Where are the stripers?

Both sport and commercial fishermen keep waiting for the stripers to work their way down from northern waters around Rudee Inlet, Va, to the Outer Banks. In past years, they’ve shown up as early as the holidays.

With Jennette’s Pier stretching out 1,000-foot into the Atlantic, there’s been plenty of speculation that when the rockfish do make their way down the beach, anglers should be able to catch them from the pier.

In fact, all of the area ocean piers have seen their share of stripers in past decades.

Pier anglers may want to try live eels and pitch them at the pilings where rockfish lurk. These slippery over-sized “worms” can get away from you quick so try putting them on ice before trying to put them on the hook.

Dan Hardy of Southern Shores shows off a nice striper he caught in the ocean several years ago.

Seasoned anglers will also use cut bait such as fatback or bunker and fish the bottom.

And as any good striper angler knows, these voracious feeders like just about any artificial bait and color thrown at them. Large bucktails, rattle traps and other swim baits can produce bites from the pier.

Standard lures for catching rockfish while trolling from a boat in the ocean include Stretch-25s and 30s that feature two treble hooks. If there’s enough current, pier anglers may also be able to use these.

Another favorite are mo-jos. Although these vary in size and shape, they’re basically large lead balls with hair covering the hook, which is baited with rubber shads or curly tails. Chartreuse green lures and tails work great.

The third important bait to have ready when trolling from a boat is a parachute or umbrella rig. These feature four either green or white baits.

So keep your fingers crossed and your gear ready because the stripers could appear any day.

Looking back, looking ahead

What a year for the new Jennette’s Pier!

Thousands of visitors either caught fish or toured the 1,000-foot-long ocean fishing pier, and hundreds of children learned about marine environments and animals through fun and educational programs. Dozens of wedding receptions were held in Oceanview Hall, and super surf contests were staged along the pier’s beautiful, wide beaches. In addition, the Bergey Excel S wind turbines produced some 40,000 kilowatt hours of energy – enough to power four average residential homes for a year.

The pier’s Buy A Plank campaign continues to be a smashing success! To date, 2,030 planks have been purchased, leaving only 150 planks for sponsorship. Embedded in each plank is an attractive fish tile bearing the owners’ personalized message. Members of the Jennette family purchased the greatest number of tiles.

The first plank out of the pier house salutes Gov. Bev Perdue. The last plank at the end of the pier recognizes former Sen. Marc Basnight for his steadfast support in helping the pier become a reality. The majority of planks, however, carry special messages recalling memories of fishing by hundreds of families. Like the story of Justin Van Staalduinen, who started new family memories when he proposed to his future bride next to his tile on the pier. If you would like to share the story of your plank, visit our Facebook page and submit your entry, or check out the people and events honored on the pier’s planks.

The future is definitely bright for Jennette’s. The education staff continues to develop interesting and exciting activities for youngsters, and the new Virtual Outreach Program is sure to be popular in classrooms. Improvements on the pier, pier house, bathhouse and parking lot are ongoing by staff, and without question Jennette’s will be even better and brighter in 2012!

Winter Hours

The pier’s hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for December, January, February and March. The gift, tackle and snack shop will also be open.

The beaches and parking remain open to the public for day use, the bath house, however, is closed until next season. We also sell fishing licenses at the pier house counter. A license is not needed, however, for pier fishing.

Own a Plank

You can become part of history and help support Jennette’s Pier. Over 2,000 of the Pier’s deck boards have been sponsored through our Own A Plank! campaign. There are still planks available, if you act quickly! Your tax-deductible contribution of $200 will be used to support the many programs and exhibits featured at this new coastal landmark. Sponsors’ names will be engraved in personalized fish tiles prominently embedded in deck boards along the pier. Visit our Own A Plank! page for more details and to make your online purchase. Other Sponsorship Opportunities