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Pier fishing offers anglers the opportunity to catch anything from small bottom feeders such as spot, croakers and sea mullet up to tackle busting giants such as tarpon that might weigh 100 pounds, trophy red drum and king mackerel in the 50-pound range or 80-pound cobia.

Since I moved to the Outer Banks in the mid-seventies, I have been fortunate enough to sample almost every type of fishing opportunity the Outer Banks has to offer.  One of my favorites is wading along the shoreline on the soundside of these barrier islands.  The variety and size of fish can be surprising.  Bluefish, puppy drum, gray and speckled trout, striped bass, flounder, spot, croaker, and sea mullet are common catches.  The availability of each species varies according to the season.

“What’s the best length rod?” is a regularly heard question during the classroom sessions of the Outer Banks Surf Fishing Schools. In my opinion, there is no "best length". Almost any choice is going to be a compromise sooner or later, because of the constantly changing conditions of the Outer Banks surf. But I have found a couple outfits that will cover the fish and fishing conditions I encounter on the beach about ninety per cent of the time.

“What are they biting?” The question is asked time and again by surfcasters, but there’s more to a successful day on the beach than just having the right bait.  It’s equally important to know what to do with each bait and present it in a way that the   fish will want to eat it. There’s no right or wrong way, but a few minutes spent preparing your baits will go a long way to putting some fish in the cooler.