A Fall Golf and Fishing Trip at Topsail for Up to 22

A Topsail Island golf and fishing trip works best in the fall: play North Shore Country Club in Sneads Ferry, about 10 minutes from our house, and fish the pier, surf and inlet during the best fishing months of the year, September through November. One house for up to 22 keeps the whole crew together between tee times and tides.

I'm Dipen, and I host Topsail Paradise in North Topsail Beach, a house for up to 22 overnight guests. Golf and fishing trips are some of my favorite bookings: early mornings, long days outside, and big dinners at home. Here's how I'd plan one.

Where can we play golf near Topsail Island?

The closest course to us is North Shore Country Club, at 101 North Shore Drive in Sneads Ferry. The club describes itself as sitting along the Intracoastal Waterway, and it's about 6 miles from our house, roughly a 10-minute drive. You can book tee times on its website or call 910-327-2410.

For a group of 22, call ahead rather than booking one tee time at a time. Five or six groups going out back to back is a lot to fit into a morning, and the course can tell you what's possible on your dates.

When is the best time for a golf and fishing trip?

Fall. Our North Topsail Beach fishing guide explains why September through November is the season local anglers rank first: the mullet run starts in September, and October is peak season for red drum, speckled trout, black drum, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and bluefish.

The weather helps the golfers too. Climate-Data.org puts October's average high at North Topsail Beach around 73 degrees, with lows around 61. Our fall guide covers what September and October are like in more detail.

Fall is still hurricane season, which runs through November 30, so we recommend travel insurance for stays from June through November.

Where can we fish near North Topsail Beach?

• Seaview Fishing Pier, 124 Fishing Pier Lane, about 3 miles from the house. Call 910-328-3172 for current conditions and fees.
• The 4x4 beach at the north end of town, about 0.7 miles away. Driving on the beach has its own rules and season, covered in the fishing guide.
• The surf and New River Inlet, for red drum on cut mullet in the fall.
• Surf City Ocean Pier, a longer drive down the island, open 24 hours in season. See our Surf City day trip guide.

For this week's bite, check one of the current reports listed in the fishing guide before you load the truck.

Do we need fishing licenses?

North Carolina requires a Coastal Recreational Fishing License for anyone 16 or older fishing coastal waters. The NC Division of Marine Fisheries sells it in 10-day, annual and lifetime versions, and the 10-day version fits a visiting week. You can purchase online.

On an ocean pier, you're covered by the pier's blanket license while you fish there; the Division's license FAQ notes that blanket privileges are included with the ocean pier license. For a charter, ask your captain, since for-hire boats can choose whether to carry a blanket license.

How does a golf and fishing crew of 22 fit in the house?

Topsail Paradise sleeps 22 in 8 bedrooms and 6.5 baths, about a two-block walk to the beach. Four bedrooms have private baths, and the other four share two full baths in pairs. The bedroom layout has the details, including 2 master suites and a bunk room.

The parts golf and fishing groups use most:

• A ground-floor freezer for bait, ice and the fish you keep.
• 2 outdoor showers out back and 2 hoses out front for rinsing rods, reels and coolers.
• Storage on the ground level for gear.
• A driveway for 6 to 8 cars, with more parking along the side, for a group that arrives in several trucks.
• 2 charcoal grills and a full kitchen, because the best part of a fishing day is cooking the catch.
• 2 washers and 2 dryers for golf shirts and fishing clothes by day three.

After a long day, there's a private saltwater pool with free, self-serve heat from October 1 to May 15 (warm, not spa-hot), and 2 hot tubs on the first-floor wraparound deck.

Topsail Paradise is for overnight guests only, and pets aren't allowed.

How do we get around once we're here?

Most groups drive to the course and the pier. For short trips to the beach with rods and coolers, there's an optional 6-seat golf cart add-on; see the golf cart page for pricing. Military families who book direct get it free.

For groceries and bait runs, the Food Lion in Sneads Ferry is about 7 miles away, and Mitchell Seafood in Sneads Ferry sells local shrimp if the fish aren't cooperating.

How do we book a fall golf and fishing trip?

From October through April the minimum stay is 3 nights, and check-in days are flexible, so a Thursday-to-Sunday or Friday-to-Monday trip works well. September is still a weekly rental, Saturday to Saturday preferred.

Check open dates on our booking page. Booking direct saves 15%, and you'll see the full total before you pay. Tight lines and straight drives.