Ocracoke Intel

[reelaxin]

Hey guys, I am planning to run the boat from Wilmington up to Ocracoke on Friday / Saturday this week and get out for a little carnage early next week. I am looking for any local Intel that y’all may be able to offer up about the condition of Ocracoke inlet and some pointers as to where to head to do some meat fishing.

Game plan is trolling for meat – dolphin and tuna are on the hit list. Have planer rod locked and loaded in case the hoos are still around – may slip off deep and look for a billfish. Hope this wind lies down a bit by then!

Running an inboard sport fisherman so we needs a fair bit of water and I have never been out Ocracoke. I know a lot of y’all are Morehead and Hatteras locals but any information on Ocracoke would be appreciated.

Will be stopping over at the Morehead Yacht Basin Friday night – stop by for a cold drink if you are in the area.

Thanks,

Mike

[seapower]

I don't know what size boat you have or how much water you draw. There is not alot of water on the bar, I ran into 5 foot on the bar last Saturday. You may give the guy's at the Anchoage Marina a call (Ernie on the Gecko,Reed on the Devereux, Capt on the DrumStick, etc...). They can tell you more about it. Keep an eye on your depth!!!! It shoal's up on the red side just before the point of the beach. Once you get past the point of beach you'll follow the red's, which will carry you right back toward's the beach again, when you get close to the beach you'll turn to port and follow the aid's to Silver Lake. Be very careful at the green can's at your to port, the aid's can be deceptive. Where it is shallow ,it is very shallow. If at all possible follow another boat (preferably larger than you) in for the first time. I think the "Gecko", "Devereux", and the "DrumStick" stand by on vhf 68. Frank

[wbfish]

Last time I was there, almost a year ago, there was a green buoy coming back in the inlet that you wanna stay well clear of. Just hang towards the Red on the other side cause there were waves breaking on and inside of the green. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. Besides that its not all that bad. I fished a 36 GW for a few days up there before takin it back to Wrightsville and we never hit ground.

[reelaxin]

Thanks guys, hopefully this wind will lay down and I will be able follow some of the locals out.

[seapower]

I think that would be a good plan. Try to catch up with someone before you come in. Like I mentioned there are a few charter boat's out of Ocracoke, I believe I'd give them a shout. Frank

[rich]

My advice is to run in or out of hatteras if you draw much water. Ocracoke inlet is extremely shallow now. went out about a week ago and we ran into 3.5 feet on the bar. There is a small amount of difference between ocracoke and hatteras but if you draw much water at all and don't have any experience with ocracoke there are a lot more boats running in and out of hatteras that you can buddy up with for the run in or the run out.

[seapower]

you're right, there isn't much water on the bar. I expect we'll hear of some serious trouble there soon. Hatteras would be the better option. I didn't even think about it, Good Call. Frank

[MissSara]

From silver lake to the mouth of the inlet(South Pt.), everything is clearly marked but with a few unlighted cans. Run it in the daylight first and get your plot down. Do not hug the markers , some of the markers actually mark the very edge of the channel with some markers being overtaken slightly by shoaling. Most problems for boaters (in low light conditions) occur in the dogleg part of the channel nearer the inlet. It is easy to miss one of the unlighted cans with the sharp turns required. There is an area in the dogleg that is only 5-6ft deep and tides are running at least a foot low right now. Once you have made it to the mouth of the inlet you will pass a single red can by south pt and then there will be a set of red and green ahead. Go between these two but then the rest of the inlet markers are USELESS. The marked inlet after this point has become completely shoaled up. If you continue on through the marked inlet, you will need your surfboard even on the calm days. Stay to the left of the marked inlet after that set of red and green cans and you will be fine. A falling tide against the wind makes for a bumpy go of it. See you out there!

[reelaxin]

Thanks for all the help - will look into the run back up to Hatteras inlet.

[WAHOONBOX]

From silver lake to the mouth of the inlet(South Pt.), everything is clearly marked but with a few unlighted cans. Run it in the daylight first and get your plot down. Do not hug the markers , some of the markers actually mark the very edge of the channel with some markers being overtaken slightly by shoaling. Most problems for boaters (in low light conditions) occur in the dogleg part of the channel nearer the inlet. It is easy to miss one of the unlighted cans with the sharp turns required. There is an area in the dogleg that is only 5-6ft deep and tides are running at least a foot low right now. Once you have made it to the mouth of the inlet you will pass a single red can by south pt and then there will be a set of red and green ahead. Go between these two but then the rest of the inlet markers are USELESS. The marked inlet after this point has become completely shoaled up. If you continue on through the marked inlet, you will need your surfboard even on the calm days. Stay to the left of the marked inlet after that set of red and green cans and you will be fine. A falling tide against the wind makes for a bumpy go of it. See you out there!

GREAT LOCAL KNOWLEDGE!!! THANK YOU!


I HAVE A STORY TO TELL...I MEAN WRITE.....IT TIS A STORY ABOUT THE GENEROSITY OF THE SILVER LAKE MOTEL IN OCRACOKE....I BELIEVE THE YEAR WAS .....UHHHH....19....1984-86ISH GIVE OR TAKE A YEAR

I WAS RUNNING MY OWN 25 PARKER AND FISHING THE CAPT FANNIES BILLFISH TOURNY WITH A COUPLE FRIENDS

WE FISHED NORTH THAT DAY & WERE CAUGHT IN SOME UNEXPECTED SERIOUS WIND AND STORMS ON DAY ONE AND HAD TO MAKE A MAD DASH FOR THE COMFORT OF OCRACOKE ISLAND....A 3 DAY NASTY FORECAST HAD US LITERALLY TIED TO DA DOCK AT O'NEALS...I NEVER THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT THAT I WOULD NEED CASH OR MY CHECKBOOK

I BET BETWEEN MY FRIENDS AND MYSELF WE DIDN'T HAVE 50 BUCKS BETWEEN US....I WENT TO THE DESK AT SILVER LAKE AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE I COULD GET A COUPLE ROOMS FOR THE CHARTER AND I WOULD SEND THEM A CHECK UPON MY RETURN TO MHC.....THE MOTEL OWNER(OPERATOR) NEVER FLINCHED AND SAID "OF COURSE"....HE THEN GAVE ME A VEHICLE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE...HE ALSO SAID HE WOULD FRONT ME A FEW DOLLARS IF WE WERE SHORT FOR FOOD...O'NEALS FRONTED US SOME SOFT DRINKS ,BEER AND FUEL....CHECK TO BE MAILED AS WELL UPON MY RETURN TO MHC


DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT I AM TELLING YOU? OCRACOKE ISLAND... STRANGERS IN THE MIST...NO CASH....AND THIS MOTEL/FUEL MARINA PUT OUT A HELPING HAND!!!WOW


SILVER LAKE MOTEL...I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS MOMENT IN TIME....BUT I DO!


AND I THANK YOU!

I NOW TIP MY RIGGERS TO YA....


ROCK ON!

BOX