About Sneads Ferry
Sneads Ferry sits on the New River beside the Intracoastal Waterway and reaches the Atlantic through New River Inlet, whose bar channel keeps shifting. For North Carolina offshore rules and ports, start at the state guide.
The fishing runs year-round. Bottom fish like black sea bass, gray triggerfish and vermilion snapper hold the cooler months. Cobia and Spanish mackerel arrive in spring, mahi-mahi and king mackerel take summer, and wahoo shows in autumn. Detail on each is in the species guides for the Atlantic Southeast.
Access and navigation
Two public launch points serve the port:
- Sneads Ferry Boating Access Areapublic ramp at Fulcher Landing Loop on the New River.
- Pelagic Hunter Fishing Centermarina and ramp with fuel, formerly New River Marina.
The bar channel at New River Inlet changes continually. According to NOAA Coast Pilot 4, Chapter 5, only the lighted whistle buoy at the entrance is charted. The other buoys on the bar are left off the chart because they are moved often.
A strong ebb tends to break the bar when there is a sea outside, and the break can be worst when the ebb sets against a south or southeast wind. Even a light sea breeze tends to put a heavy break on the bar, while a land breeze can blow hard without the same effect.
If you keep a boat upriver, the upper New River has practically no periodic tide. Wind can still change the water height by 3 to 4 ft at the State Route 172 bridge, 3 miles above the ICW.
New Topsail Inlet lies 19 miles southwest by the ICW. It is also crossed over a shifting bar with frequently moved buoys, so use the chart for New Topsail Inlet with the same caution you would here.
Camp Lejeune firing-range danger zones lie in the ocean between Bear Inlet and New River Inlet, and in the New River. A danger zone near the northern end of Onslow Bay extends offshore from Bear Inlet to about 8 miles south of New River Inlet. A Sea Turtle Sanctuary Marine Protected Area runs from Bogue Inlet to New River Inlet.
Offshore forecasts come from the Newport/Morehead City marine forecast. Zone AMZ158 covers out to 20 nm and AMZ188 covers 20 to 60 nm. A forecast is a plan, and conditions can differ from it.
When you arrive, look at the bar and read the official forecast. If the water looks bigger than you want, run the ICW to New Topsail Inlet instead.
Fishing conditions
Work outward from the river. The New River holds an estuarine reef, AR-398. AR-355, New River Reef, lies 9.9 nm from the entrance in 60 ft. Both are listed in the NCDMF artificial reef guide. Farther out, hard bottom across Onslow Bay and the Gulf Stream hold the pelagic fishing.
NCDMF sets size, bag and season rules, and anyone 16 or older needs a Coastal Recreational Fishing License. Check the NCDMF size and bag limits before you fish.
Winter
Bottom fishing over the reefs and hard bottom produces black sea bass, gray triggerfish and vermilion snapper.
Spring
Cobia and Spanish mackerel join the black sea bass and gray triggerfish.
Summer
Mahi-mahi and king mackerel run offshore, with vermilion snapper on the bottom.
Before committing to a long run toward the Gulf Stream, check our OBS SST and Chart Contours layers to see where temperature edges sit against the bottom. Cloud blocks satellite passes, so a cloudy day can leave gaps. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Autumn
Wahoo shows offshore, king mackerel stay in the mix, and vermilion snapper hold on the bottom.
