THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507130170
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 44 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: DAMON TATEM
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Blue water action off Oregon Inlet has slipped into the usual summertime pattern. Dolphin fishing has been fair to good. Yellowfin tuna fishing has been spotty, with many fish seen but most reluctant to take a bait. Billfishing has been fair, with a few fish released each day.
A few big bluefin tuna are still available northeast of Oregon Inlet. A new potential state record bluefin tuna weighing 744 pounds was taken on July 7 by Thomas Bailey of Culpeper, Va., aboard the Hog Wild out of Pirate's Cove Marina. The fish surpassed the previous record of 732 1/2 pounds held by Lyman Dickerson of Virginia Beach since 1979.
Pier anglers along the Dare beaches have reported fairly good fishing recently.
Live bait fishing on Hatteras Island has continued at a steady rate, with 26 king mackerel and two cobia decked by pier fishermen between July 4 and July 10.
Frisco Pier was a hot spot, with anglers catching 12 king mackerel, two cobia and two tarpon. One of the tarpon, weighing 50 pounds, was landed by 10-year-old Brient Jackson of Frisco. In addition to king mackerel, cobia and tarpon, several Spanish mackerel weighing between 6 and 8 1/2 pounds, croaker, spot, small bluefish and gray trout were taken from the pier.
Hatteras Island Pier in Rodanthe reported lots of king mackerel weighing between 22 and 42 pounds. Action was particularly good on July 10, when nine kings were decked.
Large fish were scarce on Avon Pier. Anglers settled for spot, croaker, sea mullet and small bluefish.
Pier fishermen along the northern beaches caught 15 mackerel and five cobia during the same period. King mackerel weighing 25, 35 and 37 pounds, several cobia, spot, mullet, croaker and a few trout were landed on Kitty Hawk Pier.
Fishermen on Avalon Pier caught king mackerel weighing up to 48 pounds, and a 28-pound cobia. Fair numbers of small bottom fish also have been taken, along with a few bluefish, trout and Spanish mackerel.
Some nice-sized speckled trout have been taken from Nags Head Pier well inshore close to the beach. Green plastic artificials were the preferred baits. Spot, croaker and bluefish have been fairly plentiful. King mackerel weighing from 17 to 42 pounds, a 22-pound barracuda, and a 26 1/2-pound cobia were landed recently.
Jennette's Pier fishermen also have landed a mixed bag including small bottom fish, trout, blues, king mackerel up to 20 pounds and a 44-pound cobia.
Quite a few nice spot, some sea mullet, tailor blues and a 42-pound king mackerel were taken on Outer Banks Pier. Several jacks from 20 to 30 pounds have been released by live bait fishermen.
Surf fishing has been fair from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Some nice sea mullet have been taken from deeper sloughs on bloodworms and soft sand fleas. Small croaker have been plentiful, but pompano have been scarce. Some sizable flounder have been beached, including a 6 3/4-pounder taken by Charley Evanosky from the surf in Kitty Hawk.
Flounder fishing has been good around Oregon Inlet, but most of the fish have been small. Some good catches of trout, both gray and speckled, have been reported from the Green Island Slough area, and also on the flats south of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Bottom fish have been plentiful along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton when the water has been cloudy. Fair numbers of bluefish and some Spanish mackerel have been taken during periods of clear water.
Some Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been beached in the early morning hours and before sunset at Cape Point. During the day, bottom fish have been taken, including small black drum along the beach north of Cape Point. Puppy drum from 10 to 20 pounds have been caught on cut bait most nights.
In the Frisco area, surf fishermen have caught spot, croaker, sea mullet and small bluefish. Some nice-sized gray trout have been landed in the Hatteras Inlet area at night. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Superior Court Judge J. Richard Parker, left, and Tom Blanchard,
both of Manteo, unload a 27-pound yellowfin tuna they caught on the
charter Peggy-Jo.
by CNB