# Coquina Beach for fishing



## joe l. (Jul 31, 2004)

Getting ready for our trip to the Banks this year, coming to South Nags Head. I was scouting places to do some fishing and was wondering how Coquina beach is for fishing? We're coming down the 1st week of Sept.

Any reasons to fish Coquina as opposed to other places?

Thanks much...

joe


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## Cobia Seeker (Mar 19, 2002)

Only time I have had any luck there is Thanksgiving thru New Years with Big Blues and Big Stripers.


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

joe l. said:


> Getting ready for our trip to the Banks this year, coming to South Nags Head. I was scouting places to do some fishing and was wondering how Coquina beach is for fishing? We're coming down the 1st week of Sept.
> 
> Any reasons to fish Coquina as opposed to other places?
> 
> ...


The water toward Oregan Inlet is nice too. IF you have 4 Wheel Drive.


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## joe l. (Jul 31, 2004)

I do have 4WD, but will readily admit, I have never driven on sand before, and after seeing various pics of folks who misjudged the sands and got swamped (or worse), I've hesitant to try it, as I'm the only one in the family who fishes, so would be doing it by myself.

I did plan on scoping out Oregon Inlet, is there somewhere to park and walk on?


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

joe l. said:


> I did plan on scoping out Oregon Inlet, is there somewhere to park and walk on?


I've never walked to either Coquina or OI. 

But I've walked over the dune at Pea Island many times. 

Lots of places to park along that strip of sand. Maybe try fishin' the boiler. Park at the Pea Island visitors center, cross Rt. 12 and hit the walkover. It's really not that bad of a hike. 

Or just air down dem tires and stay above the high tide line. :fishing:


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## NCsurffisher (Jun 27, 2004)

If you are going to walk on, check out all the public parking areas at coquina and pea island (I think there are four) at low tide and fish the ones with the best accessible structure. 

If you AIR DOWN to 20 or below and use common sense, you shouldn't have anything to worry about driving on the beach, although the sand at Ramp 4 (the ramp closest to Oregon Inlet) is pretty soft and deep and heavily rutted (due to the people who do NOT air down) and the beach can be very narrow or non-existent, especially south of Ramp 4 on higher tides. Note that you cannot drive on the beach at Pea Island. 

Coquina to the inlet can be an excellent beach throughout the fall, so I would definitely suggest giving it a go. It has a tendency to be a little shallow close to the beach so make sure you find a segment of beach with a nice slough or deep hole. Good luck!


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## jahtez (Aug 29, 2021)

joe l. said:


> Getting ready for our trip to the Banks this year, coming to South Nags Head. I was scouting places to do some fishing and was wondering how Coquina beach is for fishing? We're coming down the 1st week of Sept.
> 
> Any reasons to fish Coquina as opposed to other places?
> 
> ...


Thought I'd reply if anyone stumbles on this thread.

If you park in the lot at Coquina Beach, head over the dune, then walk up the beach about half a football field you'll find that just offshore is a shell bottom, and in the very late summer and into the fall it attracts a fair number of trout, kingfish, a few flounder, and puppy drum. The size typically isn't overwhelming, mostly pan fish, and the pups typically aren't keepers. But when fish are biting you tend to get decent numbers and if you have kids and/or other short-attention-span fishing partners it's not a bad spot to fish.

The trick is not to cast too far out. Yeah, some guys have rigs that could cast a cinder block to the Bahamas, but a bass spinning outfit with some basic bottom rings with pieces of shrimp cast out behind the first step off, or just plain white plastic jigs cast into the first trough and slowly dragged back in, should provide plenty of bites.


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