Juvenile fish and adults spend a lot of time in the ocean. Surf-fishing for red drum is one of the most popular pastimes for anglers who do not own boats. Public beaches and beach access points abound along the coast. Driving on the beach at places like Fort Fisher, Carolina Beach's North End, Topsail Beach and Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a tradition that has become more permit-intensive, but is still allowed during certain times and seasons.

Surf-fishermen use medium to heavy tackle. Without a boat to chase the fish to regain line, the need for line capacity becomes apparent quickly when a 41-inch, 40-pound adult "channel bass" picks up a menhaden steak from a sandbar and heads for the ocean. A minimum of 300 yards of 15-pound-test line should be available and a surf-angler's reel must be sturdy enough to have a chance at turning one of the big fish.

FLOUNDER
Flounder are tops on every saltwater angler's list. While not possessing the strength, endurance or speed of other game fish, they are one of the most sought-after species because of their taste and the challenge of catching them.

To catch a flounder, you nearly have to hit him in the head with the bait. Flounder ambush their prey from hiding spots along the edges of bars, channels, oyster beds and in the surf. They also like to hide along the edges of grassbeds, beneath docks and piers and beside coral, rock ledges, artificial reefs and wrecks.

The fish begin biting in May, when concentrations of small fish show up. By June, the fishing is wide open, with anglers catching fish at inlets by drifting or trolling tactics. Both summer and southern flounder are caught at inlets. Southern flounder dominate the catch in inshore waters, while summer flounder dominate the catch in offshore waters north of Cape Hatteras. Last season, anglers caught very high numbers of southern flounder from the state's southern coast offshore ledges and artificial reefs at Topsail, Swansboro, Morehead City, Southport and Carolina Beach.

Live baits are the ticket to catching flounder. Many flounder are caught by surf- and pier-anglers using cut baits and some are caught by anglers using jigs. When jigs are used, they work best when tipped with fish, shrimp or a live or dead mullet minnow.

Anglers drift live baits by letting the boat go with the current flow. A 1- to 3-ounce trolling sinker keeps a live minnow "tickling" the bottom. The hook is the most important part of the rig. Anglers use Kahle-style, wide-bend or wide-gap hooks to catch flounder because they have mouths that open wide. The hook must penetrate far back inside the mouth or the fish can toss it during the fight.

Drifting is also a good tactic for finding fish at offshore structure. However, snags are common at ledges and wrecks. Once the fish are located, anglers usually anchor and cast live baits around the area. The fish will often be concentrated in a small dropoff at the edge of a ledge. So many fish can come from one spot it seems they are stacked like flapjacks and that is what many divers report seeing.

A GPS and electronic depthfinder are of no consequence to inshore flounder anglers because of the shallow nature of the territory. However, for offshore fishing, electronic equipment is vital to the success of a trip. Finding an offshore structure can be tricky to difficult without electronic gear.

A flounder bite is subtle compared to any other game fish. Instead of streaking off with the bait, he engulfs it with his huge mouth and holds it for a few seconds before turning it around to begin swallowing it. The initial strike is often no more than a tap or heavy sensation. Because of the way flounder feed, more of these fish are missed by anglers who set the hook too soon than are missed for any other reason. When in doubt about whether a hook is hung on the bottom or in a flounder's mouth, it's best to wait up to a minute or two before moving the bait or setting the hook.