Some of the richest fishing areas are the Beaufort and North River marshes, sprawling areas of shallow water, marsh grass and oyster rocks. For most of the summer, the marshes are full of puppy drum, often in schools of dozens of fish, pushing through the soft bottom in search of crabs and baitfish.

Menhaden are the live bait of choice during the summer, with mullet minnows and shrimp arriving in around Labor Day. Puppy drum are liable to hit a number of different kinds of artificial lures, including soft plastics of various sizes and shapes, plus spoons and spinners. Speckled trout will hit many of the same lures, but they don't tend to move into the marshes as heavily as puppy drum until around Labor Day.

Typically, medium-action spinning tackle is preferred, but some bass fishermen will find their baitcasting tackle to be just the ticket for puppy drum that can be anywhere from 12 to 30 inches long.

The deeper channels around Barden, Beaufort and Bogue inlets are generally home to flounder and gray trout. Fishing areas with sharp dropoffs and plenty of cover on the bottom are prime areas for both species, but especially flounder, which move out of extremely deep water to feed on different swings of the tide. Live menhaden and mud minnows fished on a Carolina rig are the primary live baits for flounder, which tend to bite very slowly, first mouthing a bait, then scaling it before pulling it deep into its throat for swallowing.

Fishermen who prefer the surf or piers can count on a variety of saltwater panfish being on the beach, including spots, sea mullet, croakers and small bluefish. Tactics are not complicated: A medium-action spinning rod loaded with 10-pound-test line, tied to a double-hook bottom rig baited with something like shrimp, squid, cut bait or bloodworms will normally attract attention from inshore bottom dwellers. And the possibility exists for some nice flounder in the surf and around piers, especially if you can find mud minnows.

Capt. Joe Shute's Tackle Shop (252/240-2744), on the causeway between Morehead City and Atlantic Beach, is a source of fishing information for all species and all areas of the Crystal Coast, plus a booking agent for guides and charters.

ASHEVILLE
If North Wilkesboro is the gateway to Northwest North Carolina, Asheville is the gateway to the rest of North Carolina's mountains, but you don't have to go far from the county seat of Buncombe County for plenty of different fishing possibilities.

Within 30 to 45 minutes of Asheville, you can be on some of the finest waters in North Carolina or the Southeast for trout, walleyes, smallmouth bass and even muskellunge. A good source for fishing information in the area is Franklin Outdoor Sports in West Asheville (828/253-7925).

The French Broad River south of Asheville includes a fantastic 30-mile stretch of muskie water, with big fish lying in wait for anglers to pitch buzzbaits, swim baits, jerkbaits and even spinnerbaits behind anything that breaks up the current -- laydown trees, rocks, sandbars and shoals. Heavy tackle and some measure of fishing expertise is required when you're talking about doing battle with fish that routinely reach 3 feet in length and regularly weigh 15 to 30 pounds. Guide Jay Dodd (828/281-1538) targets muskies up and down the river.