Recreational anglers will be required to use circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with natural bait in coastal ocean waters beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The requirement pertains to all recreational fishing (including possession) using a hook and line with natural bait for striped bass. The circle hooks must be non-offset and made of a [...] Fishing |  Full Article

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Steve Murphey has announced he intends to retire after 33 years with North Carolina state government. Murphey shared with his staff on Monday that he has been planning this move since August, and his last official day will be Jan. 31, 2021, according to NCDMF spokesperson Patricia Smith. “It [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The nonprofit North Carolina Coastal Federation is offering holiday gift ideas that support coastal conservation and the continued daily coverage of the North Carolina coast that Coastal Review Online provides. Amid heightened concerns about pandemic, the federation has announced new ways to support its work through gift giving, including gift memberships and three “adoption” programs. [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Every year, crab pots and other fishing gear are lost in our sounds, creating hazards for boats and marine life. The North Carolina Coastal Federation is seeking applications to help clean up this debris through the Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project. The Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project, is part of a statewide marine debris removal [...] Fishing |  Full Article

By Tim Wilson Not all is lost when it comes to winter fishing. December to March can be a great time of year to fill the cooler. When trolling’s not working, it’s time to turn to jigging. A couple of key factors have to be considered. First is the water depth of 140 to 350 [...] Fishing |  Full Article

By Robert Michelson Grouper are large, fat-bodied fish with huge mouths and will eat just about anything they can fit in those choppers. While there are several species of grouper off the East Coast, two stand out in North Carolina: gag and red grouper, the most important for North Carolina commercial and recreational fishermen. “Adult [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission wants input from its advisors before it moves forward with possible future modifications to small mesh gill net rules. At its meeting last week, the commission chose a variety of options for the Division of Marine Fisheries to explore as a first step toward amending rules pertaining to yardage limits, [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The North Carolina Coastal Federation is giving oyster shells from oyster roasts, restaurant and backyard cookouts a second life through its Recycling for Reefs program. Rather than hauling those shells to the trash, which is illegal, there are several shell recycling drop-off sites across the coast to help make recycling easy, and cut costs for [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The North Carolina Coastal Federation is currently accepting applications for “on-water” cleanup assistance relating to its annual Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project. This project is open to commercial watermen and women in North Carolina. This project is funded by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Fund Committee and the Funding Committee for the N.C. [...] Fishing |  Full Article