[happycaster58]

Hey folks,
I've surf fished at most places between Buxton and Pawley's island SC but never been to Topsail Island. Anybody got any pointers for surf/pier during the first week of October? I have plenty of equipment and would like to target Pomps and flounder mostly. Is the south end better than along the length of the island? I don't have a 4x4 so beach driving is not possible. Any info on what you consider the best pier(s) and why. Is the sound side worth trying? Best place to get live shrimp? Thanks for your input guys.

 

[speckhunter80]

Seaview Pier is best pier, IMO

 

[pods]

I've had good luck out far for pomps using fleas. Oct should bring back the big ones. Pier or look for deeper sections in a trough, or front side of the far sandbar on an outgoing tide seems to work well.
I usually use gold Kahles but going to swap out for Mutu Light Circles this next trip.
Flounder I would look for in deeper parts of the wash right by shore. Carolina rigged mullet or Gulp, or a Skinner jig combo (gonna try that next week).
The sound/ICW would be a better spot for flounder, imo.

 

[flatty]

I agree with Speck on Seaview pier. Good info from pods as well. I will add make yourself some homemade bottom rigs with fluoro., they catch better from what I have seen. Likely there will be lots of pinfish in the surf in early October which can be a pain.

 

[Byron/pa]

It's been two or three years since I was down, but we'd hit Topsail for a week every fall, generally in the end of Oct / early November. Almost always had good fishing for flounder (mostly shorts) and puppy drum. Some years the drum fishing was very good.
We always fished the south end where you could drive on, although I've been told the north end can also be good.
One of the problems on topsail, at least on parts of the island, is they are big into beach replenishment. Meaning it's often hard to find good structer to fish and much of the island is (or always was) void of sandfleas. That's why we always fished the south end, it was the only place where we could find any structure to speak of. No houses = no beach replenishment.

I've never been a pier fisherman, but we'd walk out on the Jolly Rodger just about every day. Saw some very nice fish caught and everyone seemed decent, not near as crowded as seaview.