What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Holden Beach, North Carolina for the first time?

Listen to the capt. and be flexible on your days so you can work with the weather

Be patient during summer heat. The captain will do all he can to make it work but at the end of the day it’s still called fishing and not catching.

Airy long sleeves and pants if you burn easy. Get in a boat. It beats surf and peer fishing any day.

Find a local pro and let them teach you - we did and Southern Shore Excursions made it an awesome day.

Surf fishing is a bit of a learning curve but FRESH bait seems to work the best. Talk to the other anglers on the beach, all I spoke with were happy to give tips and pointers.

Charter a fishing trip, the Captain around the area know the waters and will put you on the fish you are looks for

Action will depend upon the weather. Warmer days will bring more fish so if it is cold adjust your expectation accordingly. But remember that even a "bad" day fishing is great!

Due to weather conditions, and time of year, fishing was poor. Next time I would go in the spring or early fall.