THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604260633
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Pier fishing along the northern beaches improved Thursday, even though water temperatures did not increase.
Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught sea mullet, croaker, skates and some small gray trout.
Sea mullet fishing was good during most of the morning on Avalon Pier.
Nags Head Pier reported a good run of croaker during the morning. A few small trout, croaker and a 3-pound bluefish were taken during the afternoon.
Lots of sea mullet and scattered croaker were landed early in the day from Outer Banks Pier. Action throughout the afternoon was a little slower, with small bottom fish and a few trout taken.
On Hatteras Island, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier caught some nice sea mullet on bloodworms. The water in the area was dirty.
Some 12- to 14-inch gray trout were taken during the morning from Avon Pier. Flounder, sea mullet and lots of tailor bluefish were landed later in the day. The bluefish hit double bucktail rigs and jiggers.
Frisco Pier reported good sea mullet fishing. Most of the fish taken weighed about 1 pound. Some toadfish and several nice flounder also were landed.
Surf fishermen along the northern beaches caught a few sea mullet, toadfish and skates.
Some fair catches of small bottom fish were reported along the beach from Oregon Inlet to Rodanthe.
Plenty of 1-pound sea mullet, some small gray trout, small blues and a 9-pound black drum were beached by surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Some puppy drum and tailor bluefish were caught at Cape Point Wednesday night. Croaker, toadfish and sea mullet were taken Thursday from both sides of Cape Point, and nice flounder were landed in the ``the hook.''
Small bluefish, puppy drum and flounder were beached Wednesday night from Ramp 55 south to Hatteras Inlet. Sea mullet fishing was good Thursday from Frisco Pier to False Point.
Striped bass fishing was good Wednesday and Thursday near the Manns Harbor bridge in Croatan Sound. Anglers casting caught and released 2- to 4-pound stripers until they got tired.
Tuna fishing off Oregon Inlet was excellent Thursday. Almost everyone caught the limit of 25- to 35-pound yellowfins. The best action was spread from ``the point'' to the 40270 Loran line during the morning. Two spearfish were released by the Prine Time, and two white marlin were released by the Hog Wild.
Hatteras charters also reported good yellowfin action south and southeast of Diamond Shoals Light Tower. Scattered dolphin and wahoo also were taken. A spearfish was released by the Tom Cat.
The water temperature was 46.5 degrees Thursday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 64 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.
This should be an excellent weekend for fishing along the Dare Coast, both inshore and offshore, provided the weather remains moderate. by CNB