260 MARINE FISHERIES OF NORTH CAROLINA 



There are some thirty-five boats available for Gulf Stream angling to 

 anglers in this whole section. These are 40 to 50 feet long and equipped with 

 ship-to-shore radio. Most of them are twin screw. Half of these take on 

 parties for overnight — a special feature of this section. The charge for a 

 party of six is $75. If the boat supplies gear, the price is higher, as it is per 

 person for parties of more than six. There are ten boats for inside fishing 

 and seven or eight commercials licensed to take parties but uncertainly 

 available for anglers' use. Some Florida boats come up in late spring or 

 summer. There are several marine filling stations and two good machine 

 shops in this section. The Morehead City Yacht Basin offers good facilities 

 for both transient and permanent docking. 



Most boats here are equipped for the less expert angler and for large 

 parties. This is a safer outside fishing section than the more northern regions 

 but, on the other hand, it is in general much less attractive scenically, and 

 much less unspoiled. 



The best fishing season commercially is September through December, 

 but due to weather conditions the best angling months are September and 

 October. A small amount of the game fish fauna here could be fished into 

 November. There are sea bass, channel bass, some sailfish, and the usual 

 amberjack and dolphin, as well as both sea trout and spotted trout. This 

 area reports that the taking of indiscriminate sizes in the commercial nets 

 is potentially detrimental to the supply. 



Additional attractions in the region are the very near-by fresh-water 

 fishing grounds; the two marine laboratories at Beaufort and the Institute 

 of Fisheries Research at Morehead City. 



The people of the section are enthusiastic on the subject of angling, and 

 have made some attempt at record keeping. 



WILMINGTON-WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH-SOUTHPORT-SHALLOTTE 



This section has pier and inlet fishing, some surf casting, and offshore 

 fishing, particularly on Frying Pan Shoals, which lie some 30 miles off the 

 point of Cape Fear. 



The supply of boats appears to be good here, but is locally reported as 

 insufficient to meet demands. There are three or four two-engined charter 

 boats; eight other boats, running up to 60 feet in length and reserved for 

 anglers; 20 to 25 others usually available; five boats which can go out to 

 the Gulf Stream (this includes the charter boats above), and many small 

 boats and skiffs. Most communities can summon boats from others, and 

 some Florida boats come up in summer. There is an additional although 

 uneven supply of commercial boats. There is" pier fishing all winter, and a 

 little surf casting, usually for the common mullet. The fauna is plentiful 

 and varied. The best season is September and October when the fish run 



