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Fishing Piers

Fishing and crabbing from piers is a favorite pastime along the Crystal Coast. While hurricanes in recent years have wreaked havoc on several favorite spots, there are still two piers open for business. These piers are popular spots during the spring, summer and fall. Take along your kids or anyone who has never fished — it's fun!MH 03-19-08


Insiders' Guide to NC'S Central Coast & New BernThe Crystal Coast is renowned the world over for its offshore fishing.
Photo: NC Travel & Tourism

 

Oceanana Fishing Pier
MM 1, N.C. Hwy. 58, Atlantic Beach
(252) 726-4111, (252) 726-0863
www.oceanana.com

OceananaFamilyResort_MotelAndFishingPier_AtlanticBeachNC_101908

This lighted pier is part of the Oceanana Family Resort Motel, but you don't have to be a motel patron to fish here. Fishing passes are the lowest cost on the Crystal Coast, and motel guests fish for free in the off-season. No saltwater fishing license is necessary; a blanket pass is provided by the pier, which remains one of the last fishing piers on the Crystal Coast. The Oceanana also rents rods and reels and has an arcade, a tackle and snack shop, and plenty of parking. The pier's grill offers delicious breakfast and lunch menus for all beachgoers. MS 10-26-07

Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier
MM 19, N.C. Hwy. 58, Emerald Isle
(252) 354-2919

This 1,000-foot, lighted pier is a popular spot for anglers and beachgoers. Parking in the large lot is free weekdays if you are fishing and $5 on Saturday and Sunday; from there access to the ocean beach is a short walk through the lot and down some wooden stairs. People who want to fish may do so from the pier all day at rates starting at $8.50. Bathrooms, a place to clean your catch, tackle, bait and a snack bar are on the premises.

 

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Head, Charter
and Tour Boats

Fortunate anglers can fish from their own boats, but lacking your own (or a friend's) you can choose from the dozens of commercial rentals and charters. One good way to enjoy a day of inexpensive fishing is on a head boat. These large vessels take as many as 50 people out into the Gulf Stream for a day's worth of deep-sea fishing. The name came about because you pay by the head, or per person, for the trip. You don't hire the entire boat, just a spot on the deck. The crew provides the rods, reels and bait; you just take your personal belongings, such as a cooler of drinks and snacks, seasickness prevention, weather gear and sun protection.

Charter boats are smaller vessels hired by a private party of four to six individuals. A typical half-day excursion will take you bottom fishing offshore where grouper, red snapper, triggerfish and grunts are plentiful. A whole day of deep-sea fishing involves motoring some 40 miles offshore to the Gulf Stream. Chartering a boat to troll the Gulf Stream is what you want if you hope to catch tuna, wahoo, dolphin, marlin and sailfish. Be advised, though, that boat charters are expensive — daily fees range from $500 to $1,200 or more for a full party. If you don't have a complete group, a charter captain may be able to hook you up with another half-party willing to share the expenses of chartering the boat.

Most head and charter boats operate year round, with less frequent trips in the dead of winter. For more information about head and charter boats, we recommend you walk along the Morehead City and Beaufort waterfronts, check out the marinas on the Atlantic Beach Causeway or talk with other anglers.

More than 70 licensed charter boats and head boats operate year-round on the Crystal Coast so we can't list them all here. Our descriptions are representative samples of the vessels available for hire. MH 03-18-08
 

 

Capt. Stacy Fishing Center
416 Atlantic Beach Cswy., Atlantic Beach
(252) 247-7501, (800) 533-9417
www.captstacy.com

CaptStacyFishingCenter_HeadBoatsAndCharterFishing_AtlanticBeachNC_030809

Capt. Stacy's fleet consists of more than 14 vessels, including everything from 35-foot sport-fishing boats to an 83-foot head boat. The head boat offers half- and full-day trips along with a 24-hour trip. The fleet's charter boats can be hired for half- and full-day trips year-round.MH 03-18-08
 

 

Carolina Princess
Sixth St., Morehead City
(252) 726-5479, (800) 682-3456
www.carolinaprincess.com

CarolinaPrincess_Headboat_MoreheadCityNC_090409

Carolina Princess has been a prominent name around the Carolinas since the 1960s, and Owner-Captain Terrell Gould is one of the area's best-known captains. Carolina Princess is a headboat offering bottom fishing and sport fishing with the utmost in service. Full-day and 18-hour fishing trips are available year round, and half-day trips are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the summer. Carolina Princess charters can accommodate up to 80 people for fishing trips, and during spring and fall they offer affordable stand-up sport-fishing trips for up to 12 anglers looking to land big sportfish such as tuna, dolphin, wahoo and marlin. The boat can also handle 150 people for parties, receptions, weddings or just cruising the Crystal Coast. MH 04-10-08
 

Coastal Ecology Sails
Beaufort Docks, Beaufort
(252) 247-3860

Capt. Ron White of the Good Fortune, a 41-foot center-cockpit ketch with red sails, and his trusty first mate, Lt. Willis, take passengers on custom sailing tours that may include dolphin watching, beach exploration, lighthouse visiting, snorkeling, shelling, wild-horse watching and, of course, sailing. With 28 years experience, Capt. White can customize a package for up to six people. This is a trip that will make your visit to the Crystal Coast a truly memorable one.MH 03-18-08

Continental Shelf, Inc.
406 Evans St., Morehead City
(252) 726-7454, (800) 775-7450

The Continental Shelf has an ideal charter for the fisherman who wants to have something to talk about for years to come. Select from a half-day adventure that includes pirate tales, dolphin watching and near-shore fishing on the Crystal Coast or try a full-day of fishing for grouper, triggerfish or vermillion snapper. For the more adventuresome, head out overnight for some fast-paced excitement hunting the big fish offshore. All you have to bring is your good luck and a big cooler. The Continental Shelf provides rod and reel, bait and tackle, and they will ice the fish for the trip home. A snack bar aboard the boat has sandwiches and snacks to sustain you during a long day of reeling. The Continental Shelf is a 100-foot sportsfisher and can easily handle 40 or more anglers. She has three V-8 turbo diesels and enough electronics to find the wiliest fish. You can fish in comfort from the boat’s upper or lower deck or stern as the Continental Shelf has a broad beam and plenty of elbow room. The boat docks on the Morehead City waterfront next to Olympus Diving.MH 03-11-08
 

   

Fishead Charters
106 Lion Glenn Dr., Swansboro
(910) 459-2257

With 21 years of boating and fishing experience, Captain Chris Sewell of Fishead Charters can make your day a truly enjoyable experience. Offering in-shore and near-shore fishing charters, Chris can customize your half-day (four hour) or full-day (six hour) trip to be exactly what you want. Chris supplies rods and reels, tackle, ice and bait. He will clean the fish and can offer quite a few recipes on how to cook them.  If you want to go clamming, crabbing, cast netting or are interested in a brief history of Swansboro, Emerald Isle or Cape Carteret, Chris has got you covered. You will not need a fishing license — he has a blanket license for his boat, a 21-foot Bay boat.. All you need to bring are sodas, water, snacks and sunscreen. Chris keeps his charters clean and non-smoking and he operates in a Christian environment. Year round, depending on the weather and the season, you can catch flounder, speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, black drum, spots and croakers. If the fish aren't biting, Fishead Charters is also available for eco-tours. Explore the local islands or hunt for fossilized shark teeth. Chris likes to keep his tours to two passengers, but if you need more room, he can help you find what you need. He is U.S. Coast Guard certified and fully insured.MH 03-18-08
 

 

Mystery Boat Tours
The Mystery Tour Boat
410 Front St., Ste. 2, Beaufort

(252) 728-2527, (866) 230-BOAT
www.mysteryboattours.com

MysteryTours_BoatCruises_BeaufortNC_060509

NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED! Enjoy inland bay fishing aboard the Mystery. The trip includes your rod, reel, bait, tackle and ice, and no individual fishing license is necessary as the Mystery maintains a license for the boat. Mates onboard help bait hooks and remove fish so it couldn't be easier to try your hand at catching flounder, blues, croaker and sharks. The Mystery will have you to your first fishing spot within 15 minutes of leaving the dock. There is also an onboard snack bar with light snacks, cold drinks and hot coffee. Call to book a trip.MH 03-11-08

 

Nancy Lee Fishing Center
N.C. Hwy. 24 E., Swansboro
(252) 354-3474, (910) 326-4304

Three miles from Emerald Isle, Nancy Lee Fishing Center offers five-hour head-boat fishing charters for adults and children as well as five-, eight- and 11-hour private charters that consist of bottom fishing and trolling. All of Capt. Lee Manning's vessels are Coast Guard inspected and equipped with the latest safety and electronics gear. The boat has an on-board fishing license so no individual licenses are needed. Private dolphin-watch cruises are also available.MH 03-18-08

 

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