AUGUST
White Perch: Lake Waccamaw
While white perch have been distributed widely, and illegally, across the state's waters, they occur naturally in Lake Waccamaw.

White perch are extremely abundant in the lake, but locating them is the key to catching them. They stick to the deeper areas of the lake in summer. Trolling until a water depth of 8 feet is found is the best tactic. But while an angler is trolling an in-line spinner, crankbait or spoon, he should watch for surface-feeding fish.

Surfacing white perch leave bubble trails. The smaller fish typically show on top, with the larger fish schooling beneath them.

Any small fly, spoon or crankbait will attract white perch. But the schools move quickly and the bite can end as fast as it begins. Using markers to show the locations of strikes is also a good tactic. Looking back across a trail of markers can show a trolling or casting alley so the angler doesn't lose track of the fish.

SEPTEMBER
King Mackerel: Wrightsville Beach
While kings occur all across the Atlantic and Gulf states, the epicenter has remained in the offshore waters outside Masonboro Inlet. Anglers catch king mackerel from the local piers, as well as the nearshore and offshore natural ledges, live bottoms and artificial reefs. Anglers fishing in aluminum johnboats have boated kings exceeding the citation weight of 30 pounds, fishing just outside Masonboro Inlet.

Live baits are the ticket to the biggest kings. But frozen cigar minnows and sardines will also work.

The electronic depthfinder and GPS unit are the best modern gear for king fishing. Locating the structure and the baitfish holding on the structure is the key to finding kings in the offshore waters. However, yeomen can still get in on the action by watching for baitfish on the surface and fishing the tide lines. In a pinch, the price of a pier ticket and a trolley rig setup is a cheap way to get in on the sport of "kings."

Contact: Johnnie Mercer's Pier, (910) 256-2743; Capt. Lee Parsons, Gottafly Guide Service, (910) 540-2464.

OCTOBER
Striped Bass: New Bern
When it comes to striped bass, the channels and bridges of the Neuse and Trent rivers near New Bern are one of the best places to catch them. The best combination of weather, baitfish and striper concentrations occur in the fall.

Anglers should cast swimbaits and crankbaits near the pilings early and late in the day for the best success. But jigging and trolling tactics work as well.

Fish may surface at any time. A topwater lure cast to a surfacing school is sure to entice a strike. Striped bass are also suckers for live eels fished on light lines or float rigs.

Contact: Capt. Mark Hoff, Sweet Water Guide Service, (252) 249-2811.

NOVEMBER
False Albacore: Harkers Island
The false albacore run at Harkers Island is legendary. False albacore, also called "Fat Alberts" are one of the speediest and strongest game fish of nearshore waters.

They arrive in large swarms, feeding on glass minnows. They are so ravenous that a school of false albacore eats and eats until the school of baitfish disappears.

Fly-fishing is the way to go for false albacore. But be forewarned, Harkers Island is the place where 8-weights go to die.

Contact: Capt. Lee Parsons, Gottafly Guide Service, (910) 540-2464.

DECEMBER
Crappie: Hyco Lake
This out-of-the-way northern Pied­mont lake has a surprising number of crappie, and they are large crappie.

The crappie orient to shoreline structure, including downed trees, buttonbushes in backs of coves and bridge pilings. Live minnows are the preferred bait. But jigs work too.

The after bay, which regulates the downstream river flow, has an excellent crappie population. Try fishing the bridge pilings a short way from the road ends that serve as ramps where the former roadbed enters the after bay.