OBX Fishing

OBX Fishing

I’m not an avid fisherman by any means. It’s hard not to mention the OBX and not think about fish.  After all, if you like seafood, it all starts with catching the seafood.  Right? So how about we learn about some OBX fishing!

OBX Fishing History

Best I have found, fishing on the Outer Banks began back with the Native Americans who were in the area. When Arthur Barlowe reached the Outer Banks back in the 16th century, the Native Americans showed him what the sea had to offer.  When they showed him how to bow fish, it was all over and he was “hooked”. Prior to the Civil War, commercial fishing was limited.  The lack of refrigeration made it difficult to travel with the goods.  The fish would have to be salted and dried.  After the Civil War, the US transportation system flourished and goods were able to reach their markets with better speed.  Perishable products were transported and sold as “fresh”.  Fishing as an industry and way of life became possible and lucrative. Aside from fishing, boat building on the Outer Banks took off as well.  Vessels were needed to meet the demand of procuring seafood.  Boat building also allowed for smugglers to run rum during prohibition times. Wanchese became the center of the commercial fishing industry on the Outer Banks.  Located at the South end of Roanoke Island, you can still go and get the day’s fresh catch and see the shipbuilding warehouses there.

Private Fishing

There are many areas on the Outer Banks which allow for you to grab a charter boat and go out into open water for a great day’s worth of fishing.  For those of us who don’t mind shore fishing, there are a couple of ways to go about on your own.  If you venture out to one of the local piers, you pay a nominal admission fee and can fish all day if you’d like.  You can bring your own fishing gear or rent from them.  They’ll sell you the bait you need for the type of fish you’d like to catch.  They’ll give you advice and more importantly, you’ll not need a fishing license as you’re an attendee of the pier and covered by them.  You can also venture out on your own and fish from the beach.  Of course, you’ll need to stop by the local tackle shop to grab a license.  While you’re there, speak with the store personnel.  They’re fishermen as well.  They’ll tell you what you need, where to go, and what bait to buy.  Prices are very reasonable.  Plus, you’re supporting locals!

We can go into a whole other segment speaking about the different fish and seafood that is available out at our favorite coastal destination.  For a brief summary, also look at https://mvillaobx.com/fishing-outer-banks/

We look forward to having you as our guests!

Aris