[rollcast]

My wife picked up some post cards to send to my son at camp. They were ancient and had pictures of the Indian Beach Pier. I had heard of it, but can't find any real history on it.

I looked on http://www.ncfps.com but couldn't find any history on it. We own a place at The Nautical Club in IB. Was the pier close by? When did it close? I also read about the Iron Steamer, Sportsman's, and Triple S piers. Were they nearby as well?

I grew up fishing on the Northern OBX, and used to love going to the piers, especially the old Kitty Hawk Pier. Broke my heart when Isabel took it and they built that Hilton on the site. Had some great times and great breakfasts on that old pier!

 

[Neilslure]

I remember all of those. Indian Beach pier was a little ways down the road from Salter Path. Back in the late 80s or early 90s we used to stay at Summer Winds and the pier was a good walk from there. I am not sure if a hurricane took it away or a developer.

Triple S and Sportsmans were both very nice modern piers and were between the Atlantic beach causeway and Ft Macon. Pretty sure they were both bought and dismantled by developers a few years back.

Iron Steamer was pretty close to where the Pine knoll shores aquarium is. It had some kind of ship wreckage next to it about a 1/3 of the way out. I know it took a beating in a hurricane and what was left of it reopened as a shorter pier.

 

[FishinCary]

Excellent book...

http://www.abebooks.com/North-Carol...ty/8669595547/bd?cm_mmc=gmc-_-gmc-_-PLA-_-v01

 

[theramrod]

My family 1st got a place in Indian Beach in 1987 in Sea Breeze Mobile Home Park, where Grand Villas condos are now. I used to ride my bike to Indian Beach fishing pier a lot as a kid to either surf or play games in the arcade. It was located right at the Indian Beach/Emerald Isle city line. There is a mobile home park there now. Like many of the piers on this island I do believe storms basically beat it down to the point of the owner no longer being able to rebuild or repair. About 4 miles to the west of that is where Emerald Isle Fishing Pier used to stand as well. It was where the Emerald Isle Eastern Beach Access parking lot is now. The local Salter Pathers used to call them the "twin piers". It's a shame these piers, along w/ Iron Steam, Triple S and Sportsmans couldnt withstand all that mother nature threw at them. Also where the Double Tree (formally Sheraton) stands they have a small little pier. Before the Sheraton bought that property that used to be the "Morehead Ocean Fishing Pier" and it was a lot longer then it is now.

 

[J Scott]

Spent many a year at Salter Path Family Campground and The Indian Beach Pier. It has long been gone and i believe Ramrod is right that storms got the best of it and was easier to close it and sell off the property. It was located on the ocean side where the Watersports rental place is wast of you going toward Emerald Isle. I wish the Salter Path Campground was still open It was a great place

 

[FishinCary]

Excerpts from Al Baird's "Nc Ocean Fishing Piers" :

"Bogue Banks eigth and final pier was built in 1974 at Indian Beach, which got it's name when Earl Thompson, of Thompson Steel Pier fame, found an Indian mound on nearby property. Indian Beach Fishing Pier was owned by Ken Heverly, who also owned Emerald Isle Pier. Indian Beach Fishing Pier, which also featured a campground, varied in length from about 800 to 1200 feet, depending on what storms had just gone through."
"1996... Bertha took out the dune and Fran did substantial damage.... Rebuil[t] and reopen[ed] it"
"1998... Bonnie damaged the pier, then Floyd destroyed it the next year... at that point Heverly threw in the towel and closed the pier for good"
"Survived only twenty-four years"
"state record tarpon caught in 1978... 164 pounds"
"pier regularly took in over ten kings daily"
"where the pier once stood is public beach (or "CAMA") access point #5 on Salter Path road at milepost 12. The area is wooded with ten parking spaces"

 

[rollcast]

This is great info y'all! I really love the old pier lifestyle. Just something about standing on one in the evening with a rod or two and just listening to the surf. Doesn't hurt to catch a few either...

 

[OptiMystic]

This is great info y'all! I really love the old pier lifestyle. Just something about standing on one in the evening with a rod or two and just listening to the surf. Doesn't hurt to catch a few either...

Some of my best memories as a kid were pier fishing. Big Indian Rocks Beach Pier in FL was the longest one in the state and trophies were caught almost daily. I came away from there thinking spadefish were as easy to catch as bream. Weather took it out in the mid 80s. The County Pier at Panama City Beach is still there; another one I fished a lot as a kid. I always remember the first time I went sharking at night there; my old salt great uncle rummaged through the garage to find me a suitable massive old bottom fishing combo and said "bring me back the handle". I think I need to book a weekend at Oceanana; that place is a time machine for me because it is a lot like the places I stayed in FL as a kid.

 

[FishinCary]

I recently crossed Carolina beach pier off my list. Yaupon is the next one I want to fish