THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505040172
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Fishing along the Dare Coast has been fairly good this past week.
Northern beach pier anglers have landed a mixture of bottom fish, blues, and both gray and speckled trout. Bluefishing has been steady, with all piers reporting some good catches of 1-to-2-pound fish. The most productive artificial baits have been jiggers and double bucktail rigs.
Sea mullet fishing has also been good, with most of the mullet landed from deeper water, halfway out on the pier. Bloodworms and fresh shrimp have been the preferred baits.
No big runs of speckled trout have been reported, but anglers have caught a few of them regularly, and they have been good-sized fish. Most of the gray trout have been smaller than the legal limit of 14 inches, and have been released.
Small spot and croaker also have been landed by pier anglers. Flounder have been scarce along the northern beaches.
Hatteras Island anglers caught good numbers of tailor blues and lots of sea mullet last week on Rodanthe Pier.
Action on Avon Pier slowed down, with some mullet, tailor blues and small gray trout taken.
Frisco Pier also reported slower fishing than previously, with a few small blues, sea mullet, several big blues and a few Spanish mackerel taken.
Surf fishing from Corolla to Oregon Inlet has been slow, with fair catches of tailor bluefish reported along the beach, but virtually no speckled trout action.
Surf anglers fishing the Oregon Inlet area have landed some small bottom fish, a few flounder and scattered tailor blues.
Trout fishing in the sound has improved. During periods of northeast winds, fairly good catches of speckled trout have been reported from the Off Island channel behind Bodie Island light, and from the Duck Island area. Drum have also made an appearance in the sound, with some sizable fish taken recently along the shoals behind Oregon Inlet.
Surf fishing along the Hatteras beaches has been steady, with sea mullet, bluefish, small croaker, spot and a few flounder taken. Anglers fishing Cape Point caught plenty of nice drum after dark Wednesday, April 26, Friday, April 28 and Sunday, April 30.
The best drum fishing has been on the southwest wind. During the day, fishermen on the Cape have caught plenty of tailor bluefish, sea mullet and a few 7-to-10-pound blues.
Bluewater fishing around ``the point,'' southeast of Oregon Inlet, has been excellent.
Charters have consistently limited out on yellowfin tuna. The tuna have ranged in size from 20 to 80 pounds.
Dolphin fishing has improved, with fish up to to 40 pounds taken.
A blue marlin weighing 365 pounds was taken Thursday, April 27, aboard the Oregon Inlet charter boat, ``Sea Breeze.'' The billfish was brought to shore because it died during the fight. Charter releases during the past week included a blue marlin on ``Temptation'' and a sailfish on ``Sizzler.''
Hatteras Island offshore charters have been catching plenty of tuna and dolphin. More marlin also are appearing in the area, with blue marlin released by ``Wahoo,'' ``Release,'' ``Hatteras Fever'' and ``Gambler'' recently.
The headboat ``Miss Hatteras'' has reported plenty of big blues taken, along with some grouper, jacks and triggerfish.
Fishing this week should be good, with more small fish moving into both the surf and the sound.
Recent net catches indicate plentiful speckled trout close to the beach. Better water conditions along the beach could produce improved speckled trout action for the surf fishermen. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Marty Brill, captain of the fishing charter Sea Breeze, guides a
blue marlin weighing 365 pounds onto the dock after it was caught
April 27.
by CNB