Heading to the OBX for the first time, planning to do some surf fishing. Any sage advice?

Thanks y'all.

Where are you going on OBX? If you are staying in Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills or Nag Heads, do youself a favor and skip fishing the beaches there unless you fish the piers, which will be crowded that time of year. My advice would be to drive south, cross Oregon Inlet, and fish the beaches of Pea Island NWR.

Emerald Isle. House along the beach. We chose it because friends told us Emerald would be less commercial/crowded. I grew fishing the surf all over Florida. Experience and gear not a problem. Just looking for some local insight!

Emerald Isle is south of Hatteras. So Pea Island is even further away. If you want an adventure, sort of, get on the Cedar Point to Ocracoke then Ocracoke to Hatteras ferries and fish the beaches nearer Hatteras. You can just fish the beaches where you'll be staying. It's all good.

Just spent a week North of Carova. Fished the outgoing tides. Had 4 good runs and finally got a hook into a 9’ sand tiger. Fish had been tagged and released. Fresh bait is best if you are after sharks. I’m running 15’ rods to get above the waves. Flew my baits out 250-300 w my drone.