THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 6, 1995 TAG: 9508040230
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 46 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: [no byline]
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Plenty of croaker, scattered spot and an occasional sea mullet have provided the bulk of surf and pier fishing action along the Dare coast recently.
Kitty Hawk Pier fishermen have reported small bottom fish and bluefish taken regularly. The best action has been on the incoming tide. Some speckled trout also have been landed close to the beach in the early mornings and late afternoons.
Fishermen on Avalon Pier have caught croaker, spot, a few bluefish, several keeper flounder and a few trout. Some Spanish mackerel were landed from the end of the pier Aug. 2 when a shift in the wind to an easterly direction caused the water to clear.
Nags Head Pier action has consisted mainly of small bottom fish. A few blues and several keeper flounder also have been taken.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier have caught small croaker, spot and a few trout.
Spot, croaker and tailor bluefish have been the mainstay at Outer Banks Pier. Some of the spot have been larger than average.
South of Oregon Inlet, fair numbers of spot and croaker have been taken from Rodanthe Pier. Anglers on Avon Pier also have caught spot and croaker and a few sea mullet. Frisco Pier fishermen have caught small spot, croaker, small bluefish and a few 3-pound Spanish mackerel.
Small bottom fish have been fairly abundant in the surf from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Bloodworms and fresh shrimp have produced the best catches.
Some speckled trout have been landed south of Kitty Hawk Pier when water clarity has allowed. A few also have been beached from deeper sloughs south of Nags Head Pier, but action hasn't been consistent.
Fair numbers of trout, some puppy drum and bottom fish have been taken by fishermen from the Daniels bridge on the Nags Head-Manteo causeway. A few nice-sized striped bass have been caught and released in the same area.
Surf fishermen from Oregon Inlet to Buxton have beached lots of croaker, some spot and a few mullet. Pompano have been scarce.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been regularly landed at Cape Point. Action has been best in the early mornings and late afternoons. Some nice catches of sea mullet have been taken along the beach on the south side of Cape Point.
Small bluefish and flounder have been plentiful in the Hatteras Inlet area. Several cobia were landed in the area and several more were lost by surfcasters July 29. Some good catches of sea mullet were reported July 31 from ramp 55.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has improved recently with an increase in the number of Spanish mackerel landed. Bluefish, although fairly abundant, continue to be small.
Headboats operating around Oregon Inlet have caught plenty of croaker. Sea bass and triggerfish catches also have been fairly good.
Dolphin fishing in the Gulf Stream off Oregon Inlet has been fair. Most fishermen have landed a few fish, but limits have been unusual. Tuna fishing has been slow, but billfishing has been good recently.
Twenty billfish were released by the Oregon Inlet fleet July 28, including a blue marlin, two white marlin and two sailfish by the Fight 'N' Lady. Action was good again July 31, with more than 20 fish accounted for northeast of Oregon Inlet. The Temptress released a grand slam (one white marlin, one blue marlin and one sailfish) and the Fish 'N' Frenzy released two white marlin and two sailfish.
Dolphin and wahoo action has been fair off Hatteras Island, but tuna fishing has been slow. Some billfish have been released, including four white marlin by the Citation July 30, a blue marlin and a sailfish by the Citation July 31, and a white marlin by the Release on July 31. Action has been centered south of the Diamond Shoals light tower in deep water.
Marlin fishing should improve as September approaches. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by VICKI CRONIS
A fisherman wets his line off the pier in Kitty Hawk. Croaker, spot
and mullet are in the surf.
by CNB