At the Sea Trail Fishing Club’s May meeting Ami Staples of NC’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources presented an excellent program about fish tagging and the benefits that the program has for recreational fisherfolk.

Division researchers at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries are studying the migration, growth, habitat use and population status of striped bass, red drum, spotted seatrout, southern flounder, and cobia in North Carolina.

Fish tagging programs are a vital part of a fishery manager’s tools for assessing fish populations. Conducted properly, tagging can yield a wealth of information about movement patterns, habitat utilization, population structure and mortality rates of fish.

Volunteers are needed in the Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach area!  If you are interested in becoming a part of this program or have questions about the North Carolina Tagging Program or volunteer tagging opportunities, please contact the Tagging Biologist, Ami Staples, at 252-948-3913 or Ami.Staples@ncdenr.gov.

All applicants must complete an in-person, hands-on training before becoming an eligible volunteer tagger and receiving your tagging kit. Training classes are offered twice a year during the spring and fall, and last about 3 hours. Division staff give a brief overview of the Tagging Program, discuss tagging procedures and how to record data, and demonstrate proper handling and tagging techniques with real fish specimens.

To submit an application, click on the link below:

Tagger Enrollment Program

Don’t miss Thursday’s speaker at the Sea Trail Fishing Club’s May Meeting to be held at the Pink Palace in the Sea Trail Plantation at 6:30 to 8:30 PM. If you have not attended any of our previous meetings, the ‘Palace’ is located at 295 Rice Mill Circle, Sunset Beach NC.

Ami Staples is the Marine Fisheries Biologist II for the Multi-Species Tagging Program at the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF). Ami oversees daily operations of the Tagging Program from administration and research to public engagement and outreach.

Originally from Georgia, Ami received her B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management and M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia. She is a published author and illustrator.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is responsible for the stewardship of the state’s marine and estuarine resources. The DMF’s jurisdiction encompasses all coastal waters and extends to 3 miles offshore. Agency policies are established by the nine-member Marine Fisheries Commission and the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. North Carolina is a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

When not at work, Ami spends most of her time outdoors and her favorite spot is fishing on the dock with her husband and two daughters.

Her favorite part of the job is tracking fish movements and working directly with the angling public. Ami is always eager to speak with an angler about their tagged fish recapture, train volunteers on how to tag fish and collect scientific data, lead science activities for local school groups, and present to fishing clubs about marine fisheries programs and resources.

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

Friday, March 28, 2025

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will accept public comment on draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 from April 1 to April 30. Draft Amendment 4 would expedite the sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) by one year to 2025.

Morehead City

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will accept public comment on draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 from April 1 to April 30. Draft Amendment 4 would expedite the sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) by one year to 2025.

In-person comments may be made at any of three advisory committee meetings scheduled in April: 

Written comments may be submitted in any of the following ways:

• An online form accessible through the Information on Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4 webpage.
• Mail to Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4 Comments, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.  

The deadline to submit comments is April 30, 2025.  Amendment 3, adopted in 2022, prescribed a shift in quota allocation from 70/30 (commercial/recreational) to 60/40 in 2025 and 50/50 in 2026. However, following two years with short recreational flounder seasons and one year with no recreational flounder season, the Marine Fisheries Commission tasked the Division of Marine Fisheries with finding ways to allow more recreational access while maintaining the stock rebuilding requirements in Amendment 3. Amendment 4 addresses this task by expediting the 50/50 sector allocation shift to occur in 2025 instead of 2026.

More long-term, comprehensive options for recreational access will be considered in Amendment 5, which is currently under development. A scoping period for Amendment 5 is open until March 31. More information on Amendment 5 is available at https://www.deq.nc.gov/information-southern-flounder-amendment-5. 

Dear Club members and guests, 

This will be our fourth season on the Fish Screamer 3, operated by Captain Danny, a third-generation captain. Each trip has been a success, with a variety of fish caught in good quantities. The level of service we receive is outstanding, and the bait (which is provided at no extra charge) is always fresh and firm.

We will be doing 12-hour offshore bottom fishing trips. I have reduced the number of trips this spring because I will be traveling more. The scheduled dates are as follows:

– Friday, June 13th

– Friday, July 11th

– Saturday, August 16th

– Saturday, September 13th

The boat will leave at 6:00 AM and return at 6-7 PM from 4458 Water Front Avenue, Little River, SC (behind Crab Catchers Restaurant on the water). The boat comfortably accommodates up to ten passengers, ensuring plenty of space for everyone. It is spacious and handles the seas very well.

Please arrive 20 minutes early so we can leave at 6:00 AM sharp. We will be going out about 45-60 miles and bottom fishing at depths usually greater than 100 feet. The cost is $225 per person, plus a tip for the mate (which includes fresh, quality bait and a very high level of service).

If you’re interested, please contact Andrew David at 410-404-0972 or  andrewid83@gmail.com. To hold your spot, please send a check to: 

Andrew David, 706 Royal Fern Ct,  Calabash, NC 28467

Hey Sea Trail Fishing Club Members!
Want To Go Offshore Fishing on the Cyclone?

DATE: May 10, 2025
TARGETS: Black Sea Bass, Grunts, Porgies, and Potentially Trolling For Mahi and Kings! And Grouper season will be open!

This trip is only open to Sea Trail Fishing Club Members! Each Member can sign up one guest. This will be approximately a 6-hour trip about 10 miles offshore.

COST: $70 per member; $80 per guest.

The “Cyclone” is a 45-foot boat with Walk-around deck and an onboard head. The boat can hold 42 passengers but this exclusive trip will be limited to a total of 30 members and guests.

Interested? Mail a non-refundable deposit of $20 for each person,
made payable to the Sea Trail Fishing Club to:
Alan Trojan
917 Wedge Pointe Drive
Sunset Beach, NC 28468

Don’t Delay! The offer closes as soon as the boat is filled!