Everything that I didn’t know about fishing for bluefish from the pier.

The week-long tournament started today and ends on the 13th. SInce I do not have a ‘real’ boat capable of trolling or chasing down those speedy bluefish, I was very happy that the rules allow a ten percent add-on to the length of fish caught from pier, surf or kayak. I deemed my kayak too slow for trolling or chasing so decided to try the pier. After a brief research of techniques, I started out with a 7-ft Pinnacle Power Pro rod and a 4000 Shimano reel spooled with 30-lb Berkeley Big Cat mono. To say that the rig was a bit of over-kill would be putting it kindly, but I chose the rod because it had a long butt which I thought would be good for jigging off the pier. For terminal tackle I chose a saltwater Sabiki rig and a multicolored tube and worm rig.

I visited three piers and saw, or heard, about very few bluefish being caught. The biggest that I saw was about 9-inches. My sympathies for all of my fellow landlubber anglers. My first day experience tells me that that the 10 percent added length will not be enough to make us competitive. The only one that I caught was under 6 inches!

So what did I learn?

I talked to many experieced anglers on the pier and those behind the counters in the pier shops. Some thought the best times to fish would be on a falling tide; others said early morning or late evening would be best. The consensus of all was that the water was too cloudy and fishing would be better only when the winds calmed. Also, it was agreed that the fish are migrating from South to North, so picking a location on a Southward facing side of the pier is best.

Pier fishing is probably not for everyone, but it is a relaxing way to fish and a good way to meet and chat with fellow anglers. If you already have the gear, it is also relatively economical. I visited Sunset Beach Pier, Ocean Isle Pier and Cherry Grove Pier.

The Sunset Beach Pier is open daily from 6 AM to midnight. There is a $10 fee for one rod, $15 for two and parking is refundable. Ocean Isle Pier is open 7 AM to 8 PM, fishing costs $10 per rod and parking is free. The Cherry Grove Pier also has free parking with a $10 per rod fee plus a $3 Pier Pass (veterans exempted). Hours are 7 AM to 11 PM. Another great advantage is that fishing licenses are not required – so don’t hesitate to bring a friend or a guest!

If you have further questions about fishing from our local piers, please don’t ask me! I’ve a;ready told you everything that I know.

Mike Shannon