The pier action in July will fall off a bit compared to the previous two months as less fish will be on the move. Water temps will reach the low 80’s but consistent winds from the west or southwest could cause an up-welling condition that will push the warm water off shore and allow the colder water from below to drop the temperature. The best days to fish will be when the wind is out of the east or southeast as the fish will be moving back toward the shore.
King fishermen will find fewer kings and cobia at the end of the pier. Large bluefish will be gone until fall but tarpon will make their first showing of the year. There will be several hook-ups of the largest member of the herring family from the Bogue Banks south to Oak Island but getting the gigantic fish decked is another story. Most tarpon landings require a lot of skill by the angler and a lot of line on the reel and often times the angler has to chase the fish down the beach to land it. The guys at the end of the pier will also have their share of sharks and barracudas with the onset of warmer water.
In the early morning and in the evening will be the best time to land Spanish mackerel and sportsman’s armed with the their plugging rods with Got-Cha plugs will be attempting to do just that. Calm days with clear water will be the most productive time to do so. Small bluefish will keep them busy when the Spanish are not around.
Action for the bottom fisherman will slow as well with the most popular catch being small croaker and small spot. Most anglers will throw these back with the hopes that they grow up in time for the fall season. The larger whiting will be found right behind the breakers. This is also a good place to find pompano especially if the pier has a sandy bottom and the beaches are full of sand fleas. Use sand fleas or fresh shrimp for best results. Artificial bloodworms also will do well here.
Out past the breakers, anglers fishing the bottom will be rewarded with spadefish and some of these will grow to be quite large and put up a good fight. They will be almost straight down so there is no need to cast for them. Shrimp works well for them as well.
Sheepshead will congregate at the pilings and can provide a lot of entertainment to fisherman during slow periods on the pier. Experience sheepshead anglers will use a casting reel and rod combo with braid for better feel. Baits will be sand fleas, shrimp, fiddler crabs or even barnacles that have been scraped off of a nearby jetty. The more successful ones have worked on their technique to be able to “set the hook before the fish strikes”. The last statement won’t make sense until you have tried it.
Flounder fishermen will be looking for doormats using live finger mullet, small spot and even small bluefish. Some will use Gulp on a jig head or even bucktail jigs pulled along the sides of the pier to get the flatfish hooked. If you go flounder fishing make sure you have a pier net handy to lift your prize to the deck.
Al Baird
Founder, North Carolina Fishing Pier Society
Co-Founder, North Carolina Public Access Foundation
[easy-social-share]