Fishing out of Southport, NC for TBOT07

[MolarBoater]

I've never fished out of NC (or on the East Coast for that matter). So Southport is going to be a new experience for us from the Gulf Coast. If anyone has any words of wisdom and advice, please share. Not asking for your secret spots, just some general stuff!

How are the inlets around Southport? Which maps are best? Heard the shoals are tricky over there.

TowBoatUS has 50 mile coverage there.....that's comforting.

Guess sea conditions, hurricaines, etc will dictate what fish are closer in...
and whether to stay inshore.

Guess everyone fishes a "Carolina Rig" inshore for flounder?

How is the Speck fishing in July?

Where do you catch bait?
Use sabiki/castnet? Baitboat on vhf?

Where do you buy bait onshore?

Any good restaurants that you can boat up to in the evenings?
(and will they let you dock and eat in t shirts and shorts...)

I hope this thread will grow as time goes on till TBOT07.

Did find published reefs at http://www.ncfisheries.net/ that will get folks started.

Don't forget your fishing Lic, hard to believe this is a new thing for NC anglers!

Tight Lines,
Molar

[fridaysoff]

Molar,
I'll start with some of the answers. The inlet coming out of Soutport is deep and well marked. There are shoals close to the channel but container ships etc. use the inlet. You can go out a little cut close to the Caswell beach side where you can use a cast net a catch all the menhaden/bunker/pogies that you'll need to fish for kings. If there is a king tournament that weekend someone will be selling live menhaden from a pontoon boat nearby. Sabiki rigs work well offshore. Carolina rigs are the rig of choice for flounder in July. There should be plenty of "finger" mullet around to catch (with cast net) for live bait fishing. Also "Gulp" bait works well all year. The website you posted for reefs will be your best bet for flounder in July. The water is usually warm enough that the flounder have moved out to the reefs. Several are with in 3 miles of the beach.
speck fishing during July is not the greatest here.
Restaurants are all casual; but not many that are at the dock.
Water/weather conditions are usually stable unless like you said a hurricaine is in the area. Water is clear. Hope this helps.
John D.

[MolarBoater]

During the figid Easter weekend, I surfed the net and found all the numbers one could possibly want. Looked back into an old Sport Fishing mag article comparing king fishing in the Gulf with the Atlantic Coast and discussed the different tacticts etc. Very similar but sounds like you may catch more sharks and barracuda while trolling for kings with possible tarpon.

I wasn't sure what would be in the Cape Fear River in July but it sounds like things move out to nearshore reefs. Do you use a bigger cast net with more weight, like 12' : 3/4"?

Thanks for your help Fridaysoff,
can't wait, got my room this week.

[jtowery1]

Molar,
The Provision Company restaurant has a small dock but great casual eating and bar they will even bring your order to the boat. They are located on the west end of the Southport water front.
Hope that helps.
Joe

[fridaysoff]

Molar,
I would use the 12' cast net for King Mackerel baits and 4-6' cast net if you're planning on fishing the flounder division. You could enter both divisions and put out what we call a light line, on a balloon and use a live bait to fish for Kings while you're fishing on the bottom for Flounder. The larger Kings seem to like live bait here, slow trolling with menhaden like you see on the SKA or FLW tournaments.
John D.

[jimmy garner]

I have a place @ monkey junction. I usually put in @ Carolina beach state ramp. My wife and I love to go to wrightsville beach to the dockside on our boat and eat there and if she feels like driving I might even have a few. We've been looking for another place like that and the provision sound good. Could you tell me how to get there? We'd oviously be coming in down the river but I don't know southport . I'd appreciate your help. I love going out to eat on the boat. Thats living.

[MolarBoater]

So, if you fish for flounder or King, your best bet is at one of the nearshore reefs vs "inshore" for flounder.

Thanks for the advice.

[fridaysoff]

Molar,
Inshore may be better for bigger flounder. The only problem is you have to depend on local knowledge for the best spots inshore. The offshore reefs, within 5 miles hold a lot of flounder during July due to the high water temp. in shallow water(inshore). I catch most of my flounder in less that 10' of water until July-August when the fish move offshore. You would need to know where some of the deeper holes are in the river and bays to be able to catch a few inshore/inside flounder. You could pick up a chart of the area and look for some deep areas inside of the Southport inlet and also Lockwood Folly inlet. There are some well known areas such as the quarrantine pilings and the Caswell dock. I'll be glad to point out some areas to you at the meeting on Friday. We'll check the weather and I'll advised you as to where I would go.See you there.
John D.