Southern Brunswick Celebration of Charter Captains and Fishing Guides, April 6, 2025 at Daves Outpost

Laurie Thomas Vass

March 24, 2025

Citing their interest in promoting the Southern Brunswick sports fishing business community, Greg Bloom and Fletcher Frink, the executives of Daves Outpost, in Sunset Beach, N. C. are sponsoring a charter captains and fishing guide “Meet’n Greet” celebration on April 6, 2025.

The celebration will feature displays and exhibits from over 20 fishing professionals, who will exhibit in the parking lot of Daves Outpost store, located at the boat launch at the Sunset Beach Bridge.

In addition to boat captains and guides, the event will feature food trucks, including Blondie’s Donuts and Daisy’s Dogs.

“Our intent in sponsoring this event is to promote all of the businesses in Southern Brunswick who share our passion for fishing,” said Greg Bloom.”

Bloom noted that this is the fifth annual celebration that Daves has sponsored.

Among the many exhibitors will be Griffin Canady, an oyster farmer from Sunset Beach, who farms oysters in Topsail Beach for distribution along the North Carolina coast.

Bloom commented that Canady’s oysters are prime and delicious.

The sports fishing celebration is being promoted by the Sea Trail Fishing Club, located at Sunset Beach, N. C.

“Our club is interested in strengthening the economic relationships among the business community that contribute to the sports fishing industry,” explained Laurie Thoma Vass, the club’s Director of Public Relations, and a former economic development advisor for the State of North Carolina.

“To the extent that we can keep more recreational fishing dollars circulating in our local economy, every citizen will benefit,” she added.

There is no admission charge to attend the event, which will run from 9 am to 5 pm.

“This will be an excellent opportunity for one-on-one questioning of captains and guides,” said Coach John Floyd, a seasoned flounder fisherman, who offers free fishing advice at Daves.

“All of the captains and guides will be ready to sign up fishermen for the upcoming season,” Floyd added.

About Daves Outpost: A comprehensive one-stop shop for all your fishing and boating needs.  We have everything you need to get on the water, whether you’re an experienced angler or just looking to get started. We have our own shrimp boat and offer live shrimp and minnows.  https://davesoutpost.com/store-info. 910 579 2016.

About the Sea Trail Fishing Club: Our club is dedicated to helping people learn how to catch fish, and promoting a sense of community for all anglers. We meet every month at the Pink Palace, located in the Sea Trail Development in Sunset Beach N. C. Membership is $20 per year. Membership applications and upcoming club events are at our website. https://seatrailfishing.com/


 

Fish Screamer Charter

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

OFFSHORE FISHING OPPORTUNITY

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!

Redfish and black drum on N.C. coast

March is great for redfish and black drum in Brunswick County

Brunswick County is North Carolina’s southernmost saltwater in North Carolina. The creeks and marshes in the southern part of the county are the first to wake up as spring arrives.

Usually, the red drum and black drum, plus a few hearty specks, get off to a strong bite when the water temps begin warming in the spring. This year spring begins on Sunday, March 20, a week after Daylight Savings Time begins. Fish still have the advantage, but the balance shifts a little more to fishermen.

Many years, winter begins losing its grip on Southern N.C. by late February with stretches of warm sunny days. This begins in earnest by early March and the water also begins to warm. It only takes a week or so and drum, both red and black, begin to feed more regularly and more aggressively. A few speckled trout may respond to this initial preview of spring. But the real stars are red and black drum.

Capt. Austin Kerr of Fellowship Charters (336-941-7292) in Ocean Isle Beach said this is when fishing becomes steadier. When the spring drum bite begins firing off, his phone begins to ring. It also makes fishermen more comfortable when the winter weather breaks and more sunny and warm days prevail.

Kerr fishes from the Shallotte River to Little River Inlet, just a few hundred yards across the state line in South Carolina. He said the fish get more active, but aren’t summer active yet. So he likes to fish the change of the tide for a few hours, when the current isn’t running strong. He believes water clarity is a key and checks the Shallotte River, Calabash River, Intracoastal Waterway, and the larger creeks off these for cleaner water.

“During this time, I concentrate on oyster beds and docks in the creeks and waterway and sometimes fish the jetties in Little River Inlet,” Kerr said. “Both drum eat pieces of shrimp, and red drum are more aggressive and will chase down mud minnows. We generally fish pieces of shrimp on jigheads, but switch to Carolina rigs to fish mud minnows.

“Red drum will also chase soft plastics,” Kerr said. “I like the D.O.A. 3- and 4-inch paddletails and fish them slowly on light jigheads. Most days they will bite these, but sometimes they get very particular about the color. I have everyone on the boat begin with a different color and keep changing them until we find a color they like that day. It may have been different the day before and may be different again the next day.”

https://www.carolinasportsman.com/fishing/inshore-fishing/black-drum-inshore-fishing/redfish-and-black-drum-on-n-c-coast/?utm_source=Carolina+Sportsman&utm_campaign=2e10a400bc-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c41990a090-2e10a400bc-290292534

Sunset Beach Pier celebrates 2025 Opening Day with eager anglers

  • By Laurie Thomas Vass Special to The Brunswick Beacon

Click picture to go to Brunswick Beacon full story

Back row. From left to right: Karen Eads, Jill Fox, Gary Massey, Steve Pendergrass, officer of the Club,  Mark Batchelor, Club Computer Guru

Front row:  left to right: Donna Roberts, Teresa Massey

Sunset Beach Fishing Pier opened for the 2025 season on March 1, and dozens of local anglers lined up early to buy their season pass and try their luck, on a cold windy day. Gary and Teresa Massey, owners of the pier, expressed their gratitude for the support shown by their ardent patrons.

Anglers began lining up at the entrance to the pier 30 minutes before the 9 a.m. opening bell, and many of them pulled their fish carts out on the pier to try their luck, after a long, cold winter delay in fishing.