Jennette's Pier Nags Head NC

[Johnsfolly]

We took a trip to visit a friend in Myrtle Beach SC. We had a offshore charter scheduled. I have wanted to try for spadefish in the Carolinas. I had seen lots of videos of folks fishing Jennette's pier for spadefish, sheepshead, and Spanish mackerel. Nags Head can be on the way to Myrtle beach. We decided to stop on the way. Only had a few hours to fish the pier. Hopefully it would be enough to catch some new fish for myself or Livie or Sue. It was a beautiful day. The water was very calm but also quite dirty. 

We were going to fish high low rigs. We started with bloodworm scented fish bites on one hook and a small piece of shrimp on the other to see what the fish preferred. We fished just outside of the breakwater to see if there are kingfish, silver perch or maybe even pompano closer to the beach.

It was not fast and furious, but Livie caught a pigfish on the shrimp to get us started.

I caught a spot on the fishbites and Sue got on the board with a silver perch again on the shrimp. Livie caught another couple of silver perch on the shrimp and we switched to shrimp for all of the rigs. 

We headed to some deeper water and the catching got much better. We caught southern kingfish, silver perch, and pinfish.

I used one of the spot as cutbait trying to catch something a bit larger. We let that bait sit while we fished the shrimp. We got one solid hit on the spot head. The fish ran under the pier, but the line got hung on the railing and we got cut off while I got the line off of the railing. Livie also lost a decent fish that hit her shrimp. That sucked. With the dirty water I did not use any spoons or Gotcha plugs to try for Spanish. I was able to hook and land a small Spanish mackerel on the shrimp. It was my lifer for the day. Never did get a spadefish or any sheepshead. 

We caught quite a few fish, had chances at bigger fish, and had a great time. It was onto SC hopefully for more fish and possible lifers.

 

[Quillback]

Looks like some great weather!

[Bushbeater]

We vacation in that area regularly. I've fished Avon Pier in Hatteras with some success, but usually just surf cast now. Last trip did luck into a 27" Red Drum. We sometimes camp at Hatteras or Okracoke but last trip rented a house in Frisco. Truly a world class fishery. Did I mention the 300# Marlin my son landed on a charter trip?

[Johnsfolly]

8 hours ago, Bushbeater said:

We vacation in that area regularly. I've fished Avon Pier in Hatteras with some success, but usually just surf cast now. Last trip did luck into a 27" Red Drum. We sometimes camp at Hatteras or Okracoke but last trip rented a house in Frisco. Truly a world class fishery. Did I mention the 300# Marlin my son landed on a charter trip?

I lived in Wilmington in rhe summer during college, but I haven't spent much time in the OBX until recently. Really only starting to get familiar with that area. Marlin is on my bucket list for sure.