BIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY 261 



largest. Frying Pan Shoals is a concentration spot for dolphin, amberjack, 

 and some sailfishes. The population of this section are enthusiastic and well 

 informed about angling and are doing everything possible to publicize their 

 grounds. The section could easily offer a longer fishing season as it has a 

 good winter climate. Pier iishing is a feature here. Pier admission is thirty- 

 five cents in the season; in the winter the admission booths are closed, but 

 there is still pier fishing. 



Local anglers report that the rock shelf outside Wilmington, although 

 lying deep, should be buoyed. They also feel that if an inlet could be cut at 

 Carolina Beach, which already has a fine harbor, boats could have easy 

 access to the twenty-two-mile-distant Gulf Stream. 



There are four single screw, 30 to 40-foot party boats at Carolina Beach. 

 Wrightsville Beach is particularly well equipped as a vacation spot for 

 anglers. It has five 40 to 50-foot, and nine 30 to 40-foot party boats. The 

 majority of these are twin screw and equipped for Gulf Stream fishing. Most 

 of them have radio. There are good local facilities for repair. 



Southport, a very popular spot with anglers, has four single screw and 

 one twin screw boats, the largest 60 feet, the smallest 30 feet. These boats 

 can go to the Gulf Stream, although considerable good fishing is done from 

 15 to 20 miles out. One of these boats is in use commercially when there is 

 a bluefish run. Southport needs improvement of its natural yacht basin and 

 could well utilize more facilities for boat repair and for living quarters for 

 anglers. 



This whole section has a long fishing season, both marine and fresh water, 

 and, in addition, some hunting. It is additionally attractive to anglers 

 because of its annual fishing rodeo, and to tourists because of beautiful 

 Orton Plantation between Wilmington and Southport. 



SEASONAL DISCUSSION, BY MONTHS 



This section is included to show conflict or lack of it between use of 

 boats for commercial purposes and use of boats for angling; also to indicate 

 what and where fish are present off North Carolina. 



JANUARY. Present: channel bass (offshore), sea bass, striped bass, blue- 

 fish, croaker, flounder, sea mullet, pigfish, spotted sea trout. 



Shrimpers and oyster boats are in use; there are minor inshore pound 

 nets and sink nets taking croakers; occasional seines for flounders and some 

 gill nets for spotted trout. 



There is a negligible amount of angling, almost entirely in inside waters, 

 for striped bass, bluefish and spotted trout. Some puppy drum are on the 

 beaches. 



