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Approx. 43 lbs King Mackerel Caught by Chris Rackley on 10/9/2006 off Christmas Rock(North Topsail)-on display in our Surf City Office.
Fishing Piers
Topsail Island is known for it's great fishing piers where fisherman catch most ocean inshore species such as cobia, king mackerel, spanish mackerel, flounder, pompano to name only a few. Every fall, fishermen from all over the country flock to our fishing piers for the annual "spot run" which fills both piers and coolers.
Topsail Island features three ocean piers and one soundside pier.
Surf City Ocean Pier - 112 S. Shore Drive, Surf City 910-328-3521 - 937 feet long ocean pier with octagon end, tackle shop, grill & arcade www.surfcityoceanpier.com
Jolly Roger Fishing Pier- 803 E Ocean Rd, Topsail Beach 910-328-4616 - 850 feet long ocean pier with motel, convenience store, grill & tackle shop.
Seaview Fishing Pier 124 Fishing Pier Lane, North Topsail Beach 910-328-3171 -Over 1000 feet long (one of the longest in the state), tackle shop and restaurant with pier beach access. www.seaviewfishingpier.com
Surf City Soundside City Park Pier - Surf City Park (right beside drawbridge) - sound fishing at no charge, boat ramp, parking and bathrooms.
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Surf Fishing
Surf Fishing is a fishing technique using "surf rods" and casting from the shore into the ocean.
Topsail Island has public beach accesses placed every half mile to a mile to allow access to the strand. Many visit Topsail Island for its surf fishing catching pompano, drum, spots, and other species.
During the tourist off-season months, most towns on the island will allow you to purchase a beach driving permit to use for surf fishing.
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Inshore Fishing
The Topsail Island area offers many creeks and shoals which are home to species such as flounder, drum, spot & trout. Small shallow draft boats are preferred unless you are planning to fish around the ICWW or the two bridges crossing the waterway.
Other local favorites on the Topsail waterways and sounds are castnetting and crabbing. Castnetting often reaps shrimp, baitfish and sometimes pan sized fish such as spots.
Contact Capt. Chris Medlin for guide service or inshore charter boat service at ecsports@earthlink.net .
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Offshore Fishing
Topsail Island is served by two inlets, New Topsail & New River Inlets, that allow access conveniently from our local waters to the Atlantic Ocean. Our clean ocean waters offer plentiful catches of saltwater gamefish species such as kings, spanish, cobia, dolphin (mahi-mahi), wahoo, grouper, flounder & blackfish to name only several.
Topsail Island is home to both artificial reefs, natural ledges and ship wrecks all that hold many fish.
Here are several GPS Coordinates that are our personal favorites although the real secrets you will have to find yourself :).
AR 355 - (approx 10 miles from New River Inlet) - 34-21'11"/077-20'00"
AR 386- (approx 24 miles from New Topsail Inlet) - 33-57'31"/077-33'27"
(use #'s at your own risk)
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Fishing Tournaments
Sneads Ferry King Mackerel Tournament - www.sneadsferrykmt.com
Topsail Beach King Mackerel Tournament- www.tofc.com
Onslow Bay Open Tournament - www.obokmt.com
Sneads Ferry Lions Club Pinfish Tournament (kids) - 910-327-7601
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Boat Ramps
Surf City Public- Free- Right Across Drawbridge on Right
Topsail Beach - Bush Marina - Pay Ramp/Slips
North Topsail Beach - Under Highrise Bridge on Island - Free
Turkey Creek - Mainland - SR 1530- Free
New River Marina - Sneads Ferry - Pay
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NC Recreational Fishing Licenses
Effective Jan. 1, 2007, all recreational fishermen must hold or purchase a special fishing license. This license can be purchased on a 10-day, annual or lifetime basis, or combined with a variety of licenses issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC). This includes anyone who will be fishing with a rod or reel, from the surf or a boat. Most fishing piers however hold a blanket license that will cover you while on their property, be sure to confirm with the fishing pier itself beforehand.
Exemptions
Individuals under16 years of age.
Individuals who purchase any of the following WRC licenses prior to Jan. 1, 2006:
· All categories of Lifetime Sportsman licenses;
· Lifetime Resident Comprehensive Fishing License;
· Lifetime Combination Hunting and Fishing License for Disabled Resident Sportsman;
· Disabled Resident Sportsman;
· Lifetime Fishing License for the Legally Blind; and
· Adult Care Home Resident Fishing License.
The license can be purchased online at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission or at several local tackle/boating shops on the island.
Proceeds from the sale of this license will go into two marine resources funds managed by the state’s Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources commissions. Revenues must be used to manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate, conserve and/or enhance North Carolina’s marine resources.
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