Any members fish for Kings from the piers ?

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I haven't done it in years but used to love it. Lot of folks said it was too boring for them but from the time I was a kid going with my dad I could set there for hours upon hours on the Avon Pier watching the lines and trying to keep bait fresh. Starting around this time of year we would see some Cobia come in an occasionally hit our King rigs, have even seen a Tarpon or two hit the rig although I never personally caught a Tarpon I was on the pier once when one was landed. Those days are long gone by and so is my old man but some of my fondest memories are of us fishing on the Avon Pier. It always seemed like some years were better than others for the Kings. Anyone on here fish for them, just curious how they have been doing the last few years off the piers?
 

HarryNC

Eight Pointer
I don't fish for Kings from the piers, but spend time on the piers in Wrightsville Beach and Topsail in the Spring and Fall when the Spanish are running. Over the past couple of years, I've seen a fair number of Kings landed. Saw three caught one morning last year, all in the 30-40 lb class. The camaraderie of the King fisherman is pretty cool. Some of those guys are out there all day long, day after day. They're always happy to take smaller Bluefish off my hands, to use for King bait.
 

buckshot32182

Eight Pointer
I have pin rigged for the last 25 years. Didn't get chance to go do last year and haven't done as much lately since purchasing a boat. The kings have really slowed down on the piers. About 6 years ago there were a lot being landed, I know on the OBX-think that was the last year the allowed pin rigging, that pier caught 1 or 2 citation kings everyday for a solid month. That was an awesome year. Avalon has the best luck that I read about lately landing big fish. Last fish I caught was a 40 lb cobia on Nags Head. Like you said some of my best memories that I have shared with my dad are right there on the end of a pier. It's an awesome time. I believe all of the commercial fishing and charters are making it harder for pier fishermen to catch as many fish.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Used to do it back in the 80"s....quit because e of all the Hotheads and know it alls on the end. only time I fish the end now is after King season and then it is for Drum off the end.
this year is the year I am going to fish for kings out of the yak. For one I will not have a crowd around me.
 

witler

Eight Pointer
Used to do it back in the 80"s....quit because e of all the Hotheads and know it alls on the end. only time I fish the end now is after King season and then it is for Drum off the end.
this year is the year I am going to fish for kings out of the yak. For one I will not have a crowd around me.

I never started for the same reasons. Hothead and know-it-alls is putting it mildly. I never could understand why this group of fishermen thought they dominated the pier.
 

highclimber

Old Mossy Horns
I've fished Surf City Pier, at Topsail Island, for 30 years. You'll get an occasional fish, during the Spring/Summer, and the Fall run, usually starts up, around the 1st/2nd week of September, peaks, about a month later. I think the Pier's total for last year, was 85 Kings. It's still boring, for the most part, but, like deer hunting, you're not gonna get one, if you're not out there trying. I pass the time, jigging for Spanish/Blues, etc, within earshot, of my Rig.
 
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