# New to the site, Oak Island Trip



## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

Hello everyone, I am not sure if there is an introduction thread or not so I thought I would put it all in a single post. I am from VA and mainly a freshwater fisherman. I found this site during a google search and thought it was pretty interesting reading all of the great fishing information here. Im looking forward to hanging out here and meeting everyone, thanks for having me.

I will be in OKI for my yearly trip on 10-10-15---10-21-15. We discovered OKI about 10 years ago and have been going there every since, we love the place. I thought this year I would try some surf fishing, maybe introduce my daughter to it as she loves freshwater fishing. The problem is I haven't surf fished in a very long time. Maybe someone could give me some advice on some things. Here is what I THINK I know, I will need:

-10'-12' surf rod/reel
-pompino rig
-weight
-bait
-bucket
-bait knife
-PVC for fishing pole holder

What else?

What is bighting dring the early to middle of July? I am sure I need a license, and maybe my daughter to, but I guess I can research NC's game site on the net. I have seen some folks using bait nets down near the point, we stay in West Beach. What are they catching and do i need a specefic license for that?

Anything else you think i should need to know please let me know. I really appreciate the help, and I look forward to being a member of this site.


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## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

well, thanks for the help.


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## toyotaman29 (Feb 16, 2014)

Hello, I posted some OKI tips not long ago, check some of the older post. I will be down some time in October also, I fish the inlet side and creek areas mainly but surf fish some at the point. I would bring the cast net and there should be plenty of mullet at the point-inlet side. I would also check the piers out, the spot are usually there in the fall, no license needed but you'll need your NC salt water license for the surf. Welcome to P&S.


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## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

toyotaman29, thanks for the information! I like your screen name, two weeks ago I purchased a 2015 Tundra Crew Max, it's the nicest truck I have ever owned.

Thanks again for helping me out. I fell in love with Oak Island around 10 years ago, I hope to retire there. We always stay in West Beach, and this year our house is right at the end near the point. I have seen people casting nets over where the intercoastel waterway heads out to the ocean. Not in the ocean but in the much calmer canal, I cant remember the street name. I have never used a casting net but I really want to. Ive been watching some youtube videos on how to do it, and I think im going to head out tomorrow and purchase one. I am thinking this is where I can catch the mullet, are any shrimp there? I am thinking I should buy a smaller one for smaller bait fish, but I am not sure. Do you have any experience with them? Advice? And I do not need a license to catch bait fish in the cast net? Just making sure.

Thanks again for the welcome and shedding some light on surf fishing.


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## toyotaman29 (Feb 16, 2014)

Hey your welcome, you should really enjoy the Tundra, I have a Tacoma double cab 4x4 and love it. I use to rent a house right on the Davis Canal and you can get shrimp and mullet right off the pier, best luck is low tide. I think the street name is Barbee st. and you can cast net there for bait and at 40th st. there's a little area with a wall along the bank, also a good spot for crabbing. I have 3/8 mesh 5 foot cast net i use and it does a good job for mullet and bait shrimp.


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## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

Thanks Toyotaman29!


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## reeldude56 (Mar 27, 2015)

Bring at least one bass rod for flounder, carolina rigged with live bait.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Well apparently the sharks will be biting YOU!


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

If you spend any time in the intracoastal, either a mullet carolina rigged, or my favorite, a SPRO bucktail tipped with a gulp swimming mullet.
Are you heading in July, or October? October can be great fishing. July, not as much in the surf. Probably a lot of bluefish, mullet, pins.
Here is a couple vids of a guy up in Long Island (John Skinner) killing flounder on the bucktails:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6JVqETqOg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmaxcwpHCFo
As for a cast net, you can get one pretty cheap, as was said I would stay small (5 foot is good) and go with a 3/8ths mesh. A 1/4 will not sink fast enough at the bargain net size like a Betts Old Salt. Not enough weight to really get a 1/4 inch mesh to sink fast enough to catch mullet. You will get more stuck in the mesh (especially earlier in the year) but you will at least have them in it.
Find some videos, and practice with the net. Fun and builds strength. Your shoulders will know it if you are at the beach making 30 taco tosses in vain. And the more tired you get, the worse the throws become.
It is really fun though. One day last year, when the bite was slow during the day, I had fun catching bait for everyone close. Looked like an idiot stalking a school swimming down the shore line, but one good throw will get you all you need.
Oh, and welcome!


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## [email protected] (Jul 12, 2006)

Sometimes I like to go back and read the reports from the same time period the last year or two. That can be instructive.

-10'-12' surf rod/reel Check
-pompino rig(River Rig)
-weightCheck
-baitGet some Fishbites bloodworms and some other assorted flavors, and some FRESH shrimp
-bucketget a nice five gallon bucket with an aerator so you can keep small fish alive, your daughter entertained, and keep any baitfish you might catch with a cast net 
3' Cast net. resist the urge to get a larger one till you know what you're doing. It may not add a tone of success to your fishing experience, but it sure if fun to catch bait between fish
-bait knifeand small white cutting board and a towel
-PVC for fishing pole holder
Second the smaller rod. Bring your bass rod if you have one. Get Berkely Gulp shrimp in copper penny or white, and get red hed jigs to match the size. Bounce these on the bottom for flounder


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

fiveonomo said:


> well, thanks for the help.


As far as getting Mullet and Shrimp If I had to learn all over again, I would buy a Betts Super Pro 8 foot 3/8 inch cast net right from the start, rather than the cheaper nets.

6 Foot Super Pro net would be the second alternative, and you can get a 10 foot Super Pro net after you have your technique down and are in deeper water.

Not quite as pricey as the Calusa nets, the Super Pro Betts nets still pancake out and sink well. A better net is exactly that, it casts and catches better, than the economy nets.

An economy net does have its place in areas with a lot of snags and abandoned crab pots. I center punched an abandoned crab pot once when I mistook the shadow for a school of Mullet, pretty much destroyed the net and had to spend a couple hours re-rigging the completely torn lead line.

You have to have a NC license to use a cast net in NC.

If I were you I would keep your kids out the water at Oak Island, especially at dawn and in the late afternoon, it is my understanding that the two unfortunate children this weekend were in the water after 4:00 PM.


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## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

Thanks Garboman. Does my 10 day NC fishing license cover the net or is it a separate license? I did look on NC's game and fisheries site (or whatever they call it) and it is not that easy to follow and navigate. I never could find the answer.


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## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

The 10 day license will cover the cast net also


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## kraus (Jun 8, 2009)

From the NCDENR website under Frequently asked ?s.

Which recreational gear use beside hook and line would require someone to purchase a CRFL?

Any type of recreational finfish harvest activity not included under the N.C. Recreational Commercial Gear License will require this license. This includes, but is not limited to spears, gigs, hook-and-line, bait-and-line, seines less than 30 feet, dip nets, landing nets ,and cast nets.

Didn't see where anyone has suggested mole crabs, aka sand fleas, for bait. They catch a wide variety of fish and the price is right.


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## fiveonomo (Jun 13, 2015)

Thanks guys.


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