[sundrop]

Being new to the salty and to the area what can I expect and what methods prove best for inshore fishing this Fall from now until December? Will I be wasting my time this far inland (Washington/Belhaven), should I go to Manns Harbor/Oriental/Morehead etc? and what should I target and when/how?

 

[crabdaddy]

Check out the Aurora area. Indian Island, depending on the weather will hold trout well into December. also there is a barge slip in south creek that hold different species including striper, (schoolies) Puppy drum should be in the area until the weather cools significantly.

 

[DBank]

Drop, you are in some of the premo rock fishing territory. As dry as it has been and the low fresh water levels in the sounds, salinity is up and we are anticipating a good run of rocks this year. Bucktails, rat-l-traps (blue/chrome are always a killer), butter bean lead head jigs, and of course, the "rock candy" - eels.

 

[sinker man]

For trout and such: Generally the retrieve speed slows down as the water temp drops. Fish will generally be further up the creeks when it gets cold. Look for deep holes without a lot of water exchange. When it is sunny all day look up on the mud flats especially when there is a high tide in the afternoon. Oops, forgot....you can probably forget that last one in your home waters. Still check the shallows with dark mud bottoms on sunny afternoons. You need to think about where the water temps will be stable in a fast moving cold snap and fish those areas. Keep an eye on the river temps vs the sound temps. Rockfish....???? no clue here....

 

[fishme2death]

Drop the Manns Harbor bridge always holds striper ,the plus to this is that it holds some good trout fishing as well ,grubs and gulps for the trout and keep a bucktail tied on for the striper and work the bridge pilings hard,As the cold weather approaches the striper fishing will only get better ,don't worry about the cold to much you can always put on a jacket .

 

[zooker]

drop
like you i only dabble at salty fishing. but i have done fairly good in the colder months trollin a x-rap or a sassy shad. this is just my personal set up though..

i really need to hook up with some one and actually cast a bait under some of them bridges..

zooker

 

[tcfisherman]

sundrop,all Those Folks Are Right, Washington Area Is Prime For Stripers Right Up To Yankee Hall, Water Needs To Cool Along With The Temps.white Perch, Catfish,bass. My Farvorite Lure Foe Stripers Is Danny Joe Humpries Feather Tail Vibrations ( Rattle Trap ) I Like The Black With A Silver Top. Blue With A Silver Top . Butter Beans Work Well, There Again My Color Is Yellow Head With A Yellow Trailer. My Hopes This Fall And Winter Is The Crab Bait That I've Purchased Along With Mattitude, Striper Love Crabs And When It Cools And The Crabs Are Gone Maybe There Will Like My Crab..............................chris