[Phillyfanatic]

I certainly appreciate all of the good folks that frequent these boards and give wonderful advice. I haven't been to Outer Banks in about twenty years. Used to go there regularly before 1995, so it's been a while. Taking my wife and two daughters to Hatteras 8/14-8/21 which incidentally has the full moon hitting around 8/16-8/18.

My wife and at least one of my daughters love to fish, so I've got four surf rods and four sand spikes as well as an assortment of river rigs already using size 2 circle hooks. Also have a decent assortment of Gotcha plugs just in case I see water churning. Didn't get too crazy with the equipment. 10 foot Shakespeare Ugly Stick, a pair of 9 foot Tsunami five stars and a 7 foot Tsunami five star for my 11 year old to handle. She loves to fish! Anyway, basic stuff...nothing like the equipment I use for fresh water fishing.

I was hoping the locals might offer some advice to help make it a great week. Quite frankly I hope to catch a few Pompano and if I'm lucky catch a citation. We'll eat some of it, but I get a good amount of satisfaction out of giving good eating fish away to local fisherman who are either enjoying the hunt or actually fishing for their meals.

Here's what I'm curious about...We are staying at Durant Station in Hatteras. I think we are within a couple miles of ramp 55. How's the surf fishing right out in front of Durant Station for those that know where that is? Do I really need to go down to ramp 55? If so, how far is it? Why would I want to go down to ramp 55? Is there a better place to be fishing near Durant Station than ramp 55?

Also, any advice on bait would be very helpful. Naturally I know about sand fleas. My daughters claim to be experts at catching sand fleas, so they are pretty excited about that. I imagine I'm going to want some fresh shrimp. Was thinking about getting a couple bags of fishbites. Wondering if anyone had any other suggestions related to bait or for that matter anything else for our trip.

Thank you in advance for the advice and good fishing to all!

 

[Phillyfanatic]

Still looking for advice on the area near Durant Station. Any good right there or do I really need to get on down to ramp 55 third week of August? How far from Ramp 55 is it?

 

[River]

I've caught a lot of nice Sea Mullet, a few nice Pompano and some keeper Flounder near and in front of Durant Station Condos ...... the times I've fished that area .... there was always a nice bar with some humps and cuts in it, most of the time it's just barely north of Durant but it can move overnight, if you're staying on the third floor where I've spent a lot of time, you'll be able to spot everything pretty easy ... In front of Durant has good fishing, when they open up that section of beach for driving in November... you'll see a lot of local fisherman driving to that area to fish .... your problem may be swimmers directly in front of the Condo's .... if so, walk north just past the last house, just outside Hatteras Village ... there's always a nice area there ... 55's several miles south at the end of the highway, you'll have to get a beach driving permit, good fishing if you find the right spot, usually packed with swimmers at the walkover.... Durant Stations a nice place, Have fun and hope you catch a citation .... SANDFLEAS !! ... River

 

[Phillyfanatic]

I've caught a lot of nice Sea Mullet, a few nice Pompano and some keeper Flounder near and in front of Durant Station Condos ...... the times I've fished that area .... there was always a nice bar with some humps and cuts in it, most of the time it's just barely north of Durant but it can move overnight, if you're staying on the third floor where I've spent a lot of time, you'll be able to spot everything pretty easy ... In front of Durant has good fishing, when they open up that section of beach for driving in November... you'll see a lot of local fisherman driving to that area to fish .... your problem may be swimmers directly in front of the Condo's .... if so, walk north just past the last house, just outside Hatteras Village ... there's always a nice area there ... 55's several miles south at the end of the highway, you'll have to get a beach driving permit, good fishing if you find the right spot, usually packed with swimmers at the walkover.... Durant Stations a nice place, Have fun and hope you catch a citation .... SANDFLEAS !! ... River

Thanx, River. Are you the one that used to work (or maybe still do) at Teach's Lair? If so let me know where and which days. I'd love to stop in and meet you. I'm sure a ten minute conversation with you nets someone a lot of knowledge they didn't know before. Teach's Lair is on my to do list for this trip and next year a charter out of Teach's Marina is on the to do list.

 

[ncdead]

Thanx, River. Are you the one that used to work (or maybe still do) at Teach's Lair? If so let me know where and which days. I'd love to stop in and meet you. I'm sure a ten minute conversation with you nets someone a lot of knowledge they didn't know before. Teach's Lair is on my to do list for this trip and next year a charter out of Teach's Marina is on the to do list.

If you are planning a charter out of teaches lair I recommend captain willie on the 'twin bills'... He's a great guy but works without a mate. Been fishing with him for five or six years and always enjoy our trips with him. About a thousand bucks for an offshore trip.

 

[River]

Yes that was me Phillyfanatic, left a couple years ago due to health problem now I'm trying to move back ....... I really miss the place and the friends I met while working there, they have a great fleet of inshore and offshore boats at Teachs Lair Marina .... Twin Bills is a great boat as ncdead stated, but there's a lot of great Captain's running boats out of Teachs ...... stop in and see Jam or Terry, they know what's happening .... but don't forget Frisco Rod and Gun ..... got lots of friends there too, and that young man called "Tater" is bustin full of fishin knowledge .... Thanks for the compliment, best of luck and give us a fishin report while you're there ..... Medium to small fresh SANDFLEAS ..... River
By the way, theres a webcam live feed mounted on the south end of Durant Station Condo's, it can be found on Outter Beaches Reality ... webcam but I can't get it to pull up on my tablet, maybe someone else can, good view if the lens is clean ...

 

[Phillyfanatic]

Yes that was me Phillyfanatic, left a couple years ago due to health problem now I'm trying to move back ....... I really miss the place and the friends I met while working there, they have a great fleet of inshore and offshore boats at Teachs Lair Marina .... Twin Bills is a great boat as ncdead stated, but there's a lot of great Captain's running boats out of Teachs ...... stop in and see Jam or Terry, they know what's happening .... but don't forget Frisco Rod and Gun ..... got lots of friends there too, and that young man called "Tater" is bustin full of fishin knowledge .... Thanks for the compliment, best of luck and give us a fishin report while you're there ..... Medium to small fresh SANDFLEAS ..... River
By the way, theres a webcam live feed mounted on the south end of Durant Station Condo's, it can be found on Outter Beaches Reality ... webcam but I can't get it to pull up on my tablet, maybe someone else can, good view if the lens is clean ...

Thanx for the info. Outter Beaches Realty is how I found out about Durant Station and I've been looking at the webcam feed quite a bit, but never seem to catch anyone out there fishing. Can't wait to get out to Hatteras. Wanting to make a week there a regular going forward and maybe look for a vacation home while there. I'll make sure to stop in at Frisco Rod and Gun. Our check in isn't until 4PM and we are driving from Pittsburgh to Norfolk Saturday, staying over night and leaving out Sunday morning from Norfolk. I planned to tell the wife and kids that we have time to kill before check in so we might as well stop in at a local bait shop. I'll make Frisco Rod and Gun that stop on Sunday morning!

 

[River]

Wrong time of year to have many people fishing behind Durant .... and it's not because the fish aren't there, it because the experienced fisherman on Hatteras will not carry their stuff that far when ramp 49's about 2 miles north and 55's a few miles south where they can drive out and fish right outta their truck, come November you'll see plenty of trucks on that stretch of beach .... Have fun, River

 

[Phillyfanatic]

I'm stoked. I feel like a schoolboy looking at the calendar every day for the last day of school.

 

[SurFeesher]

Stayed in the cabanas right next to Durant's, even stayed in the hotel that was there before Isabelle wiped it out. Always had good luck fishing there. Caught my first drum there in fact (In November). Had good luck at 55 too. Stayed at my boss' house for free in Kill Devil Hills past few years, including last week. Very slow up there and the 2 times we drove down to Hatteras too. Time of year not the best. You should do well when you go. Starts heating up fishing wise that time of year. Love Frisco Rod 'N Gun also. Have a great time!

John

 

[Phillyfanatic]

Wondering what people think of the full moon in relation to fishing Hatteras. I get there 8/14-8/21 and the full moon is 8/18.

 

[River]

I don't pay much attention to moon phase, you're stuck with what you got ..... pray for nice weather and calm seas ..... things can get nasty down that way, I've personally experience it, right many times ....

 

[surfchunker]

if your after bigger fish the full / new moon puts high tide at dark and can be a great chance for something big if conditions are right , a number 2 hook is getting pretty big for pomps and sand fleas, I use 6's mostly and do great on pomps and sea mullet with them

 

[surfchunker]

Thanx for the info. Outter Beaches Realty is how I found out about Durant Station and I've been looking at the webcam feed quite a bit, but never seem to catch anyone out there fishing. Can't wait to get out to Hatteras. Wanting to make a week there a regular going forward and maybe look for a vacation home while there. I'll make sure to stop in at Frisco Rod and Gun. Our check in isn't until 4PM and we are driving from Pittsburgh to Norfolk Saturday, staying over night and leaving out Sunday morning from Norfolk. I planned to tell the wife and kids that we have time to kill before check in so we might as well stop in at a local bait shop. I'll make Frisco Rod and Gun that stop on Sunday morning!

hope you don't get stuck in traffic, we always come on down 295 to exit 3 and take 460 down to Suffix and miss all the traffic,

 

[River]

Surfchunker's right, if you get a high tide late in the afternoon and the waters crystal clear, the Spanish will run in close behind Durant, I've been involved on a couple occasions, one of the Condo owner caught one there that weighed over 6 lbs a couple years ago ..... get you a glass minnow for that 10' rod and be sure to run three are more feet of fluorocarbon line between the glass minnow and the main line .... River

 

[1SHOT1KILL]

A lot of things have changed over the years, as things/places have come and gone, but some of the old land marks are still there. I was unable to get down to the OBX for about 6-7 years do to multiple deployments from 2003-2010 and when I finally did get back on the islands (Hatteras and Ocracoke) I was amazed how they had grown and changed. But like I said many of the old land marks are still there so you will recognize them.

Don't rule out ramp 43 where the lighthouse once stood. You can park in the parking lot and it is a short walk to the surf and jetty. Ramp 49 is good for whiting and pompano's and 55 is as well and blues and the occasional flounder. If you can get to the inlet blues, flounder and mackerel can be caught.

 

[River]

And word is ..... Cape Point just opened for driving, Ramp 44 ....... lot of people gonna be happy bout that ..

 

[Phillyfanatic]

I'm kicking around the idea of taking the family out for a day on the Twin Bills out of Teach's. Send him an e-mail a few minutes ago to get details and dates. I'm itching for some wahoo and dorado.

 

[1SHOT1KILL]

And word is ..... Cape Point just opened for driving, Ramp 44 ....... lot of people gonna be happy bout that ..

A big 10-4 on that. The Red Drum TS put that out this morning.

 

[ncdead]

I'm kicking around the idea of taking the family out for a day on the Twin Bills out of Teach's. Send him an e-mail a few minutes ago to get details and dates. I'm itching for some wahoo and dorado.

Glad to hear it. It doesn't appear to be hot and heavy offshore of hatteras right now, but if you go I hope you and the family have a good time. Captain Willie is a really good guy. Tell him Dave, Relana, Mary Catherine and Tom will see him in October.