THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504060165
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Surf fishing along the northern beach area has been generally slow in the past week. Anglers fishing around Oregon Inlet managed to catch a few toadfish and small croakers, but that was the extent of the action.
On Hatteras Island, fishing from Oregon Inlet south to Avon was slow with only scattered dogfish (shark) and skates landed. At Cape Point, some trout were taken on artificial baits along the north beach. Particularly good runs developed on Monday and Tuesday across from the Hatteras lighthouse.
The majority of the fish beached were gray trout weighing from 2 to 5 pounds. Green plastic lures, Rattle Traps, and a variety of Mirrolures produced the most action. Toadfish have been plentiful south of Cape Point. This area also has produced some small bottom fish.
Pier fishing from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head has been mediocre recently. Water temperatures have remained around 50 degrees in the area due to northeast winds and cool nights. Kitty Hawk Pier anglers have taken skates and a few croakers. Anglers on Avalon Pier have landed scattered croakers and an occasional toadfish.
One lucky angler on Avalon Pier hooked, fought, and released a nice striped bass weighing around 23 pounds on Sunday. The hungry fish hit a small piece of squid on a bottom rig.
Nags Head Pier reported a good run of toadfish on Sunday morning, scattered croakers during the afternoon, but no action on Monday. Fishing has been slow overall on Jennette's Pier. Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier have caught a handful of croakers, skates and toadfish, but action has not been consistent.
Offshore fishing has been the bright spot in the angling picture throughout the past week. Good catches of yellowfin tuna were taken southeast of Oregon Inlet on March 31. Action was good again the next day, with yellowfins, scattered dolphin, and a couple of wahoo reported landed.
Sunday's fishing was super with limits of yellowfin tuna, weighing from 10 to 60 pounds, taken by boats out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center and Pirates Cove Marina. In addition, two wahoo were decked aboard the Marlin Fever. Action on Monday was also excellent with plenty of yellowfins taken along with a few dolphin. Most of the action has been centered on ``The Point.''
Tuna fishing has also been good off Hatteras. Most of the yellowfin action has been around the 280 rocks. On Sunday, the headboat Miss Hatteras reported a good catch of big blues from wrecks off Ocracoke. Anglers aboard also released three bluefin tuna.
Bluefin action in the area continues to wind down as the fish gradually migrate out of the area. Concerns about hook and release mortality have prompted the National Marine Fisheries Service to send representatives to the area to investigate the potential problem.
The weather forecast for the next few days will determine how quickly fishing will get rolling along the Dare Coast. A continuation of cool nights will slow the movement of fish into the area. As soon as the water temperature gets into the mid-50s, action on small fish will improve dramatically. Trout are scattered along the northern beaches, but have failed to bite because of the chilly water. Offshore action, fortunately independent of inshore water temperatures, should be excellent over the coming week. by CNB