North Carolina has many possibilities to consider when choosing a place to go fishing in July. Reflecting on this I consider the first time I remember going fishing. It reminds me that fishing can be as simple or complicated as we make it. There are many small ponds, streams, or creeks in North Carolina that offer a variety of fish to catch including bream, catfish, bass, crappie, trout, perch, and walleye. We can catch these fish in these waters from the shoreline using a cane pole with a string and hook tied to the end of it. Crickets, worms, grubs, or caterpillars are easy baits to find and capture to bait these hooks. This simple way of fishing is often the first fishing memory for many of us.
At some point many folks begin to believe that their fishing experience will be better if they can fish a larger body of water. They will purchase or rent a boat or tag along with a friend who owns one, and fishing becomes a whole new game. In our state, fisherman from boats can target any of the species previously mentioned but the fishing becomes more specialized. When targeting bream, fishermen often continue to use crickets or worms. When targeting crappie in water just a bit deeper in July, minnows are often the bait of choice. Bass fisherman buy millions of dollars worth of artificial baits to tempt their quarry with, and those who target big catfish often catch bream to use for catfish bait. Some of the techniques used for these types of fishing can be very complicated but reward the successful fisherman with the catch of a lifetime.
Many folks in North Carolina have been fortunate enough to begin their life near the coast. North Carolina has about 300 miles of coastline and the simple fishing techniques that folks use in our freshwaters will also work at the coast. The baits can be a little different but one can stand on the beach and cast into the surf and catch many different species of fish. Croaker, Pompano, Spadefish, Red Drum, Black Drum, and Flounder are some of the fish that can be caught from the beach. Common baits are shrimp, sand fleas, bloodworms, and mud minnows. There are still 17 fishing piers along our coast and fishing from them can get the fisherman without a boat further out into the ocean to catch King mackerel and Tarpon. With a small boat one can move through the inlets and follow these fish as they move through the water column. Larger boats can move to offshore structures and catch bigger fish including Mahi, Blue or White Marlin, Wahoo, and Tuna. Chasing these offshore species usually involves trolling artificial baits or rigged ballyhoo. Using dredges and or teasers to lure fish into a spread of baits and even pitching a bait to fish that enter the spread. Offshore bottom fishing can reward an angler with a variety of grouper, snapper, and other larger species. This type of fishing is typically done in deep water using heavy jigs.
If you are coming to North Carolina in July, take some time and go fishing. Take your child fishing with you. Keep it simple and enjoy your time on the water.
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