# Johnny Mercer Pier, A BIG NO-NO



## fishloser

Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightesville Beach, has een added to my "Never Go Again" List, at least until it aquires new management.

I called the pier Wednesday to inquire about cost, parking, bait bucket need, and rules with respect to cast nets, anchor and fighting rod holders. Here's what I was told versus actual:

1. cost: told $7 per rod but no charge for anchor rod since no hooks on anchor. Actual= $8 per rod including anchor.

2. Parking: told there was "free parking" very close to pier at public beach access. Actual= NO Free parking anywhere within a mile of pier, all parking was $1.25 an hour.

3. Bait bucket: Told I would not need bait bucket as they had a "live bait" tank. Actual= NO LIVE BAIT TANK.

4. Rod Holders: Told they had preset, numbered anchor rod holders. Actual= No anchor rod holders and since concrete was so thick you couldn't use rod clamp for fighting rod. To keep line and rod guides from resting on concrete you needed to place something between rods and pier, I used duct tape.

5. Cast nets: Told castnets were allowed and in fact they had built the pier with 3 special mini "T's" for use of castnets. Actual= Sign on pier entrance "NO CASTNETS ALLOWED"

The pier itself is an awesome structure, nice and flat surface, no splinters in your feet and hands. Deep water of the end which stays crystal clear 80% of the time. However unless you are tall you will have tough time working gotcha while holding rod down, also you must be tall to look straight down over concrete railing.

Pier has restaruant that opens at 11 AM, pier is open 24 hrs, no shark fishing. Parking is $1.25 an hour between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, free all other times.


----------



## Newsjeff

I haven't been to that pier in years. However, I have a special place in my heart for those planks. I caught my first ocean fish off the end of that pier 20 years ago. 
Yeah, it was an inshore lizzard fish.  
But it was my first.  

Damn, I gettin' old. Was 1985 really 20 years ago?


----------



## fishloser

Newsjeff said:


> I haven't been to that pier in years. However, I have a special place in my heart for those planks. I caught my first ocean fish off the end of that pier 20 years ago.
> Yeah, it was an inshore lizzard fish.
> But it was my first.
> 
> Damn, I gettin' old. Was 1985 really 20 years ago?


I caught one of those yesterday, and a monster 18" cobia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Railroader

fishloser said:


> Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightesville Beach, has een added to my "Never Go Again" List, at least until it aquires new management.
> 
> I called the pier Wednesday to inquire about cost, parking, bait bucket need, and rules with respect to cast nets, anchor and fighting rod holders. Here's what I was told versus actual:
> 
> 1. cost: told $7 per rod but no charge for anchor rod since no hooks on anchor. Actual= $8 per rod including anchor.
> 
> 2. Parking: told there was "free parking" very close to pier at public beach access. Actual= NO Free parking anywhere within a mile of pier, all parking was $1.25 an hour.
> 
> 3. Bait bucket: Told I would not need bait bucket as they had a "live bait" tank. Actual= NO LIVE BAIT TANK.
> 
> 4. Rod Holders: Told they had preset, numbered anchor rod holders. Actual= No anchor rod holders and since concrete was so thick you couldn't use rod clamp for fighting rod. To keep line and rod guides from resting on concrete you needed to place something between rods and pier, I used duct tape.
> 
> 5. Cast nets: Told castnets were allowed and in fact they had built the pier with 3 special mini "T's" for use of castnets. Actual= Sign on pier entrance "NO CASTNETS ALLOWED"
> 
> The pier itself is an awesome structure, nice and flat surface, no splinters in your feet and hands. Deep water of the end which stays crystal clear 80% of the time. However unless you are tall you will have tough time working gotcha while holding rod down, also you must be tall to look straight down over concrete railing.
> 
> Pier has restaruant that opens at 11 AM, pier is open 24 hrs, no shark fishing. Parking is $1.25 an hour between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, free all other times.



Sounds like a screwin' to me......


----------



## tw

Did you happen to ask if anyone formerly from the Nationial Parks Service was managing the pier? 
Stuff like this really sucks, I'm sorry you had to go through such Bull$#it
just to fish off a pier. Can't say I've ever been there, but I can tell you I'll never fish there. I'm about convinced that I need to keep my Virginia behind north of the boarder.


----------



## fishloser

tw said:


> Did you happen to ask if anyone formerly from the Nationial Parks Service was managing the pier?
> Stuff like this really sucks, I'm sorry you had to go through such Bull$#it
> just to fish off a pier. Can't say I've ever been there, but I can tell you I'll never fish there. I'm about convinced that I need to keep my Virginia behind north of the boarder.


Most piers ARE NOT like that, I can recommend Avalon Pier, Oceancrest Pier, Bogue Inlet Pier, Longbeach Pier, Frisco Pier, Surf City Pier, Apache Pier, Kure Pier, Seaview Pier, 2nd Ave Pier, and Springmaid Pier as user friendly piers.

The price to Kingfish these pier varies from about
$9 to $20 per person, but they are upfront when you call and ask. Most of the piers south of Hatteras have Live Bait Tanks, so you don't need a bait bucket. The owner of Kure Pier has been known to take his boat out to get bait for tank when it is almost impossible to catch on pier.


----------



## Tommy

It'll cost you a buck just to walk out on J.M. Pier.....

That really sucks.


----------



## b3butner

I guess they have got to pay for all that concrete some how. Count me out. :--|


----------



## fishing-dude21

wow that dude must have been on drugs! and i went and they charged me for the anchor rod?! u should have got a refund...are there any other piers in that area that are good?


----------



## turfrooster

I Highly recommend the Jolly Roger.


----------



## fishing-dude21

isnt that in topsail??


----------



## turfrooster

yea but it isn't far


----------



## weekdayfisher

Are you sure you called wrightsville because I fish there all the time and know all that work there and I cant believe they would tel you that. Did you call and talk to someone during the day or night? Why would they tell you they have 3 t's on the pier? I think you called another pier and just forgot who you called.


----------



## Carolina Rebel

4 years ago, who knows what could have happened? Whatever happened to Railroader??


----------



## c0ch3s3

Carolina Rebel said:


> 4 years ago, who knows what could have happened? Whatever happened to Railroader??


hah, im reading all these posts and didnt even realize the original post was in '05.


----------



## Finger_Mullet

*Railroader*

I think he got pissed off and quit visiting this site. He posts frequently on another site I stumbled up on a while back. At least he did.

Darin


----------



## granddaddy

Why would anyone complain today about a pier about problems that happened 4 years ago? Things change. Please keep post to the present
time.


----------



## drum junky

c0ch3s3 said:


> hah, im reading all these posts and didnt even realize the original post was in '05.



HAAAA HAAAAAAAHAHAA! ME too!


----------



## fishing-dude21

turfrooster said:


> yea but it isn't far


okay i will probably try that one next time i go


----------



## landlockedinsc

The summer of "63, me and my brother would get under the pier and look for money folks dropped through the boards near the arcade. Then we would go down to the Crystal pier and fish...
Art M.


----------



## Carolina Rebel

Hell Johnny mercer pier is good. Caught a ton of spaniard mackerals and bluefish there on my honeymoon this year (wife caught more than me a couple of days), and while they were missing some amenities (namely rod holders at the end of the 'T' for anchor rods) it was a nice setup and the staff was excellent and honest. Crowds never got too bad either, nowhere near some of the highly prominent crystal coast piers I've hit up.


----------



## kingstrut1

yeah, try Jolly Roger at south Topsail...great folks...but, no anchor rods up in the air....you lay them down so other folks can cast/fight fish....everyone gets along...$20/day, bait tank, free parking, hotel, grill, etc...


----------



## kingchaser34

i try to stay away from that pier. i prefer the jolly roger.


----------



## chunkerbunk

kingstrut1 and kingchaser34, i couldn't agree more!


----------



## fishing-dude21

johnnie mercers has some really good fishing and never too crowded on the end like a lot of piers but between the parking and cost to fish it is like 40$ if your kingfishing or bring 3 or 4 rods! and its is really hard to find a place to park!


----------



## Dan E

I was shocked at the way I was treated by the clerk at Johnny Mercer's pier. I aririved at apx. 6:30 am to find the pier house closed but the gate open. There were fishermen on the pier who had been there for a while, I proceeded to set up . I was told that they opened at 7 am . When I saw the lights on aprx.7:05, I went down to purchase a ticket. The clerk stated that I was trespassing and threatened me with filing charges! He was rude and continued to lecture me on how I was trespassing. I told him that I had come into pay and that I was not aware of their policy. That was the first time I had fished that pier and it will be my last. There are " No Trespassing signs on the gate but not a list of rules or regulations. How are newcomers supposed to know those rules if they are not posted. The ones on the pier had season tickets. I guess I was supposed to know that.

I have been a pier fisherman for over 50 years. I'll stick to the Bougue Inlet pier or other piers where they don't have dirt bags for clerks and bad policies.


----------



## BrentH

Dan E said:


> The clerk stated that I was trespassing and threatened me with filing charges! He was rude and continued to lecture me on how I was trespassing. I told him that I had come into pay and that I was not aware of their policy.
> 
> That was the first time I had fished that pier and it will be my last.


Damn. Sorry to hear about that. I fish there a lot, but only on the weekends. (Pier house is open 24hours on the weekends).


----------



## ReelKingin

that does suck...you didnt happen to catch his name did ya? All the times ive been out there it has been really good to me, and the owner Matt and his wife are good people, but stuff like that does happen even in good situations


----------



## drumchaser

Weren't the others already on the pier trespassing? Sounds fishy at best.


----------



## BrentH

drumchaser said:


> Weren't the others already on the pier trespassing? Sounds fishy at best.


They probably either had season passes (most likely) or just didn't say anything. 


*ReelKingin* - I've met Matt a few times and he seems like a decent guy. I've also gotten familiar with most of the guys that work the pier as well, and I don't have a clue who it could have been..


----------



## kingman23

I fish mercers when i go down for vacation and ive never had problems other than a few times later at night/very early in the morning. There is one guy at the desk who is kind of a jerk and i dont know his name but I think that you more than likely dealt with him. Sorry to hear he gave you problems though


----------



## smacks fanatic

Tommy said:


> It'll cost you a buck just to walk out on J.M. Pier.....
> 
> That really sucks.


it costs a dollar to walk all the other piers on the coast...


----------



## drumchaser

Kure charges to walk now?


----------



## sleepyhead

I think they all should charge to walk out. If I had that much $$$ in a pier. I would want very little penny I could get..


----------



## Cdog

sleepyhead said:


> I think they all should charge to walk out. If I had that much $$$ in a pier. I would want very little penny I could get..


I glady paid a dollar on Avalon to gather the spot heads...


----------



## sleepyhead

Hey Clay I'm with ya on that.


----------



## ReelKingin

Kure & Carolina beach piers, no fee to walk the planks


----------



## drumchaser

ReelKingin said:


> Kure & Carolina beach piers, no fee to walk the planks


Thanks Kingin, didnt think so and there shouldnt be.


----------



## BrentH

drumchaser said:


> Thanks Kingin, didnt think so and there shouldnt be.


As far as I know, it's only the northern piers that charge. Mercer's & above.


----------



## dudeondacouch

wow, this thread is back again.


----------



## yardbird0598

they Catchin' anything, I normally go to Bogue inlet but thinking about tryin' something new.


----------



## drumchaser

Still the same as 05.


----------



## GlenS

So for someone whos never tried pier fishing. What are general rules? Thinking about Avalon this fall for a day/ night trip. Anything i should keep inmind?


----------



## smacks fanatic

this is an old thread...old...


----------



## NC KingFisher

Dear lord. this thread is almost as old as Shooter But start a new thread Yardbird


----------



## originalhooker

yes it's old, it's history, history forgotten will be repeated again by those not knowing or those choosing to forget. 
Bottom line, mercers is not user friendly, (costs,parking,workers lacking hr training,& rules, they can all add to the frustration) It is however like fishing on a fortress.
The eye candy during the bathing months is unequaled thanks to the 4 local colleges & the largest nc town on the coast.


----------



## yerbyray

I guess that I stand in opposition as I like JMP. 

I don't think the costs are unreasonable and seem to match bottom fishing in the surrounding area. As for parking, all three of the piers in and around Wilmington have less than ideal parking during peak touron season so I can't hold that against them. As for folks who work there.....the only one I care about is the person who is flipping my burger. I really don't expect great advice nor do I ask for any from someone working at the peir. As for knowing the rules.....I can read as well as they can and if they are not posted then they really can't be enforced too well.

JMP has always been good to me and the folks there have been friendly. I have fished day and night and never ran into anyone with an attitude. The pier itself is rather fisherman friendly as long as you bring duct tape or soemthing else to cushion your line.

I think it is worth mentioning that JMP does sponsor the annual dogfish tournament that many on this forum participate in. JMP gives us a fun outing and breaks the monotony of dull winter months by injecting a good time. That to me indicates that JMP cares about fishermen as shows good will.

One bad employee from a half decade ago shouldn't influence people today.


----------



## GC Since73

I have fished JM in the fall for the last couple of years. Matt is the owner and he is a friendly guy who gives good advice. The group I fish with has had no problem catching fish. Flounder, whiting, blues, puffers, black drum and trout. Surprisingly we haven't done well on red drum or spots. Probably just the timing. I believe the parking is regulated by the town, not the pier. You have to pay to park on the street even in front of your house until the end of October. When you think about how much it must have cost to put up a concrete pier the dollar to walk on it isn't bad. I find Wrightsville Beach to be more of a tourist beach as opposed to a fisherman's beach but I have had good fishing there. I will be fishing on the JM pier again the last weekend in October.


----------



## NC KingFisher

Yeah the dollar walking fee makes sense, that concrete probably cost the 50 to 75 bucks a yard, it gos for 125 to 150 now on small jobs OCP has a walking fee so they can replace the bolts


----------



## Captain T

Newsjeff said:


> I haven't been to that pier in years. However, I have a special place in my heart for those planks. I caught my first ocean fish off the end of that pier 20 years ago.
> Yeah, it was an inshore lizzard fish.
> But it was my first.
> 
> Damn, I gettin' old. Was 1985 really 20 years ago?


Actally my friend, 1985 was almost THIRTY years ago! And yes we are getting old!


----------



## drumchaser

Dang write we gettin old. Class reunions are a thing of the past.


----------



## ez2cdave

So, is the pier worth all the trouble and BS ?

$8 a rod is "piracy", if you ask me !


----------



## Byron/pa

I'll bite, though these early am posts can get carried away.......................So, what's the price at nine years later?


----------



## drumchaser

Damn, this thread got me again.  I made it to the first reply from 2009 until I realized it was nine years old. Haha


----------



## WNCRick

LOL, It'll never die.........


----------



## Loner

WNCRick said:


> LOL, It'll never die.........


...actually ALL THE NEGATIVE REMARKS are EXACTLY y I FISH MERCERS....$2.00 TO WALK NOW DAYS....$2.50 an hour to park now...Graffittie on everything..(made the news) on a beach that is beside a GANG INFESTED CITY,....COMPLETE with HUMAN TRAFFICKING out the ying yang...yea ALL YOU OUT OF STATERS COME ON DOWN!!!!Plenty of REAL ESTATE avaiblable right now...
..As a result....it is NEVER CROWDED ON JOHNNIES....I can wander out there in the middle of the day an get right where I want....but we send folks the OTHER WAY that we don't know....(Yea Jollys is GREAT....Kure is THE PLACE....they done landed 4 this morning at Surf City))
Just about ANYWHERE BUT HERE!!!.... hit the road...we can HANDLE THE FISHING UP HERE!!!...SEE YA!!!
A few of the fellows wanted to try and make money for Matt...the winter shark tourney is the CROWDEST DAY of the year..
I told em...hey boys...are u crazy?... WHAT IS IT ABOUT PLENTY OF ROOM u DON'T LIKE


----------



## ez2cdave

So, basically, Johnnie Mercer Pier SUCKS, because of the way it is being run, and has been run ever since it was rebuilt in 2000, and it would be "No Great Loss" if a CAT 5 Hurricane swept it off the face of the Earth . . . Right ?


----------



## Drumdum

ez2cdave said:


> So, basically, Johnnie Mercer Pier SUCKS, because of the way it is being run, and has been run ever since it was rebuilt in 2000, and it would be "No Great Loss" if a CAT 5 Hurricane swept it off the face of the Earth . . . Right ?


 Piers are in SHORT SUPPLY right now.. As much as I like to fish piers,both good and bad I would not wish that on ANY nc pier!!


----------



## Loner

ez2cdave said:


> So, basically, Johnnie Mercer Pier SUCKS, because of the way it is being run, and has been run ever since it was rebuilt in 2000, and it would be "No Great Loss" if a CAT 5 Hurricane swept it off the face of the Earth . . . Right ?


..when ALL the piers are being bull-dozed after a Cat 5 and ALL of Wrightsville Bch is being pushed up in big piles of waste....MERCERS WILL BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!
...THE REGULARS LOVE THE PLACE!!!


----------



## greg12345

Only fished it twice but that is one nice pier....water down at wrightsville has got to be the clearest on most days out of the year compared to other SE NC beaches


----------



## ez2cdave

NINE years later, JOHNNIE MERCER's Pier STILL has the SAME PROBLEMS . . . They'll NEVER get my business, unless they CHANGE DRASTICALLY !!!


----------

