Flyfishing the Crystal Coast

by Jeff Wilkins of
THE FLYLINE
(336) 274-3581
401 State Street
Greensboro, NC 27408

Morehead City - Beaufort - Harker’s Island - Cape Lookout - Cedar Island - Ocracoke

• general directions I40/85 through Raleigh; 70 east to 101 @ Havelock; 1-800 BYFERRY signs (blue and white) mark the route beginning in Kinston; SR 1332 offers access to North River, Ward Creek, the Straits, and Harker’s Island

A. North River

• this body of water is a tributary to Core Sound and is generally shallow with lots of bottom grass
• water is stained/murky due to night fishing by local fishermen
• is an excellent summer speckled trout location due to the abundant shrimp and baitfish that are found here
• bridges and rock rip/rap offer excellent bait-holding structure; bridge pilings create current breaks which attract baitfish and are excellent places to fish on a rising or falling tide

B. Ward Creek

• is presently closed to all commercial fishing
• this area supports an astounding population of shrimp, crabs, and several species of baitfish
• general description of the area is shallow with lots of mud flats and oyster bars, in addition to a large amount of other bottom rubble to hold and/or concentrate baitfish
• bridge over the creek as well as the mouth of the creek are excellent places to check out on a moving tide because these areas act as "funnels" capable of moving lots of food with the tide
• is an excellent speckled trout/puppy drum spot

C. "The Straits"

• on the inland side of Harker’s Island
• two bridge accesses offer the deepest water/channel in the area and is the only drawbridge in the area as well
• lots of fish holding structure in the form of bridge pilings, rip rap along the shoreline, submerged grass, and other bottom rubble
• one of the best places is on the east side of the Earl C. Davis bridge on the end which is farthest from the control house on the bridge; here the channel is only 25 feet away from the edge and is even closer if you wade to the left
• an excellent area for speckled trout, bluefish, red drum, and flounder

D. Harker’s Island

• is the central location for most folks fishing Cape Lookout during the spring, summer, and fall
• access area located at the end of the island (SR1332) to the right of the Coast Guard Station/Dock; this area is known as Shell Point
• the area immediately off of the point offers a wadeable bar and a shot at bluefish, speckled trout, flounder, and red drum
• another spot worth investigating is the channel leading into the Coast Guard dock area

E. Cape Lookout/Cape Lookout Bight

• numerous access points including the area in front of the lighthouse, the sand spit, the beach, the rock jetty, and Cape Lookout Shoals
• the sand spit offers access to some of the deepest water wade fishermen will ever find; is deep enough that pelagic species such as bonito, false albacore, and king mackerel will often come well inside the Bight
• the area generally offers very clear water conditions, expansive flats that are near deep ledges or "shelves", and a variety of beach formations that are difficult to find in other areas
• the species available here would include just about all inshore species as well as open-water denizens such as King Mackerel, Bonito, and False Albacore; this area is the site of the albacore runs that made Cape Lookout famous

F. Jarrett Bay/Williston Creek/Smyrna Creek

• Monroe Gaskill Bridge offers structure that frequently holds speckled trout, red drum, and an occasional striper
• area is characterized by an abundance of canals and wadeable areas within walking distance of bridges
• most canals are shallow enough to wade through at low tide

G. Cedar Island

• the island is location of the Cedar Island/Ocracoke toll ferry
• the "bulkhead" (rock walls) at the ferry dock holds lots of baitfish and is a reliable summer spot for speckled trout
• Wildlife Access Ramp is located to the right of the ferry terminal
• the area N/NW of the ferry terminal offers some opportunities for flats-style boat fishing for speckled trout and red drum
• Tarpon are occasionally sighted here as well while gulping air at the surface

H. Ocracoke

• Ocracoke inlet shoals and point to the right of shoals offer access to very deep water; is a good wading spot during calm to moderate conditions; a great spring/fall bluefish spot
• numerous wadeable flats to the right of the shoal/point area
• a very treacherous inlet but draws citation sized spanish mackerel during September and October
• another excellent flyfishing spot at the north end of the island near the Ocracoke/Hatteras ferry terminal; take last road to left before reaching ferry terminal

I. Fort Macon/Shackleford Point

• access to deep water and two rock jetties which create some unusual currents and beach formations
• area between the inside jetty and Coast Guard station an excellent spot on a rising or falling tide
• this area offers a shot at bluefish, spanish mackerel, flounder, and false albacore

• Red Drum, Speckled Trout, Gray Trout, Flounder, Bluefish, Houndfish, Cobia , etc.
• Pelagic or open water species--Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Amberjack, Bonito, False Albacore, Dolphin, etc.

A. Fish Attracting/Bait Attracting Structure

-gravel/shell bars, oyster bars, pilings, ledges/drop-offs, rip currents, rock jetties, buoys, grass, rubble, etc.

A.Books (linked to amazon.com for purchase online)

• ADC’s Chartbook of North Carolina 1-800-ADCMAPS
• Bluewater Fly Fishing by Trey Combs -simply the best knot section in print
  
• Fly Fishing the Tidewaters by Tom Earnhardt
  
• Flies for Saltwater by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen
  
• Fly Fishing in Saltwater by Lefty Kreh
  
• Inshore Flyfishing by Lou Tabory
  
• Saltwater Fly Patterns by Lefty Kreh
  
• The Orvis Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing by Nick Curcione
  
• Currier's Quick and Easy Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing by Jeff Currier, Doug O'Looney (Photographer)
  
• Estuary Flyfishers by Steve Raymond
  
• Fly Rodding the Coast by Ed Mitchell
  
  

B. Rods

• medium fast to fast action 9’ for 9WT is the ideal if you are going to use just one rod for all of your fishing
• faster rods cast more efficiently in the wind and do a better job of handling the sinking lines needed a majority of the time
• T&T Emerger, T&T SC, T&T Horizon, Sage VPS, Sage SP+, Sage RPLXi, Cortland CL, Orvis Silver Label Tip Flex, Orvis Trident TL Mid and Tip-Flex

C. Reels

• a good saltwater reel will have the capacity for 150-200 yards of backing, have a smooth drag system, and be resistant to corrosion
• CAST vs BAR STOCK --the price of a reel is usually indicative of the way in which it is manufactured; cast reels are economical, but are not as strong as a bar stock model
• a disc drag, whether cork or metal, will give you the best service over time
• Tibor, Pate, Abel, Lamson, Odyssey, Battenkill, SA System 2, Penn

D. Lines

• all types of lines are used, your first should be an intermediate
• four most commonly used are floating, intermediate, floater w/sink tip, and a hybrid such as a Teeny T series, Cortland Quick Descent, or Orvis Depth Charge
• use of a line box system will permit the use of an unlimited number of lines with the same reel without having to buy an extra spool

E. The Fly Box

• a few flies in key colors/sizes will catch fish on the Crystal coast
• when fish are selective, they will discriminate first by size
• with most food items, a general size scale applies; small flies in the spring, larger flies in the fall; why? small baitfish are found in the spring, while larger ones are more prevalent in the fall
• the main baitfish types are mullet, silversides(glass minnows), thread herring, and menhaden

  A. Backcountry Flies

  • poppers, bendbacks, crabs, rattlers, divers, and bright clouser and deceiver patterns
    
    

  B. The Two Standards

  • Clouser Minnow and Lefty’s Deceiver

  
  C. Crab Patterns

  • Del’s Merkin, Anderson’s McCrab, Whitlock’s Crab

  
  D. Redfish Patterns

  • Cave’s Wobbler in gold, Chico’s Snapping Shrimp, Brown/Gold Clouser, Kirk’s Rattle Rouser

  
  E. Speckled Trout Patterns

  • Bright colors, including Wobblers, Clouser Minnows, Lefty’s Deceivers, and Bendbacks

  
  F. Epoxy Patterns

  • EZ Alby fly, Mikkleson’s Epoxy Baitfish, Popovic’s Surf Candy, Midge Candy

  
  G. Albacore/Spanish Mackerel/Bonito

  • Albaclouser, Glass Minnows, Curcione’s Bonito Buster

  
  H. Poppers

  • Skipping Bug, Bob’s Lucky Day Popper

  
  L. Big Fish Flies

  • size and silhouette when viewed from below important; must have bulk and the appearance of solidity
  • includes Mark Sedotti’s Slammer Series, Blanton’s Sar-Mul-Mac, the Clousceiver or Half n’ Half by Lefty Kreh/Bob Clouser, and the Widowmaker by Bob Johns

VI. Accommodations & Guides

Back to Blue Ridge Trout

January, 16 1999