Oak Island in July

[SimpleFisher]

hey folks

I'll be heading down to Oak Island for a week in July. Since I've never fished the carolina coast (I'm a Jerseyite), what are the target species for that time of the year, lures, bait, etc?

It's the girlfriends' parents house (first time I'm meeting them), so I'm trying to be pretty discreet about it. Anyone know where I can get a good telescopic rod?

[jellybear]

Lots andl ots of Speckled Trout and huge Flounder down there.Kings off the piers and Blues and Spanish abound,just take a medium light spinner and you will have a ball.

[danattherock]

I am from North Carolina and lived on Oak Island for two years not long ago. I would suggest you go to Ocean Crest and Oak Island Pier. Oak Island Pier is longer and better fishing perhaps, but walk in (or call) and get some info from Ocean Crest. Nice folks. Spanish should be around. Throw Gotcha plugs for them. The retrieve is erratic and jerky. Lean over the pier a bit and point the rod tip down towards the water slightly. That will keep the Gotcha darting under water better. A 7-8 ft rod would be a good all round rod. If that is slow, get some bluefish rigs. Made by Sea Striker and sold anywhere in the Carolinas (definately at both piers). They are two hook bottom rigs that have snap at bottom for a weight. A 3-4 ounce weight should do fine. They have a two round floats beside each hook. The rig comes with hooks on it. They make two sizes, one inch floats and 3/4 inch floats. Get the one inch ones. Not just because the floats are bigger (which helps) but because the hooks are larger and will hold a whole shrimp on each hook. The floats are flourescent orange and chartreuse. That gets attention in the water. Particularly bluefish. Which is what the rig is called, a bluefish rig. But will catch anything. Croakers, blues, sand sharks, cobia, and others. The floats also serve to keep the bait off the bottom and prevents crabs from picking you clean. I also like to attach a 36 inch steel leader to where the weight goes and attach the weight to the steel leader. An extension. It gets the bait a few feet higher off the bottom. I catch more fish this way. Also have much less problems with crabs getting my bait. As for bait, go to the fresh seafood market (several on island and a few just off island) and get like $5 worth of fresh shrimp. Much better bait than the small frozen pack at the piers and bait shops. Cheaper, fresh, and much more for your money. Put one whole shrimp on each hook. Great bait. Early in the morning and evening is always a good time. By the way, cobia fishing will be good in July (on pier in the middle or end). They get big too. 30+ pounds. Big bait, big fish. When you catch a smaller fish on the shrimp, cut it in half and put that on the same rig. You are then cobia fishing. That fast. For flounder, go to the very end of the island. Called the point. It is simply the dead end of the island. You can park there and walk out across the dune about 200 yards and get to the water. You can look across and see Holden Beach about half a mile away. It is on the island one down from Oak Island. Get a flounder rig and some squid. Cut it in about 4-5 inch strips with a point at the tail and put it on the flounder rig (also sold everywhere). Throw it out and reel in slowly. Good flounder fishing down there. Walk the beach a few feet each time you cast and cover the water. Dont hang out in one spot. Lots of beach out there. Find the fish. Lots of sand and blue shark to be had at night (from end of pier). You mentioned slipping away a bit. That may be a good time. Use the bluefish rig with big pieces of cut bait. Half a fish on each hook. On the piers flounder fishing can be good as well. Fish the 20-30 yards just behind the breakers (waves) and use the flounder rig with squid as mentioned earlier. Reel slowly. Guys will be fishing the end of the pier for king mackeral during the day. But you can get almost at the end of the pier anyway. That would be a good place to throw the gotcha plug for blues. You will see alot of guys doing that. They use the 1lb or so blues for bait on the king mackeral rigs. Fished live with the fighting rod line attached to an anchor rod line as they suspend the live bluefish in the top few feet of the water. A neat set up if you have never seen it. They will be arriving at the pier before daylight. Popular in that area. If shark fishing, dont be there after 5 am. They get angry about that. They feel the sharks will scare off the king mackeral. True or not. Who knows. But nobody wants to start their day off bickering with a bunch of old guys. Best shark fishing is 3am - 5 am. That is why I am tellling you. Surf fishing is good also. Use the same bluefish rig with a 5 ounce weight and get a sand spike to hold the rod. Leisurely fishing while hanging out on the beach with the girlfriend. Popular nightclub, Stingrays, is in the middle of the island. Place to get a cold one anyway and has a few pool tables. Wilmington is only a 30 minute ride north and Myrtle Beach, SC is about one hour south. There are some great restaurants and nightlife to be had in either direction. Calabash is a small ocean side community about 40 minutes south and is famous for its seafood. A few seafood places sit right on the water there and have great seafood. Like $12/person. Nice view of the intercoastal waterway and docks with shrimp boats. Not too far away for a decent dinner. If you want any specific info on the area, feel free to shoot me a pm.

[SimpleFisher]

any recent reports?

[jellybear]

Lots of specks and flounder from what I hear.Fishermenspost.com

[labrax]

Thanks for the information danattherock - I am heading down to Wilmington in two weeks and have visited Oak Island on a previous trip. Hopefully we will get out to do a little fishing and this info is going to be helpful.

[underdog]

Used to smack the Cape Fear flounder when I lived there....Still visit SE Carolina every year and crush them. Live mullet or pogies. Forget gulp or strips of anything.....Carolina rig. Toss to structure and slowly drag....No one home? Move and do again.....red drum will be your main by-catch. Not so bad.

[t58martin]

Ocean Crest is one of my favorite piers. The regulars down there are real fine folks. I learned a ton fishing with thoses guys down there...
Community live well is handy, we even got fed one Sunday by some nice ladies...