oct. reservations in March, but I want to take an early Sat. ferry on and early Sat. ferry off the next weekend, I would just call to see what they have if you are camping, for the cabins I would call right away, don't remember when they start taking reservations, although some have cabin res. now. I usually go down to Ocacoke and fish a day or so before going over to Cedar Is., also you will want to make reservations for the Cedar Is. ferry about a week in advance, usually only the last ferry is not full. You can get your bait on the OBX, but remember it will only last about 3 days [shrimp,bunker,maybe a little longer for mullet], have not found any bait stores in Morehead City or in that area and we really looked. The fish houses or usually open,and no need to call. Last fall we could only get 3 day old mullet, old shrimp, and spot at the start becausem of bad weather, but MM got fresh the first of the week.

[billy g]

Also Mike, i think the ferrys run like 7,9,11,1,3,5 [if they can fill them] but sometimes if they have enought they will run 2 ferrys. don't think i would wait until a couple of days before I wanted to go to call, but like Fred said you might be lucky.

[Mike S]

Thanks again guys,

So it sounds like if I want to do a trip, I should plan on making ferry reservations well ahead of time. I was thinking that I would just make a run for 3 or 4 days if the forecasts were calling for a SW wind. It looks like I'd be better off going for a week and keep my fingers crossed that the weather isn't like last Spring.

Is it safe to assume that once you burn through your bait, you can just catch little blues or sea mullet to use for the rest of the trip? I may have to invest in one of those Icey-Tech coolers to keep ice for a week.

Are you allowed to pitch a tent over there?

[derf]

you can get bait & ice sent over to you while you are on the island . you just leave a note in the caretakers mail box & it comes over on the next ferry . not cheap ; but .........
i think you can pitch a tent . check the cape lookout national seashore site to be sure . you might need a permit to 'camp'...
google morris marina , it should take you to thir site .
derf

[John M]

this is a trip we have talked about making, but were such last minute guys that we never have. One of these years.

[Mike S]

Maybe one of these years we should all do a Portsmouth Island fling?

[John M]

Originally posted by Mike S:
Maybe one of these years we should all do a Portsmouth Island fling?

I would be interested in going, but I wouldnt call it a fling. I dont do flings anymore.