Fishing

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Asian tiger shrimp:  Love them or fear them?

It’s official: The influx of Asian tiger shrimp into North Carolina waters, the rest of the South Atlantic coast, and the Gulf of Mexico is significantly worrisome, if not downright frightening.

Dr. James Morris, a marine ecologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research in Beaufort, said recently that a report from the U.S. Geological Survey indicated that the numbers of the jumbo shrimp, which can grow as long as 13 inches, increased tenfold between 2010 and 2011.  ....Read more
State Division of Marine Fisheries May Disappear

For the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries, this was already shaping up to be a particularly busy summer. But now the division is facing another major undertaking.

At the Marine Fisheries Commission’s quarterly meeting today and Friday, May 10 and 11,  in Pine Knoll Shores, Louis Daniel, the division’s director, will brief commission members on a set of proposed bills approved by the N.C. General Assembly’s Marine Fisheries Committee.   ....Read more
Outer Banks Angling: Take a kid fishing

Taking children fishing is a great way to promote the sport and a nice way to spend some time with a kid. In fact, it can be a lot of fun. The child may be yours, a friend’s, a relative’s, or maybe a kid from the local Big Brothers/Sisters program.

Promoting fishing to a child can help to ensure future generations will enjoy this sport by building interest and the future supporters needed to fight for sportsmen’s rights.   ....Read more
Some big fish and great weather make anglers happy at Ocracoke tournament….WITH SLIDE SHOW

The fish may have been fewer, but fun and summer-like weather was in abundance at the 29th annual Ocracoke Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament Thursday and Friday, May 3 and 4.
The Stop-N-Shop Hotliners of Nags Head were the first-place winners with 168 points won from just eight fish caught.

“They may not have had a lot of fish, but they had big fish,” said Woody Billings, head judge and tournament director.  ....Read more
Outer Banks Angling: What a difference a couple weeks make

March was packed full of unusual, beautiful weather -- one of the nicest on record with very warm weather and light winds. Then April arrived, and we’ve seen what I consider to be the true Outer Banks spring weather -- cooler air and stronger winds.

Although the weather went from abnormally nice to a little more violent, the fishing has remained strong -- if not gotten stronger. ....Read more
Protecting the Sturgeon: Joy and consternation

To preserve what remains of the giant Atlantic sturgeon, the federal government will place the fish on the endangered species list starting Friday, April 6. That leaves state officials waiting for the other shoe to drop.

North Carolina, as did some of the other states affected by the listing, opposed federal protection, though the sturgeon’s population in state waters is at historic lows. State officials aren’t so much worried about fishermen being fined for catching sturgeon since the state has banned possession of the fish since 1991.

The state based its objections primarily on the restrictions that will likely be included in the plan that the federal government must devise to restore the sturgeon’s habitat in order to bring its population back to an acceptable level. The plan could include restrictions on commercial fishing gear and inlet dredging.   ....Read more

Atlantic Sturgeon: Protecting an ancient giant

Most people in North Carolina have never seen an Atlantic sturgeon. Once common along our coast, the fish became so rare that to preserve the remaining population the state more than 20 years ago made it illegal to possess a sturgeon. Starting Friday, April 6, though, the full weight of the U.S. government will get behind the protection of what remains of this ancient fish whose ancestors swam among dinosaurs. ....Read more
Local watermen attend Keep Fishermen Fishing rally in D.C.

Near the cheerful beauty of the cherry trees in full bloom, a group of somber fishermen met in Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C., at noon on a gray and cloudy Wednesday, March 21. They rallied under the banner, “United We Fish.”

This year’s event was called Keep Fishermen Fishing, and commercial, charter and headboat, and recreational fishermen stood shoulder to shoulder listening as senators and representatives from Congress promised to support flexibility in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and bring relief from unfair practices and regulations in all United States fisheries. ....Read more
Local catch movement picks up steam

Coming up with a catchy name has been the easy part.

Fishing families in North Carolina have faced plenty of challenges in the past few decades — from adapting to tighter regulations to heavy competition from foreign fishing fleets and farmed products. For leaders in the state’s growing local-catch movement, which aims to keep North Carolina’s fishing traditions alive, the big challenge ahead is getting the rest of us to remember that “buy local” applies to seafood, too.  ....Read more
Bill to reserve three species, including red drum, for recreational anglers is back

Red drum, the official North Carolina saltwater fish, could soon be among three finfish that won’t be available to consumers in the state’s fish markets. Whether that is bad or good is a question that has re-energized a spitting match between the state’s recreational and commercial fishing interests over conservation, livelihood and who should have access to the public resource.

Legislation introduced last session in the General Assembly that would designate striped bass, speckled trout and red drum exclusively as gamefish is now being reconsidered by the Marine Fisheries Study Committee, which had its first meeting last week. ....Read more







The very best guide to charter fishing on the islands….WITH SLIDE SHOW

If you’ve never been fishing off Hatteras or Ocracoke, it’s definitely worth looking into.  The variety of trips, boats, captains, and species of fish available is quite impressive, and there are options that can accommodate almost any budget or interest.

That said, with so many options available, choosing the right charter can be a daunting task, especially for first-timers. To make it a little bit easier, The Island Free Press has compiled a guide to Hatteras and Ocracoke charter fishing.  With answers to frequently asked questions, information on everything from choosing a boat to cleaning your fish, advice on making your trip more enjoyable, and pictures to rouse your inner angler, this guide is designed help get you off the docks and on the water.  ....Read more