Average Monthly Surf Temps (2/15/21)

Posted by & filed under Articles, Fishing.

Average Weekly Surf Temps in Emerald Isle 1995-2021

  • 2021 NCDMF Recreational regulations (ncdmf.net, http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/). Fishing License since Jan-2007 (www.ncwildlife.org), 1-888-HUNTFISH, 1-888-248-6834), trout 4/day, 14-in.
  • Water temperatures…who!
    1. Winter (low, in 40s Dec, Jan, Feb) March (50s) April (60s, magic temp. 65°), May (70s)
    2. Fish and temperature croaker (45°), sea mullet/trouts/blowfish (48°), bluefish (50°), B&R drum (52°), spot/flounder (56°), sheepshead (58°), Atlantic bonito/false albacore (60-62°), Spanish/king Mackerel (65-68°)
  • Piers/surf
    1. Just opening (List of remaining piers) Blanket licenses for piers, but check for 2021.
    2. Oceanana, Bogue Inlet, Sheraton/Double Tree-no fishing (Seaview, Surf City, Jolly Roger)
    3. March/April, Sea mullet, blowfish, skates, sharks (dogfish), black drum, blues, false albys, gray trout, bluefish late March, early April (1 to 2 lbs. and skinny Hatteras blues-April), blackfin tuna!
    4. Can’t get fresh shrimp, fish strips, squid (Fishbites-shrimp/bloodworms, Gulp!).
      1. Did you freeze finger mullet last fall, parboil your sand fleas?
    5. May Day, Spanish on the piers and nearshore, start CL Jetty and go west along beach (Gotcha, Clark Spoons, Speck Rigs)
  • Sound
    1. Lots of tiny minnows around now along with peanut bunker and mullet (big and small)
    2. Creeks-puppy drum (also shoals at inlets), CL shoals!
    3. Speckled trout (should be showing/returning from ocean, and grays too)
    4. Flounder that wintered over, but many early flounder on nearshore reefs, wrecks and rocks (315, 320, 330… etc) Flounder regs for 2020, Closed, will open TBD???, ??-in. ?/day.
    5. Early run of hungry (less fussy) sheepshead (April/May) (10-in. FL , 10/day)
    6. Grubs (float), live mud or mullet minnows or pinfish, MirrOlures, top water
  • Rivers
    1. Hickory Shad (March/April), Stripers (April/May) anadromous spawners. Roanoke, Neuse, Tar and Creeks. (Check for current regs).
  • Inshore
    1. False albacore Atlantic bonito (into mid-May, sea mullet, blues, gray trout
    2. Artificial reefs (AR 315, 320, 340, 342)-sea bass, black drum (14-25 in.10/day), gray trout
    3. CL Jetty, Beaufort inlet, Dead Tree Hole (GPS = 34 39.24, 76 38.06)
    4. Many early season flounder on nearshore reefs, wrecks and rocks (315, 320, 330… etc)
    5. Cobia 2010 excellent but 2012/13 good, poor 2018, 2019, 2020.

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)