I love surf fishing. I could spend all day standing in the sand, casting towards the breakers and catching anything that’ll bite the bait. However, sometimes when I go, I look up and see people standing on the pier with a rod in their hand. I figure, there must be a good reason why they’re up there and I’m down here. I can’t help but wonder, is fishing on the pier is really worth doling out cash? Fishing the surf is free. And while I’m not a miser, I still value my hard earned cash. Also, the pier can be crowded at times and if your not careful, there is a good chance you’ll tangle up with your neighbor. Plus, there is no guarantee that you’ll catch anything more spectacular standing on the pier then you will in the surf. All these thoughts led me to do a little research and I found there might be a few reasons to get out of the sand and stand on the wooden planks. So while I still enjoy fishing the surf, before we disregard the pier entirely, consider these top ten reasons why it might just be worth the ten bucks. #10 No Sand Sand. It gets in your shorts, your gear and your hair (assuming you have hair). Sure, it’s nothing a hose can’t take care of but imagine getting back in the truck and not needing to vacuum the floor mats. That alone might be worth the ten bucks. #9 No Need to Wade I don’t mind getting wet. At least not mid summer when is 90 degrees. However, I enjoy fishing all year long. That includes the fall and the spring when the water temp is less than pleasant. When on the pier, I stay dry all year long. #8 No Swimmers It never fails. The beach will be empty but as soon as I cast a rod, someone walks down and starts swimming right where I’m fishing. This doesn’t bother me if I’m shark fishing. Please, splash around like a wounded fish. You’re better than chum. Still, I’m not trying to plant a 5.0 hook in someone’s thigh. At the pier, most people are smart enough to not swim too close. At least, we can hope they read the signs. #7 No License Required I live on the coast and have a sportsman license but most of my relatives don’t. If they’re coming down, they might only want to go fishing for a day. The pier carries a blanket fishing license that covers all guests who purchase a fishing pass. This means uncle Tommy can fish all day long without worrying if he’s doing anything illegal. There’s a first. #6 Structure I fish the southern facing beaches which for the most part are as flat as a day old open bottle of cola. Fish however like structure. The pier is structure. Fish migrating up the coast will get hung up by the pier with its barnacles and small crustaceans. This should increase your chances of catching fish. #5 Go Shopping I’ve usually got a decent supply of gear in my tackle box. Still, whether it be hooks, weights or rigs, there always seems to something I’m running short of. Whatever I need, chances are they sell it at the pier. This includes bait, which means if the fish are biting squid and all I have is shrimp, I can get what I need so I’m not left out. #4 Don’t Go Shopping You ever have this happen to you? You show up to fish and you forgot to bring your rod!? Ok, it never happened to me either but if it did, it wouldn’t stop me from fishing the pier. That’s because you can rent a pole right there in the shop. #3 Community Perhaps one the best reasons to fish the pier is the community. There is a blessed mix of newbies, those who know what they’re doing, and old salts. Each of these stereo types can learn something from the other. You don’t even need to talk, you can just watch and learn. However, you’ll want to talk. Sharing experiences, fishing stories, tips and tricks is worth ten times the ten dollars you’ll pay to be surrounded by people who share your passion and their knowledge. I asked a fisherman on the pier the exact question I started this article with, "Why is it worth ten bucks to fish this pier?" Without hesitation he explained, #2 and #1 “They sell beer and they have restrooms.” Enough said. Sure, we all want to hook a citation but even if you don’t, there is more to the pier than the catch. Check out the video to see the Ocean Crest pier in action!
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Ian SandsFish along with Ian Sands of 'Sands in the Surf' on beautiful Oak Island, NC. We’re fishing the surf and surrounding areas targeting everything from puffer, to blues, to black and red drum, to sharpnose and bonnetheads. Archives
February 2021
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