This week’s Club meeting features Gary Massey, Operator of the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier.

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Gary will provide some insider tips on when and how to catch a multitude of fish species from the pier. If you haven’t tried pier fishing, you will not want to miss this meeting. The pier provides superior access to Sunset Beach’s near-shore fishing opportunities at an affordable price. Gary will also highlight some of the additional advantages of the pier to include meals, snacks, beverages, fishing equipment, apparel, and social/entertainment events such as live music features throughout the Summer season.

Don’t miss this month’s Fishing Club Meeting!  Thursday, April 16th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Pink Palace.

Sunset Beach Pier

Sunset Beach Pier on Facebook

GARY AND TERESA MASSEY

REMINDER: Striped Bass season opens April 1 in portions of Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries reminds fishermen that a one-month striped bass season will open April 1 in portions of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers and their tributaries.

The season will open April 1 and close April 30 for both recreational and commercial fisheries. The following provisions will apply:

Recreational

  • Creel limit: One fish per person per day
  • Size limit: 18-inch minimum total length and no striped bass between 22- and 27-inches total length

Commercial

  • Trip limit: One fish per person per day
  • Size limit: 18-inch minimum total length and no striped bass between 22- and 27-inches total length
  • Hook-and-line allowed as legal commercial gear in the striped bass fishery
  • Commercial tagging requirements will continue
  • Tie-down and distance from shore requirements for gill nets will be maintained

Area Description

The recreational and commercial striped bass season in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers will open upriver of the demarcation lines below.

  • Tar-Pamlico River: Upriver of a line beginning at a point at Gum Point 35° 25.1669’ N – 76° 45.5251’ W; running southwesterly to a point at Fork Point at 35° 23.4453’ N – 76° 46.4346’ W.
  • Neuse River: Upriver of a line beginning at a point at Cooper Point 35° 02.1433’ N – 76° 55.9965’ W; running southwesterly to a point at Fisher Landing Point 35° 00.1550’ N – 76° 58.5738’ W.

New Flounder Stocking Effort Begins Today in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will release hatchery-reared southern flounder into state estuaries for the first time today, March 13, marking a major milestone in the development of a new stock-enhancement program. The initial release will include approximately 10,000 juvenile flounder—about 1 inch long and 45 days old—with additional stockings planned at several size classes throughout 2026.
 
Work on the program began in 2021 and involved collaboration among SCDNR research teams in mariculture, inshore fisheries, and population genetics, along with partners from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, University of Texas at Austin, North Carolina State University, and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Scientists evaluated years of fisheries survey data, expanded monitoring in northern estuaries, and developed new hatchery systems tailored to the unique biology of bottom-dwelling flatfish.
 
A central component of the effort is genetics. Researchers have developed DNA microsatellite markers that allow scientists to distinguish hatchery-reared fish from wild fish and track how stocked individuals contribute to different life stages of the natural population.
 
Biologically, southern flounder from North Carolina through Florida are considered a single unit stock. In North Carolina, the species is classified as depleted based on the most recent stock assessment, which uses data through 2017. Because these populations are interconnected, the success or limitations of South Carolina’s stocking efforts could provide valuable insight for fisheries management and potential recovery strategies in North Carolina.

The Catch and Release Option

Although we are prohibited from catching flounder most of the year and trout early in the year due to cold-stun regulations, it doesn’t mean that we won’t hook up with them while we are out fishing for other species. Often, we are also faced with releasing fish that are too short or even too long. And if we are extremely lucky, we may catch a fish that exceeds our bag limit – wouldn’t that be nice!

Unfortunately, many uninformed anglers manhandle a catch before carelessly tossing it back into the water. That’s wasteful! To truly give the fish a fighting chance, take the time to learn and use the proper catch-photo-release method, or as it is commonly called, the CPR method

After years of research, conservationists have developed the best method to release a fish. Follow these rules for a safe and effective release.

  1. WORK FAST

Returning the fish to the water as quickly as possible is key to increasing survival. The fish’s slime coat protects it from parasites. If you have to handle a fish, wet your hands first. A rubber-coated landing net protects the fish’s slime and prevents tangled lures and lines.

  • WET YOUR HANDS AND KEEP FISH HORIZONTAL

Ideally, keep the fish in the water. If lifting the fish, do not hang it vertically by the jaw. Fish swim horizontally; hanging vertically strains the fish’s organs. Support the weight.

  • TAKE THE PHOTO OP QUICKLY

It is best to take a photo of the fish without removing from the water, but if you do need to support your bragging rights or need to verify the catch for the fishing tournament, have your camera, bump board or other measurement device handy.

  • HOOKS

Use circle hooks or barbless hooks.  Circle hooks are designed to stick in the jaw greater than 90 percent of the time. Not only does this reduce foul or deep hooking, but circle hooks are easier to remove. No need to rear back and set the hook. Simply apply drag pressure and the hook finds its place.

  • USE DEHOOKING TOOLS

Use the right tool. Most anglers use pliers to remove a hook, but a special tool, called a dehooker, removes the hook without touching the fish.

  • EVEN RELEASE INJURED FISH

Return an injured fish to the water, even if it likely won’t survive. A bleeding or deep-hooked fish still has a better chance of recovering in the water than on the frying pan. Even if it doesn’t survive, the fish could benefit other wildlife. An added bonus is that you won’t get cited for having an illegal fish.

  • REVIVE TIRED FISH

A common mistake is rocking the fish back and forth to force water over the gills. Fish don’t swim backwards. Instead, move the fish in a figure-8 pattern or walk it along the bank.

  • CUT OFF DEEP SET HOOKS

If the hook is too deep to retrieve, cut the line as short as possible. Especially important for toothy fish. Yanking the hook or aggressively removing it can cause injury. Most hooks rust quickly. Barbless hooks can often be disgorged.

In order to maintain our fisheries in as good a condition as possible, released fish need to be returned to the water in as safe and healthy condition as possible.