baitin’ and waitin’
by Al Baird • Photography by Allison Potter
In 1923, L.C. Kure was interested in creating an activity for
PIER FISHING
IN NORTH CAROLINA: A Matter of Degrees
people who were vacationing at the beach named for his
family, and a fishing pier seemed like a good fit. That year,
Kure Beach Pier became the first fishing pier in the state of
North Carolina.
Other coastal communities eventually adopted Kure’s idea.
In the 1930s, the
largest vacation
community
in North Carolina
was Wrightsville
Beach, and in
1937 the Atlantic
View Fishing
Pier was con-structed.
Two
years later the
Mira Mar, now
the Crystal Pier,
would be built
over the wreck of
the Confederate
blockade-runner,
Fanny and Jenny.
A few years later
Johnnie Mercer
purchased the
Atlantic View
Fishing Pier and
in the 1940s
changed its
name to Johnnie
Mercer’s Pier.
For the next
four decades,
fishing piers
would continue to
sprout up along
the barrier islands
of North Carolina
until the total
number reached a peak of 36 by the early 1980s.
The concept of providing access seaward over the ocean for
the purpose of catching fish works because North Carolina’s
coastal waters enjoy a year round environment that is conducive
for fishing. Water temperatures will rise into the 60s by early
April and stay above that until November, all the while rarely
rising above 80 degrees. The 60 to 80 degree range is ideal for
attracting a variety of fish.
In addition to the temperatures, the ocean off of the North
Carolina coast is the confluence of two major currents, the
Gulf Stream flowing south to north and the Labrador Current
running north to south. The two interact along the entire East
Coast. This brings baitfish as well as migrating fish into the
surf zone.
While anglers might not be able to catch exactly what they
want every time, fish can be hooked all year long from the state
piers. Several piers, including Johnnie Mercer’s, maintain winter
hours and host a steady stream of fishermen even in the colder
winter months. Experienced anglers know that in March, several
species of desirable table fare fish can be taken with the right
bait and tackle. Northern puffers and sea mullets will be the first
to show, and they can be caught with a simple double-drop
bottom rig baited with fresh cut shrimp.
Soon after the toads and mullets, when the water warms a
few more degrees, bluefish will make their appearance followed
by Spanish mackerels. Several methods will be employed to
deck these popular fish but one of the most common is on a
jerk jigger lure called a Got-Cha plug. The Got-Cha plug is a
North Carolina original invented by Alan Brinson of
Wilmington in 1957.
To employ the lure, cast out, away from the pier, then with
an underhand retrieve, jerk the rod as the line is reeled in — reel
then jerk, reel and jerk, then jerk, jerk, jerk, then reel and jerk.
This causes the lure to move quickly from side to side. Bluefish
and Spanish are fast swimmers and they often target their prey
from below. They hit the lure hard making for an exciting
hookup and a spectacular visual for the angler.
The guys at the end of the pier will be waiting for the water
to climb into the 70s, usually around the middle of May. When
the conditions are right, this will bring king mackerels and cobias
close to shore, and later in the summer, tarpons as well. These
The most common method
used by king fishermen is a
two-rod method, shown above.
One rod is an anchor rod that
tethers live bait that is attached
to the other fighting rod. When
a large fish strikes the bait it
detaches from the anchor rod
and the battle begins. If the
angler wins, the fish is brought
close to the pier where it is
retrieved with a large net or a
pier gaff with the assistance of
fellow anglers.
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WBM august 2013