I've heard really good things about surf fishing off NC.
My folks had a place on the Outer Banks for many years and actually lived there for about 10 years after they retired. I was surprised by how little there was in the surf much of the year. Every time I was down there it seemed all they were catching were spot and the occasional drum. Maybe is was just where they lived, but the only thing I ever caught on the OBX was spot, and some small, schoolie stripers but they only allow two of those per person.
Living in NJ it seems there is something going on in the surf or bays most of the year. About the only months that aren't great are Jan thru March and even then are winter flounder, cod, whiting and ling.
Places such as Island Beach State Park (very scenic) and Sandy Hook are famous for their surf fishing. Raritan Bay is chock full of stripers, weakfish, bluefish and fluke in season. The jettys and inlets are great for blackfish and stripers. The offshore wrecks hold cod and other deep water species.
Marlin, tuna, swordfish shark and other big gamefish are caught off the coast and are just a charter boat ride away.
Though NJ may not be the first state that comes to to the mind of many out of staters when it comes to fishing, it is a really good place for saltwater fishing.
And the freshwater fishing is nothing to sneeze at. Round Valley and Merrill Creek reservoirs are the southermost habitat of lake trout in North America. Many streams and lakes are generously stocked with trout every spring and fall and some streams have naturally reproducing populations of trout. Muskie are available in the Delaware River, and several lakes and most lakes and rivers rivers hold good populations of pike, bass (smallie and largemouth),and channel cats. There are a few lakes known for their walleye fishing and a few more have good populations of hybrid stripe bass. And one lake has an excellent landlocked salmon fishery.
