Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 8, 1993 TAG: 9311110429
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD, N. C. LENGTH: Long
\ On my first visit to the North Carolina Outer Banks more years ago than I care to admit, I was certain that a surf fisherman had only to cast a baited hook or artificial lure into the ocean and hold tight. The vast schools of red drum or bluefish or speckled trout would practically engage in mortal battle to be the first to get to my offering.
It didn't quite work that way. I've had some good days along Outer Banks beaches. But the lean days have been far more numerous. Along the way, I've learned a few things:
If a speckled trout run develops on Hatteras, I'll probably be fishing for big bluefish at Nags Head.
If a bluefish blitz explodes at Nags Head, I'll probably be at Hatteras, fishing for (but not catching) speckled trout.
You have to be an optimist to believe that with the Atlantic Ocean more than 3,000 miles wide, any fish is going to be dumb enough to swim by close enough to reach with a surf rod.
The best fishing is enjoyed by those who live here and can pick their days orhit the beach when word comes that a big run is developing, as opposed to planning a trip on a certain weekend.
The best fishing comes in autumn, when falling temperatures do indeed chase schools of migrating fish along the beach.
Your best source of reliable information is one of the many reputable tackle shops in the Nags Head area or on Hatteras or Ocracoke islands.
On the last matter, you'll find a score of such shops scattered all along the Outer Banks. The one that proves most reliable for you is probably going to be the one you visit most often, where you spend most of your money.
The ones I've come to know and trust over the years are listed in a box accompanying this story. (Exclusion isn't intended to be a blackball. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa)
As for dates and times to catch fish, there's more than a little truth that fall and surf fishing on the Outer Banks are synonymous.
While much of the ``fishy'' reputation of the Outer Banks revolves around big red drum, considered the top prize of the Southern Surf, it is the less glamorous bluefish that lures most anglers to the Banks.
And while Cape Point or Cape Hatteras, at Buxton-on-Hatteras, is probably the greatest overall surf fishing spot on the entire East Coast, the hottest action from giant bluefish, weighing in excess of 12 pounds, has, for the past decade, developed in the Nags Head area.
It's not unusual for northern anglers to drive right past this great action, eager to get to Hatteras, only to learn that they passed the fish when they passed Nags Head. Still, this is no guarantee that 1993 will see this repeated. Cape Point could be the hotspot this fall. Nor is this a condemnation of Cape Point fishing.
Legendary bluefish blitzes still happen there.
As for red drum - the catch-of-a-lifetime that can weigh upwards of 50 pounds - the Point, as Cape Point is popularly known, ranks as the No. 1 spot on the coast. When it's hot, catches can be astronomical.
Here are some dates to remember, compiled after years of personal observation, plus consistent contacts with the folks above.
Remember, though, that abnormal weather conditions can alter the equation. Remember, too, that peak dates in the Kitty Hawk area can be as much as a month earlier than peak dates at Ocracoke, although the differential usually is more like two weeks.
BLUEFISH: Outside dates, Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. Peak dates, Nov. 15 through Dec. 10. Move into the surf when the water is fairly clear. Caught on cut bait, such as mullet, in thick water, and on a variety of artificial lures, including Hopkins jigs and numerous surface-popping plugs. Best action on north side of Oregon Inlet.
RED DRUM: Outside dates, Oct. 20 through Dec. 15. Peak dates, Nov. 1-30. Move into surf early with a strong northwester, late in season on a strong southwester. Nights usually most productive. Can be caught on big pieces of cut bait, but also will hit artificials, such as Hopkins jigs. Best action at Cape Point.
PUMMPY DRUM (small red drum): Outside dates, Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. Peak dates, Oct. 1 through Nov. 15. Best on a strong southwester or strong southeaster. Caught on cut bait, such as mullet, as with big drum, but with smaller baits and smaller hooks. Will bite in muddy water, occasionally in clear water. Best action at Cape Point.
SPECKLED TROUT: Available almost all year. Peak dates Oct. 10 through Nov. 15 in Nags Head area; and Nov. 1 through Dec 31 on Hatteras and Ocracoke. Almost all are caught in clean water with a light wind. Few caught on cut bait. Most taken on small lead-head, plastic-tail artificials as well as MirrOlures. Best action in deep holes near beach.
FLOUNDER: Few available all year. Otherwise, outside dates, Sept. 1 through Dec. 15. Peak dates, Oct. 1 through Nov. 10. Found in all kinds of water, with clean water best. Usually very close to beach and along offshore bars. Can be taken on commercial flounder/spinner rigs baited with strips of squid or cut bait following in-line sinkers. Best action at Oregon Inlet and Cape Point.
Bob Hutchinson covers fishing and other outdoor sports for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk.
by CNB