[slosh]

Will be headed to Topsail Beach this weekend. Looks like we're going to get a pretty good north wind starting Saturday night.

Last October there was a good drum bite at Seaview as a Noreaster came in. Think it'd be worth the drive north Saturday night if the forecast holds?

 

[Thorhammer]

Can't hurt, but northeast wind in October pushes the mullet blow out of New River Inlet right down the beach to the pier, so hard to equate May and Oct. Spanish and blues should be there in any case. Generally speaking I like piers near inlets, except the falling tide can drift nasty brown water to Seaview on a north wind, which would kill the king bite.

Where are you from?

 

[slosh]

Can't hurt, but northeast wind in October pushes the mullet blow out of New River Inlet right down the beach to the pier, so hard to equate May and Oct. Spanish and blues should be there in any case. Generally speaking I like piers near inlets, except the falling tide can drift nasty brown water to Seaview on a north wind, which would kill the king bite.

Where are you from?

Just the kind of answer I was looking for, thanks! Mullet were pretty thick that week, so that all makes sense to me now. I fished that evening last October near the Jolly Roger, I had my heaver because the storm had been predicted, and fresh cob mullet. Didn't have any luck, and found out the next morning I should have gone north just a bit and I would have probably landed my first big drum. That's the way it goes!

My day fishing is limited by the kids, so I'm mostly fishing the beach then. Once they go to bed I have a little more freedom, but I think Saturday night I'll probably fish behind the Breezeway. I've had as much luck with pups there as out front, and the lack of blowing sand is a bonus.

I'm from Rockingham. Grew up going to Wrightsville, but made the switch to Topsail ~20 years ago for various reasons. I'm just about ready to move my focus up to Core Banks or Ocracoke, but that's a big drive for a weekend trip with the wife and kids.

 

[Thorhammer]

I'm in Raleigh (not impressed), moved here from Wilmington. I had a condo at the north end of NTB for about ten years, so New River, the inlet and Seaview were my backyard- I built rods for Greg's kids when they were little, and they are in their 20's now. Yeah, you have a pretty easy shot to Wilmy vs Core or OBX but dang, it's getting crowded there...when i bought condo in 2001, Holly Shelter and Sneads were out in the woods.....holy crap has that changed going into Surf City on 50, and all the backroads from 17 are subdivisions and a Publix now! Used to be a big deal to drive over the bridge to food lion. In any case, Seaview is likely to be less crowded than the Jolly.

 

[slosh]

When I first started going to Topsail (around 2004, I was working summers in Jacksonville then) it was a different world from today. That was when you could drive for free out to New River Inlet, I pulled many an all-nighter out there fishing on Friday and Saturday nights. It's unreal how it's blown up since then, I hate it. Even Topsail Beach is getting more crowded, and there's times you can't find parking at the dredge dock (which is pay parking now anyway).

I feel like Ocracoke is blowing up too, though I haven't been there since 2007 or so. Never any open reservations when I get the urge to haul the family up there, which is part of the reason we haven't gone yet.

We're thinking about a trip to the Gulf Coast this summer, partly to see if it has some of the quiet beaches I remember from back then. Fishing looks promising too! But then you're talking a 10+ hour drive each way......

 

[Thorhammer]

When I first started going to Topsail (around 2004, I was working summers in Jacksonville then) it was a different world from today. That was when you could drive for free out to New River Inlet, I pulled many an all-nighter out there fishing on Friday and Saturday nights. It's unreal how it's blown up since then, I hate it. Even Topsail Beach is getting more crowded, and there's times you can't find parking at the dredge dock (which is pay parking now anyway).

I feel like Ocracoke is blowing up too, though I haven't been there since 2007 or so. Never any open reservations when I get the urge to haul the family up there, which is part of the reason we haven't gone yet.

We're thinking about a trip to the Gulf Coast this summer, partly to see if it has some of the quiet beaches I remember from back then. Fishing looks promising too! But then you're talking a 10+ hour drive each way......

my condos were at Topsail Reef, and we never fished in front....always walked around to the inlet, and I was out there most weekends, if not on Seaview.....99 percent chance we fished there at same time- hell, it was only a couple hundred yards, if that, arond the point even then. I actually lived in the condo March-July 2004 while looking for a house.

 

[slosh]

my condos were at Topsail Reef, and we never fished in front....always walked around to the inlet, and I was out there most weekends, if not on Seaview.....99 percent chance we fished there at same time- hell, it was only a couple hundred yards, if that, arond the point even then. I actually lived in the condo March-July 2004 while looking for a house.

Small world!

Guarantee we were out there at the same time. I was always parked toward the ocean side of the inlet with my red 4Runner, I liked to cast toward the dauphin. Caught some decent fish out there, and had a lot of fun trying. Never saw a ton of people out there, which was kinda nice. For some reason, if I wanted to pier fish I was more inclined to run up to Bogue Inlet Pier, didn't spend much time on Seaview (kind of regret that).

I remember one night I caught a good sized spot at the inlet. I lobbed it back out on a homemade steel wire rig that was just waiting for that moment. Wasn't long before the rod was doubled over, drag screaming on my old spinning reel. I picked up the rod, line went slack, but the pyramid sinker was still there. Reeled it up and it turned out the fish (guessing a big shark or ray) pulled the wire right out of my crimp. I had crimped it with pliers, and on the way home I stopped and got some actual crimpers. lol you live and you learn.

I probably had as much fun wading the marsh on the inland side of that access, netting mullet and mud minnows, as I did fishing honestly. Was a neat place.

 

[Thorhammer]

Agree...I'd wade back up the creek for hours. Once in a while the Spanish would cruise by in flipping distance of the cut banks...that was always fun

 

[Thorhammer]

Tight lines, post pics!