# Best Place To Catch Bait At Oak Island



## Bill Lamb (Sep 13, 2007)

I was hoping someone that knew a lot about the
Oak Island area could help me with a few questions I have. I looked at yahoo maps today and saw our rental is in the 5100 block of West Beach Dr. Real close to 54th Place West. Looks like from the map there is an inlet behind the beach house and ocean in front. I went out an purchased a small cast net. Any good spots close by to catch bait? Any pointers or tips would be welcomed. Also, whats some of the best places to eat there? Thanks


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## finfish (Jun 1, 2005)

Not sure when you are going, but last week there was a lot of bait in the surf.


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## hamlet (Sep 4, 2007)

you are way out the west end of the island. Easy fishing from there in Lockwood's Folly inlet.

There is a marina at that end of the island. If you cant find baitfish in the surf to castnet, try the calm waters around the marina.

There is access to the marsh ditch at SE 20th street off Pelican drive I think. On Google maps you will see "Oak Island Scenic Walkway". Its a board a walk way over the creek and an small floating dock. Might find shrimp there in the early mornings. Parking either end of the walkway, but the dock is on the north side and parking is very close on that north side.

Also a public area at about SE 40th street that crosses the end of the creek. There is a parking area there and you can walk the quay and cast for shrimp and minnows. Early morning they tell me.


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

Mullet were running all last weekend along OCP.........THOUSANDS of them in the water, from 4 inch finger mullet up to 1.5-2 lb cobs. I caught enough mullet to fill the community bait tank twice. We had a king tournament with 41 fishermen and we never ran out of bait.


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## medicdav66 (Sep 27, 2007)

im familiar with the public area and have seen several people trying cast-nets there. i plan on trying my luck there also next weekend. if no luck, i guess i will be buying them from the airport baitshop (along with the live shrimp).. by the way, can anyone tell me which is better for spanish; minnows or shrimp?


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## dbigsby (Feb 16, 2004)

Finger mullet are best for spanish. If you have trouble catching them in the surf, I usually have good luck on the back side of the point. Just go out behind the parking lot and walk along the creek that runs along the backside. Low tide is best but with all the bait that is around now, even high tide is pretty easy. For shrimp, SW17th street can be good but also muddy. also the dock at the end of Barbee street is good.


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## dbigsby (Feb 16, 2004)

Just got back from OKI and there are still thousands of finger mullet running in the surf if you want to fish for flounder, spanish, or reds. I also saw some nice trout caught on mullet minnows.


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## Bill Lamb (Sep 13, 2007)

Thanks for the OI report. Did you fish while you were there? Are many folks surf fishing now or mostly pier? Thanks


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## dbigsby (Feb 16, 2004)

I didn't fish the pier, but it looked crowded. This time of year I usually surf fish the point. I park on the backside and walk along the creek to the inlet. It sometimes gets a little crowded on Saturday afternoon, but not too bad. My buddy caught a couple of flounder and a nice spanish, and I caught one nice flounder. We also caught numerous blues.


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## Bill Lamb (Sep 13, 2007)

Thats great news. We like surf fishing best. We are staying in the 5100 block near the inlet. Do you think surf fishing in front of beach house will produce almost as well as inlet. Looks like a small body of water behind cottage called Davis Canal, is that canal worth fishing? Thanks for any advice, Dad & I are novice fishermen.


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## hamlet (Sep 4, 2007)

If the mullet are still in the surf like they were last week then you will be able to catch plenty for bait. Fish the 5" ones whole on a 2/0, 3/0 hook (hook they under the dorsal fin so they swim free) and get it cast out beyoond the breakers and you *will* catch blues in the 2lb range at least. You will get a lot of bite offs where the blues take half your bait but not the hook, but you will get hook ups too.


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## dbigsby (Feb 16, 2004)

If you are near the inlet, I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to pick up flounder, blues and maybe a red in the surf at your house. I have never fished Davis Canal but I hear of people catching flounder, trout and reds there.


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## Bill Lamb (Sep 13, 2007)

What exactly is a red, do you mean red drum? Are the caught on a standard 2 hook bottom rig or another type? Do you find the live mullet work best for blues and reds? I heard there is a Wal-Mart there, do you know if their tackle selection is good? Thanks


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## hamlet (Sep 4, 2007)

red and redfish both refer to red drum. You can catch them on standard 2-drop rigs, or on fish finder rigs (carolina rigs) or on lures like plastic tail jigs, spoons, jigs, etc. bounced along the bottom where they are feeding.

The Walmart is on the road off the island, a little east towards Southport. Tackle selection is fine. But you will find exactly what you need at Dutchman's Creek bait shop at the airport (right at the bridge on the mainland side) or the other tackle shop just as you get onto the island and turn right onto the main drag.

Tell them you want drum rigs or redfish rigs... ask for advice. They will help and know their stuff.

BTW red drum is the NC state fish. It is protected and has strict limits. You can keep one per day per fisherman, and they have what is called a slot length limit... you cant keep one shorter than 18", or longer than 27". It has to be in the slot.


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## Bill Lamb (Sep 13, 2007)

Thanks hamlet and dbigsby for all the info. It really helped. I know very little about salt water fishing. The protected fish thing, that worries me, if we wait to buy our license when we get there will we be given a book with all the rules plus something to identify the fish with? Also, what is your favorite bait and rig for fishing that area? Thanks, Bill


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## dbigsby (Feb 16, 2004)

Look here for the info you need about licenses and size limits http://www.ncfisheries.net/. You can print off the page with size limits. This time of year I fish mostly for flounder with live finger mullet on a carolina rig. With that setup you can also catch the other fish that have been mentioned.


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