This is great, Bruce!Just to kick this forum off, I fish a few of the bridges in eastern NC regularly during the off season (December thru early March). I wrap the boat during this period but still require my weekly fishing fix. I've had great success at times including my PB speckled trout of 26.5" (Dec, 2021). That same year, at the same bridge I pulled in four citation specks over the course of three nights. I also have a great time with stripers notching multiple nights of 6-8 fish all over 20" (some up to 25"). While some people may consider bridge fishing "slumming it", I find it one of the best ways to while away the days waiting on the spring bite. For those here who know me, I have posted pretty regularly about my successes and they can attest to my honesty.
I'll be upfront, I don't mind sharing my bridge list and I'm hoping some of you other guys who also fish bridges will be as forthcoming. My top five in order of preference are....
Melvine R Daniels (Nags Head, NC) - This is the tiny bridge where Hwy 64 crosses onto the beach strand just west of Whalebone Junction. It has a nice paved parking lot and during the touron season state maintained facilities. During the right times of year, this is trout central for those who can't or prefer not to invest in a hole in the water that you throw money into (a boat). I've caught many a pretty speck, red and flounder from that bridge. Each of the three have their own spot on the bridge....specks are dead center as far as you can cast, flounder...east end there's a shoal running perpendicular to the bridge just east of the bridge (cast from the bridge over across the shoal and into the hole on the other side and work back across it)...reds and black drum both tend to congregate near the eastern third of the bridge around the footers.
Bonner Bridge (Oregon Inlet) - Technically not a bridge anymore but still should be productive for specks, reds, stripers, etc... I used to throw a set of flood lights on the water right at the 7th footer (count only those footers in the water) and drag in 40-50 stripers in a 2-3 hour period at night during the fall season. I haven't fished it since it became a "pier" but I can't imagine it's not still just as productive.
Old NC 17 bridge (Washington, NC) - stripers abound from late November through March, they're mostly schoolies (20-25") but one on a light trout rod is a blast!
State Hwy 92 crossing Bath Creek (Bath, NC) - narrow sidewalk, lots of traffic until about 10:00 pm but if you're looking citation trout....here you go.
Hwy 64 High Rise (Pirates Cove/Manteo/Nags Head) - This is the high rise bridge where US 64 crosses between Roanoke Island and the strand at Whale Bone junction. Technically it's not bridge fishing as we fish the state maintained pier just under the west end of the bridge but you're fishing against the bridge structure so I count it. You can count on specks and during that off season, nice sized (25-40") stripers. Lots of junk on the bottom to snag but if you learn how to fish it, not a bad place to be!
So there you are...if during the off season you happen to give one of these a try and you see an older gentleman wearing a black OBX Chevrolet dealership hoodie, say hello....that would be me!
Tight lines all!
Bruce
Bridge Trout
Just to kick this forum off, I fish a few of the bridges in eastern NC regularly during the off season (December thru early March). I wrap the boat during this period but still require my weekly fishing fix. I've had great success at times including my PB speckled trout of 26.5" (Dec, 2021). That same year, at the same bridge I pulled in four citation specks over the course of three nights. I also have a great time with stripers notching multiple nights of 6-8 fish all over 20" (some up to 25"). While some people may consider bridge fishing "slumming it", I find it one of the best ways to while away the days waiting on the spring bite. For those here who know me, I have posted pretty regularly about my successes and they can attest to my honesty.
I'll be upfront, I don't mind sharing my bridge list and I'm hoping some of you other guys who also fish bridges will be as forthcoming. My top five in order of preference are....
Melvine R Daniels (Nags Head, NC) - This is the tiny bridge where Hwy 64 crosses onto the beach strand just west of Whalebone Junction. It has a nice paved parking lot and during the touron season state maintained facilities. During the right times of year, this is trout central for those who can't or prefer not to invest in a hole in the water that you throw money into (a boat). I've caught many a pretty speck, red and flounder from that bridge. Each of the three have their own spot on the bridge....specks are dead center as far as you can cast, flounder...east end there's a shoal running perpendicular to the bridge just east of the bridge (cast from the bridge over across the shoal and into the hole on the other side and work back across it)...reds and black drum both tend to congregate near the eastern third of the bridge around the footers.
Bonner Bridge (Oregon Inlet) - Technically not a bridge anymore but still should be productive for specks, reds, stripers, etc... I used to throw a set of flood lights on the water right at the 7th footer (count only those footers in the water) and drag in 40-50 stripers in a 2-3 hour period at night during the fall season. I haven't fished it since it became a "pier" but I can't imagine it's not still just as productive.
Old NC 17 bridge (Washington, NC) - stripers abound from late November through March, they're mostly schoolies (20-25") but one on a light trout rod is a blast!
State Hwy 92 crossing Bath Creek (Bath, NC) - narrow sidewalk, lots of traffic until about 10:00 pm but if you're looking citation trout....here you go.
Hwy 64 High Rise (Pirates Cove/Manteo/Nags Head) - This is the high rise bridge where US 64 crosses between Roanoke Island and the strand at Whale Bone junction. Technically it's not bridge fishing as we fish the state maintained pier just under the west end of the bridge but you're fishing against the bridge structure so I count it. You can count on specks and during that off season, nice sized (25-40") stripers. Lots of junk on the bottom to snag but if you learn how to fish it, not a bad place to be!
So there you are...if during the off season you happen to give one of these a try and you see an older gentleman wearing a black OBX Chevrolet dealership hoodie, say hello....that would be me!
Tight lines all!
Bruce
I'll be upfront, I don't mind sharing my bridge list and I'm hoping some of you other guys who also fish bridges will be as forthcoming. My top five in order of preference are....
Melvine R Daniels (Nags Head, NC) - This is the tiny bridge where Hwy 64 crosses onto the beach strand just west of Whalebone Junction. It has a nice paved parking lot and during the touron season state maintained facilities. During the right times of year, this is trout central for those who can't or prefer not to invest in a hole in the water that you throw money into (a boat). I've caught many a pretty speck, red and flounder from that bridge. Each of the three have their own spot on the bridge....specks are dead center as far as you can cast, flounder...east end there's a shoal running perpendicular to the bridge just east of the bridge (cast from the bridge over across the shoal and into the hole on the other side and work back across it)...reds and black drum both tend to congregate near the eastern third of the bridge around the footers.
Bonner Bridge (Oregon Inlet) - Technically not a bridge anymore but still should be productive for specks, reds, stripers, etc... I used to throw a set of flood lights on the water right at the 7th footer (count only those footers in the water) and drag in 40-50 stripers in a 2-3 hour period at night during the fall season. I haven't fished it since it became a "pier" but I can't imagine it's not still just as productive.
Old NC 17 bridge (Washington, NC) - stripers abound from late November through March, they're mostly schoolies (20-25") but one on a light trout rod is a blast!
State Hwy 92 crossing Bath Creek (Bath, NC) - narrow sidewalk, lots of traffic until about 10:00 pm but if you're looking citation trout....here you go.
Hwy 64 High Rise (Pirates Cove/Manteo/Nags Head) - This is the high rise bridge where US 64 crosses between Roanoke Island and the strand at Whale Bone junction. Technically it's not bridge fishing as we fish the state maintained pier just under the west end of the bridge but you're fishing against the bridge structure so I count it. You can count on specks and during that off season, nice sized (25-40") stripers. Lots of junk on the bottom to snag but if you learn how to fish it, not a bad place to be!
So there you are...if during the off season you happen to give one of these a try and you see an older gentleman wearing a black OBX Chevrolet dealership hoodie, say hello....that would be me!
Tight lines all!
Bruce
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
This is great, Bruce!
Just a quick add for these locations. Regarding landing your catches if you choose any of these locations.
Bath Bridge - Bridge is approximately 25-30 ft above water levels so you either walk your fish down to the rocks on the west end of the bridge or you use a pier (hoop) net.
Washington (Hwy 17) - Similar to Bath but not quite as high, you'll still want a net or you can walk them down to the rocks on the south end of the bridge.
Melvin R. Daniels - I used to have a landing net I attached to an old arbor saw extension handle...collapsed it was about 7 ft, extended I could squeeze 13 ft and you needed it all for that bridge.
High Rise (Pirates Cove) - you'll need a solid 8 ft of landing net to secure your catch.
Oregon Inlet - Bridge is anywhere between 30-50 ft above water levels so you use a pier (hoop) net with plenty of line.
Tight lines,
Bruce
Bath Bridge - Bridge is approximately 25-30 ft above water levels so you either walk your fish down to the rocks on the west end of the bridge or you use a pier (hoop) net.
Washington (Hwy 17) - Similar to Bath but not quite as high, you'll still want a net or you can walk them down to the rocks on the south end of the bridge.
Melvin R. Daniels - I used to have a landing net I attached to an old arbor saw extension handle...collapsed it was about 7 ft, extended I could squeeze 13 ft and you needed it all for that bridge.
High Rise (Pirates Cove) - you'll need a solid 8 ft of landing net to secure your catch.
Oregon Inlet - Bridge is anywhere between 30-50 ft above water levels so you use a pier (hoop) net with plenty of line.
Tight lines,
Bruce
All—be advised that the Bath Bridge was supposed to close on March 20 for repairs…did not happen. When it does it is supposed to be closed for 30 days. Don’t know what the status is…pm me and I will try to let you know day to day.
Thanks for the intel, Chris. I had heard it was going to be closed for a period but I haven't been to that bridge in a while so I wasn't sure about timing.
Was in Sneads Ferry a couple hours ago, I saw a warning sign that the NC172 bridge over to Camp Lejeune was closed as of tomorrow (3/24/23). The sign did not indicate when it would reopen. If you plan to use the public pier on the Camp Lejeune side of New River this closing will effect you, likewise if you have on-base privileges you will have to get to Onslow Beach by the Main Gate or the Hubert Gate. OH
If you'd like to post a new thread with this information, I'll sticky it (or pin it, some folks say) until the situation is resolved.All—be advised that the Bath Bridge was supposed to close on March 20 for repairs…did not happen. When it does it is supposed to be closed for 30 days. Don’t know what the status is…pm me and I will try to let you know day to day.
Just a quick note for anyone interested. The old Hwy 17 bridge over the Pamlico in Washing, NC is still producing schoolie sized (20-25") stripers if you're looking for a cheap excursion or a way to while away a few hours one evening/night. As is typical, they bite best after dark and are currently favoring chartreuse/silver MinnowZ plastics. I was out last weekend playing with them. As always, great fun to catch but strictly C&R.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
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