Nothing is better than catching a fish… unless that fish is your favorite fish to eat. Maybe it’s fulfilling some primal instinct but, there is just something very satisfying about catching a fish and providing food for the table. You catch it, you clean it, your cook it. However, did you know there is more than just fish to grab and eat on Oak Island? And no, I’m not talking about takeout food from Kia Joe’s, though that is very good too. I’m talking about a few things you might have overlooked that grow right here on Oak Island and, when properly prepared, might be as equally satisfying to eat as fish. Some of these I have personally tried and can say without a doubt, they were good eating. Others, I’ve haven’t so I make no guarantees that they taste good or that you won’t die if you eat them. However, the ones I haven’t tried, I have seen others eat on YouTube. Still, eat at your own risk. Here are the top five things you didn’t know you can eat on Oak Island. You may have never thought about gathering clams even though they are right there under your feet. Clams can be eaten fried, grilled, sautéed, or straight up on the half shell. Topped off with cocktail sauce and a dash of tabasco, fresh out of the sea, they’re delicious! Now before you go picking up a dozen clams, there are a few things you should know. For starters, you can’t get clams just anywhere. Much of the island is closed to harvesting shellfish. This includes oysters and mussels along with clams. Before harvesting clams, check with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries. They provide maps of shellfish harvesting area boundaries. There are also size and creel limit regulations on clams. At the time when this article was posted, the regulations stated that clam shells must be one inch thick and there is a limit of 100 a day. However, it is always best to check to see if the regulations have been updated. Clams are relatively easy to find. They live in both muddy areas near the marsh as well as in the sand in shallow tidal waters. Scaping through these areas with a hand-held garden rake is all it takes to find clams. Dig down a few inches and feel for the hard shell. Often, where you find one clam you will find a few more. I learned about this plant when my son returned from a 9th grade science filed trip. Pickleweed, also called glasswort, looks similar to asparagus. It doesn’t have leaves but has a stalk that fills with salt water. Younger stalks, picked in the spring or early summer, are green and undeniably salty. On Oak Island, pickleweed grows in abundance close to the shore on the ICW side of the Point. It can be picked and chewed right there on the spot or taken home, chopped, and added on top of a salad. I’ve also heard it pickles well though I haven’t tried pickling this plant myself. About mid-summer, the short palm trees that line the driveways on Oak island produce branches full of a strange orange fruit. These orange globes quickly ripen and fall to the ground, sometimes making quiet the mess. To the homeowner who needs to power wash his driveway, these fruits are nothing more than a nuisance. However, to those in the know, the cupboard is about to be filled with jars of some of the best homemade jelly you ever tasted. Those palm trees are pindo palms and those tiny orange balls are the pindo palm fruit that make the pindo palm tree jelly. Similar to cranberries, pindo fruit is more tart than sweet. The flavor is reminiscent of the citrus found in an orange without the sweetness. When ripe, they are soft yet fibrous inside. Though they are edible off the tree, the best way to enjoy the pindo fruit is to boil it down and turn it into jelly. A small batch of fruit can fill a dozen or more jars. The jelly’s flavor profile is similar to orange marmalade. Sweet from the added sugar but slightly sour from the fruit. It a complex flavor that is great on toast. It also works well when combined with habaneros to create a sweet and spicy hot sauce. In the spring, when the waves have churned after a storm, sheets of bright green seaweed are left clumped in the sand. These leaves were torn by the current off strands that grown at the bottom of the ocean. I’ve often picked up pieces and contemplated eating it though I’ve haven’t tried it yet. After doing some research, I’ve found that sea lettuce is edible, though there is some question on whether or not you should harvest it off the beach. However, this concern seems to be based more on the condition of the water and surrounding pollutants as apposed to the edibility of the plant. Sea lettuce should be washed well to remove sand and any creepy crawlers that might be hidden in the leaves. Once washed, sea lettuce can be added to soups or salads. It can also be toasted with sesame seeds and salt, similar to baked kale chips. I know what you’re thinking. “Come on Sands, you’ve got to be pulling my leg? Sand fleas? That’s bait, not bon appetit!” OK, I have to admit, this is one I haven’t tried myself. However, I have watched several other Youtubers who have. Each person I watched prepared the sand fleas in a similar way, frying them in a pan on the stove top. However, their opinions on taste varied greatly.
Some, like EliasVFishing and deermeatfordinner thought the taste was good with the flavor falling somewhere between crab and shrimp. Others, like Lil Red Heidi Hood and Fisherman's Life didn’t find sand fleas appealing at all. In fact, they had a hard time keeping them down.
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Winter. Some say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For those who enjoy sipping hot cocoa snuggled up in a blanket, in front of a warm fire, it certainly can be. For those who enjoy fishing, not so much. The thought of standing in the surf in January can leave one cold, literally. To some degree, those naysayers are right. The water temperature drops and the fish slow down along with the bite. But does this mean we need to put away our gear till spring? Not entirely. Though the action may not be as good as it was only a few months ago, there are still fish around. The bite certainly won’t be like it was in early November when all you had to do was drop a live minnow into the surf and hold on. Catching fish in the winter requires a little more finesse. For starters, it is best to target the species. This means fishing for a specific fish, in a specific location, and using a specific bait. DecemberDuring December, fish start to move out of the surf to seek warmer waters in the backwaters. On Oak Island, this means fishing the ICW and Davis Canal. One of the best fish to target during this time of the year is the speckled trout. Though there are some public docks to fish from, having access to a boat or kayak can improve your chance when targeting speckled trout. Trout will hold up near oyster beds, especially when located near a deeper drop off. Trout will hold up in the deeper water waiting to ambush bait in the shallows. Trout can be caught on both live shrimp and soft plastics. Suspending a live shrimp under a float works well. Another method is to suspend an artificial shrimp under a popping cork. A third method is casting soft plastics such as paddletails or Gulp. Many fishermen find the morning to be the best time to catch trout. Chances are also improved when the water is moving. Fishing during the middle of the tide is usually better than at the top or bottom when there is less current. Fishing where a small creek dumps out into deeper water may also prove to be an ideal spot. JanuarySurf Fishing in January on Oak Island isn't something many people do. In fact, you can practically have the beach to yourself. And, on those rare, warm afternoons, you can even catch a fish or two. Nothing fancy is required for surf fishing in January. Fishing with frozen shrimp or squid on a double drop bottom rig is all you’ll need. The target species, whiting and puffer. The standard surf fishing rules apply. First, find the holes and you’ll have a better chance at finding the fish. Second, pay attention to the rod. Neither whiting or puffer are very large so don’t expect those monster hits one gets when fishing for bluefish or black drum. Instead, feel for the pecking that comes when small fish try to knock the shell off the shrimp. Finally, be patient. Fish will take the bait but they may be reluctant at first to do so. After all, it’s cold which, for cold blooded animals, translates to slow. FebruaryTo be honest, February is a good moth to clean your gear, read up on spring fishing tactics, or attend a fishing seminar. It is not such a great month for fishing. However, if you’re dying to cast a line, and you can tolerate the cold, then you might want to head to the ICW or the Davis Canal and fish for silver perch. When fisherman imagine the pictures he’ll post on his social media account, he probably envisions a gator trout or citation black drum. He probably doesn’t think about the silver perch. After all, silver perch aren’t very impressive. However, on light tackle, these little fish can lead to a fun and exciting afternoon of fishing. Plus, they’re good table fare. Silver perch are easier to identify and differentiate from other panfish such as spots, croakers or pinfish. Their bodies are silver with no other markings. In the canal, silver perch can be caught closer to the grass in shallow waters. They are often in schools so if you catch one, chances are good that you’ll catch a few more.
The same bait and rig set up used to catch other panfish will work equally well with silver perch. Frozen shrimp on a double drop bottom rig with a #1 to #1/0 circle hook will get the job done. If you’re using light tackle, don’t be surprised to discover these fish put up a good fight. They are quite feisty for their size. As an artist and art teacher, I have always shared a passion for wildlife art. As a teen, I remember reading an article about famed wildlife artist Robert Bateman. He inspired me to create an entire portfolio filled with paintings and drawings of animals. My friend and I would take the train to the Bronx Zoo so we could sketch the animals from life. For this post, I wanted to share my enthusiasm for wildlife art by presenting a list of very talented and local wildlife artists. I selected artists whose focus is primarily on painting or sculpting fish and other sea life. I’ve also provided a link to their websites so if interested in their work, you can seek further information. Above image artwork by Glenn Lamp Glenn LampAfter working at a large publishing company in Charlotte, NC, in 2000 Glenn Lamp took his first leap of faith and started Glenn Lamp Studio. Today, he is a full-time artist in Emerald Isle, NC. Glenn’s art is in a fauvism style, painting sea life using bright and vibrant colors. Chad Hogston |
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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