Fish Encyclopedia
Looking to see what you can catch off the Cherry Grove Pier? Here’s a quick rundown of some of the local fish you might see encounter your trip.
Bluefish
Known for their power and voracious appetite, bluefish are incredible fighters and when a school is actively feeding any free-swimming bait will work. Bluefish have sharp teeth, so a wire leader is needed above the bait, and a spinning or level-wind rod in the medium to medium-heavy range is suggested.
King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel
King Mackerel are one of the most highly prized fish by pier anglers along the coast and the subject of dozens of tournaments. Use an anchor line with a heavy pyramid sinker that has wire legs attached to it. Slip another line onto this one by using a sliding trolley that allows the bait to float freely down into the water. Live bait such as menhaden, mullet, bluefish, pinfish, spots, or croakers is suspended on a pair of treble hooks attached to a wire leader with three-way swivel that releases from the trolley clip when the king mackerel strikes. Cast your line into the ocean from one of our 50 King spaces on end of the pier where the water is at its deepest.
Pompano
Pompano can’t survive in water temperature below the mid-50’s and prefer water temperatures is in the 80’s so they are caught in the Carolinas throughout the summer and into the fall. Shrimp, clams, sand fleas, and small crabs all make good baits. The small mouth of the pompano means use small hooks and bait. Fish the bottom with a fish-finder rig, or run a line with two or three dropper loops. Allow your bait to rest on the bottom a minute or two before retrieving slowly. The best times are usually in the morning and evening on an incoming tide.
Red Drum
Red drum also known as redfish are excellent food fish. They were intensely harvested by commercial fishermen until fishing restrictions or outright bans were enacted, allowing the population to undergo a dramatic comeback. Red Drum like to search for food just inside the breakers on the surf and congregate around piers and docks. Red drum will strike natural bait like a sand flea, fiddler crab, shrimp or mullet on sliding-sinker bottom rigs, and are known to bite around sunset at the beginning of a falling tide.
Sea Trout, Specs, Gray Trout or Weakfish
The most common bait fish for larger sea trout are menhaden, spot, mullet and mud minnows. There are two types of live bait rigs commonly used to target sea trout. The main line from the reel should be 6 to 12 pound test monofilament with a leader about 18 inches long and a barrel swivel. Hook size can vary from 1 to 2/0. Spinning or baitcasting rods work well depending on your preference. Sometimes a sinker will need to be used because of the tide and current. Prior to attaching the main line to the barrel swivel, an egg sinker can be added, and split shot placed on the leader as needed to keep the bait on the bottom. Fish on the bottom in one spot or slowly move the bail along the bottom with the current.
Sheepshead
These game-fighting bottom feeders are primarily caught on bait with bottom or float rigs, usually with light or medium tackle. Crabs, clams, mussels, shrimp, or cut baits are the primary natural baits, sometimes used with sliding sinker rigs. Sheepshead have small mouth so use a small, sharp hook. They bite lightly, sometimes remaining undetected and stealing baits, and can be tough and frustrating fish to hook. Be sure to set the hook firmly because of the fish’s hard mouth.
Spadefish or Angelfish
The easiest times to catch spadefish are during low current and calm seas. Popular bait includes clam strips, squid, and shrimp bits. Pick the largest and strongest hook that you can get away with and tie it to a short (18-24 inch), 20lb leader. The other end of the leader is tied to a swivel which is tied to your main line. An egg sinker about a half of an ounce, depending on the current, is threaded on the line above the swivel. The baited rig is lowered to the level of the fish, not to the bottom. These fish pull hard and their mouths tear easily. They also straighten many hooks and can break your line on the pier pilings. Since Spadefish generally hook themselves, don’t set the hook. You may feel the the fish nibble for a while before it gets hooked.
Spots
Spots are one of the most sought-after fish on the Carolina coast. Spot runs often last for days, and always draw a crowd at the Cherry Grove Pier. Spinning or baitcasting rigs work well for spots with a 2 or 3 ounce pyramid sinker and a two-hook bottom rig. Casting a few feet directly out from the pier is the preferred method, and bloodworms fresh shrimp and mullet bits are effective bait choices.
Summer Flounder
Summer Flounder are also known as fluke because both of their eyes are on the same side of their body. Flounder are usually caught using live baits, dead baits or strip baits that are drifted along the current near the bottom. Flounder use their flat bodies and camouflage color to lie on the bottom and ambush prey as it swims past. Once they bite, they orient the baitfish head-first in their mouth before swallowing it so don’t attempt to set the hook at the first nibble or you’ll miss your flounder.
Whiting
Whiting are both fun to catch and good eating. Cut squid cast out from piers on a two-hook rig and left on the bottom will work well for whiting. Because of their characteristics and relative ease to catch, fishing for whiting from the pier offers an excellent opportunity to introduce kids to the fun of fishing.
Blue Crab
Crabbing is excellent at Cherry Grove Pier. Drop nets and collapsible traps, usually baited with herring, can be fished from the pier. Another method called “dipping” uses a long-handled dip net, several yards of string and bait. The bait, usually a chicken neck or fish head, is tied to the string and thrown into the water away from the bank. Once a tug is felt, the crabber pulls the bait and crab close enough to be quickly dipped from the water and placed into a waiting bucket.