I’m heading to the OBX in a few days. Rodanthe to be exact. We go every summer and this summer I would really like to fish. Considering chartering a private boat, but also have fishing gear available at the house we stay in. The problem is I know nothing about fishing in the ocean from the shore. Would it be better to fish on the sound side or ocean? What should I use as bait? What is in season right now? What would I need for crabbing/shrimping as well? Any resources or info are greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!!

I assume you are referring to what can be caught now in December? The winter is not the best time to fish to be sure- the best times are spring and fall. Just going by what I see on Facebook pages there are some black drum and puppy drum around. For both of these fish you will be fishing with a baited hook as opposed to using artificial lures. You'd want a decent size rod as both of these fish are fairly strong. The standard go to bait is cut mullet, and the set up can be as simple as a hook, a weight, and your bait. There's a good tackle shop there in Rodanthe (Hatteras Jack's). They can give you the details, sell you the bait and any tackle you might need.

Yep, go to Hatteras Jack’s. They can sell you a license as well, or you can buy online from your home. Good luck, have a safe fun time.