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Snows Cut / Carolina Beach

6K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  blueoceaneyez 
#1 ·
I live inland and don’t have a boat so i usually go to piers in or around Morehead but thinking of going to snows cut boat ramp or carolina beach state park and was wondering if anyone has ever fished there and what do u catch
 
#2 ·
I've fished the pier at CBSP one time and caught small croaker, and plenty of them, for bait for surf fishing. Not saying there aren't other species, just my experience. I do know the state record flounder was caught in Snows Cut. And I've seen a lot of people fishing around the bridge pilings on Hwy 421 and around Snows Cut Park. Bring plenty of terminal tackle...Lots of snags.
 
#4 ·
Cervus is correct, the small pier at the state park is full of small croaker. I camp at the park and when they lock the gate at night, I sometimes fish the pier for lack of anything else to do. I have heard some decent fish have been caught there but the only thing I’ve hooked of size was a skate or 2.

On the other side of the marina is where snows cut joins the cape fear. Anyone looking at it would immediately think, that is an Awesome Spot. It may very well be. However, if you throw a line in there, do not expect to get it back. There are snags on top of snags. You might get away with a top water lure or floating bait under a bobber but anything that hits the bottom, will stay on the bottom. My experience (your results may vary…).

Locals will tell you snow’s cut holds fish. I have rarely fished there but the pier along the cut (beside the boat ramp) looks very productive. I’ve heard good stories on this location as well as the park across the street and as Cervus mentioned, the structure around the bridge. If I wasn’t more inclined to surf fish, I think I would spend more time here.

Give it a shot and please let us know how you did.
 
#6 ·
Can confirm all the above. My dad would take me shrimp’n around the bottom of the cut when I was a kid. Can’t tell you how many times we hauled in a piece of old highway they threw in there when they made the cut in the forties! Lost more $ on tackle in the cut than I care to admit.
Having said all that, every edition of Coastal Angler Published has a doormat flounder pic that came out of Snows Cut. Usually by one of the local guides but there are some big fish in there. Almost all were caught off a boat.
You can rent a kayak at CBState Park. Be careful. In season there is heavy traffic in the cut and the current is STRONG.
I agree w TomnNC, the CBSP pier can be crowded in season and I’ve never caught more than a Spot or Croaker off of it, not to mention when just wandering around the park and talking to any other bubba fishing that hasn’t caught more than pin fish off of it.

One more thing to add...

The wildlife boat ramp on the eastern side of the cut on Pleasure Island has a long dock you can fish off of. Still have to worry about snags, but I have some buddies that had luck getting Sheapshead there.
 
#8 ·
Skip the state park pier and fish along the grass banks (river side). Walk down the shoreline when tide permits or take some of the trails that empty onto the river 'beaches'. Don't cast OUT, put your bait along the GRASS. --OR-- Go to the snows cut side of the park and rig up a single hook breakaway rig so you only lose the sinker when you get hung, not the hook AND fish. Let those rigs sit, don't drag them in b/c they WILL hang-up. When you do need to reel them in, reel quickly and keep that sinker off the bottom. I've been catching Reds and Flounder, and of course Blues, from along there with live mud minnows, pogies, and mullet. Last of the falling & start of the rising is better for me there. If you aren't catching something in one spot, move up / down the bank and repeat. When scouting a stretch of bank to try, always look for bait activity.
 
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