# Fishing Piers and spot run



## Snowmanmike (Nov 19, 2014)

Hello Fishing friends- I used to fish on the Springmaid pier and truly miss it. It was great fishing during the spot run. 
I’m seeking advice on where is the next best pier to fish on? And when do you expect the spot run this year? 
Thanks!


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Piers ? Take your pick from Cherry Grove on down.

Spot run ? Used to be anywhere from October 1st to November 1st as a general rule. But the last really good, sustained spot run was around 2010-2012. They have been " spotty "(no pun intended) in recent years to say the least. I've fished the whole month of October for years and the " catch'em two at a time all day and fill your coolers " are virtually gone.


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2018)

flathead said:


> Piers ? Take your pick from Cherry Grove on down.
> 
> Spot run ? Used to be anywhere from October 1st to November 1st as a general rule. But the last really good, sustained spot run was around 2010-2012. They have been " spotty "(no pun intended) in recent years to say the least. I've fished the whole month of October for years and the " catch'em two at a time all day and fill your coolers " are virtually gone.


Could it be that they have been overfished or pollution is affecting them? I saw the same basic response on a Spot fishing topic in the NC forum. When your most plentiful fishes are starting to become scarce something is definitely not right. I think most of us lean conservative here and I know that I have become much more conservative in the last 5 to 7 years. But, this is where I think conservatives drop the ball. Many consider conservation to be taboo. Not all but many. They leave the thought of conservation to the left. Conservatives need to start being champions in this area. We need to join the conversation much more often instead of scoffing at it. 

I joined an organization called Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. They do just that and there really is no political debate in the organization. They bridge the gap over the turbulent political shark tank and they focus on preserving public land as places to hunt, fish, hike, camp etc etc for all. We seriously need to take care of what we have and we need to preserve our right to use it along with our lifestyle.


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## AndyK (Mar 8, 2017)

My rankings would be:

Apache (1,220 ft, $5/vehicle parking, $9.50/person fishing)
2nd Avenue (906 ft, $10/person fishing, $5 for locals, free parking)
MB State Park (650 ft, $5/person to enter park, $5/person fishing)
Cherry Grove (985 ft, $3/person fishing + $7.50/rod, not sure about parking)

I can't think of anything negative to say about Apache. They have a bathroom halfway down the pier which is nice, especially when fishing solo. It's pretty well maintained and clean. They fixed the T end very quickly after Matthew. In contrast, 2nd Avenue still hasn't fixed theirs.

2nd Avenue is decent. I like the open air bar/restaurant on top of the building. Free parking is nice. The $10/person for fishing is misleading because this isn't your actual cost when you factor in all the terminal tackle you will lose because there's a bunch of reef and other crap surrounding both sides. It's too bad they haven't fixed the T because you wouldn't get snagged up at the far end. They don't advertise it but they will give you half off if you're a local. 

MB State Park is ok. It's kind of short. I rank them lower because the staff are very nosy. I'm guessing the state mandates stricter adherence to the rules. I have had to open my cooler when paying on more than one occasion. Luckily, all the contraband was at the bottom out of sight.

Cherry Grove is a nice pier but very expensive and kind of a haul for me. I have only gone once. My biggest gripe with CG is they charge you $7.50 per rod and insist on putting stickers on your rods to show you payed. And I'm not talking post-it note adhesive. I had to use Goo-Gone to get the residue off.


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## pmcdaniel (Nov 13, 2013)

I will second Apache. I haven't fished the others but have nothing but good experiences on Apache, and I've caught some nice Spot there in October as well, along with small Black Drum. Not enough to fill a cooler, but enough to make a meal. If you want to catch a lot of fish, Blues are plentiful this time of year as well and put up a good fight.


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## pmcdaniel (Nov 13, 2013)

The other nice thing about Apache is you can get conditions right from the pier. http://bccmws.coastal.edu/lbos/ccu-apac-ws/latest.html


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