THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 16, 1995 TAG: 9505160291
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Pier fishing along the Outer Banks varied dramatically from place to place over the weekend.
Anglers fishing from northern beach piers caught lots of tailor blues, a good percentage of which were thrown back because of their small size.
Some small sand perch, spot, croaker and sea mullet also were landed.
Although water conditions were almost ideal for trout fishing, few were taken.
Pier fishermen caught mainly tailor blues on Monday, along with some Spanish mackerel which arrived in the area when the water temperature rose almost seven degrees.
On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported some tailor blues, sea mullet and gray trout taken.
Anglers on Avon Pier landed a handful of blues, flounder and sand perch.
Frisco Pier was the hot spot on the island, where Spanish mackerel catches were outstanding over the weekend. Action continued Monday, with a 7-pound mackerel taken by Roger Hegedus of Apollo, Mo.
Frisco Pier's first cobia of the season, weighing 50 pounds, was reeled in by Douglas Howell of Frisco.
Although commercial net catches along the beach from Corolla to Oregon Inlet were good over the weekend, recreational surf fishing was mediocre. Anglers caught only a few tailor blues, sea mullet and small spot. Fishermen on the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton landed tailor blues, sea mullet and a few flounder.
Drum were scarce at Cape Point. A few were taken Friday and Sunday nights. A 58-pound cobia also was taken on cut bait there by Howard Cator of Buxton Sunday night.
During the day, fishermen at Cape Point caught some Spanish mackerel and small blues.
Yellowfin tuna fishing was good offshore Saturday, southeast of Oregon Inlet from the 280 rocks to the 650. Dolphin fishing was fair, and a few wahoo were taken.
A 140-pound big eye tuna was landed by the ``Outer Limits'' out of Pirate's Cove Marina, and a 101-pound wahoo was taken by the ``Bounty Hunter.'' A blue marlin was released by the ``First Crack.''
Tuna fishing slowed a little Sunday. The ``Marlin Fever'' accounted for a 181-pound big eye tuna and a sailfish was released by the ``Surfside.''
Bluewater fishing has been good off Hatteras Island. Yellowfin tuna and dolphin were plentiful over the weekend.
Seven billfish were released by boats in the area Saturday, and 10 were released on Sunday.
The ``Fin Fantasy'' won the first annual Hatteras Village Invitational Billfish Tournament by releasing a white and blue marlin. The ``Gamble'' was in second place with a white and blue release, followed by the ``Bullfrog'' with one blue marlin release.
Spanish mackerel fishing should improve at Cape Point and north along the beach through Kitty Hawk as water temperatures increase.
The water temperature at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck was 64.5 degrees Monday. by CNB