THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510120158
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
FISHING HAS been good overall along the Dare coast recently, although strong southerly winds occasionally have hampered action.
Spot fishing has been good on Kitty Hawk Pier, with excellent runs reported Oct. 9 and 10. The best action has been during periods of northeast winds.
Anglers on Avalon Pier also have caught some spot, along with scattered croaker, small black drum and a few sea mullet. A 4 3/4-pound speckled trout was landed from the pier Oct. 9 by James Taylor of Eure.
Spot and croaker fishing has been fairly good on Nags Head Pier. A few nice speckled trout, bluefish and sea mullet also have been taken. Jim Powell of Kill Devil Hills landed a pompano weighing 2 pounds, 15 ounces from the pier Oct. 10. Pompano have remained in this area a little longer than usual this year because of uncommonly warm inshore water temperatures.
A few spot, sea mullet and croaker have been taken off Jennette's Pier recently, but no substantial run has been reported.
Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier have caught some nice-sized spot, scattered croaker, a few puppy drum and plenty of small black drum.
South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier have landed spot, croaker, tailor bluefish and puppy drum. Good catches of puppy drum were reported Oct. 9 and 10.
Small black drum, sea mullet and a few blues have been taken on Avon Pier.
Croaker, sea mullet, bluefish and a few flounder have been landed from Frisco Pier. A good run of nice puppy drum developed Oct. 4. The run continued for most of the morning with about 40 fish taken, each weighing between 5 and 7 pounds.
Surf fishing has been fair from Corolla to Oregon Inlet, with some small bottom fish, tailor blues, a few puppy drum and quite a few small black drum taken.
Good catches of croaker, some trout and a few keeper flounder have been reported from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge at Oregon Inlet. The best action has been at night.
Puppy drum fishing has been good along the beach south of the revetment. Some of the best action has been reported in the surf near ``the boiler,'' where 5- to 10-pound fish have been taken regularly on fresh mullet.
Small bluefish, puppy drum, sea mullet, croaker and spot have been landed by surf fishermen from Rodanthe to Buxton. Sea mullet of 8 to 12 inches have been particularly plentiful from ramps 23 to 27.
Drum fishing was good at Cape Point during the early evening Oct. 8. Anglers in the area also caught some nice speckled trout while drum fishing with cut bait. Anglers at Cape Point also have landed some bluefish and bottom fish.
Scattered puppy drum, flounder and small black drum have been taken along the beach from Frisco to False Point. Puppy drum fishing in the area was particularly productive Oct. 4 and 5. Night fishing on the sound side of Hatteras Inlet has been good, with gray trout and puppy drum taken consistently.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been fair. A few nice-sized bluefish, lots of small blues and small Spanish mackerel have been taken.
Headboat catches of pigfish and sea bass have been good in the ocean, but action in the sound has been slow.
Scattered king mackerel have been taken in fair numbers 12 to 15 miles off Oregon Inlet on the few days when sea conditions have allowed trolling.
Although rough seas have hindered fishing in the Gulf Stream off Oregon Inlet, some fairly good catches of yellowfin tuna have been reported. Charters also have landed some dolphin and wahoo and have released a few billfish.
Dolphin fishing has been good in deep water off Hatteras. Wahoo weighing as much as 70 pounds have been taken, along with a few nice tuna. A few billfish have been released, but the season is rapidly drawing to a close. by CNB