THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510260216
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
COOLER NIGHTS and slowly falling water temperatures have helped to improve surf fishing along the Outer Banks recently.
Fair numbers of nice-sized speckled trout were landed by surfcasters from sloughs north of Kitty Hawk and Nags Head piers Oct. 18 and 19. Action also was reported from other areas along the northern beaches at the same time. Most of the trout, weighing as much as 5 pounds, were taken on Fin-S and several other varieties of artificial baits. The best action has been on days when the water has been clear and seas fairly calm.
Scattered tailor bluefish, puppy drum and sea mullet have been taken from the north side of Oregon Inlet.
Good catches of gray trout have been reported at night from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge at Oregon Inlet. Bucktails have provided the best action. Some speckled trout have been landed in the Green Island Slough area, but action hasn't been fast. Trout also have been taken in fair numbers from the Old Coast Guard Channel.
Fairly good speckled trout catches have been reported from the Melvin Daniels Bridge on the Nags Head-Manteo causeway. The best fishing has been early in the morning.
Sea mullet, trout, small black drum and puppy drum have been beached by surf fishermen from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Drum fishing was excellent at Cape Point from Oct. 20 through 23. Although most of the fish ranged in weight from 5 to 10 pounds, a number of big fish were landed during the night.
Good catches of speckled trout were reported along the beach from south of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse to Cape Point. Some tailor bluefish, nice flounder and jack crevalle also have been landed in the area.
Puppy drum fishing also has been great in the surf from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet. Some nice sea mullet, trout, small bluefish and big flounder have been taken in the area.
Pier fishing along the northern beaches has been only fair recently.
A few trout, sea mullet and puppy drum have been landed on Kitty Hawk Pier. Spot fishing has slowed to a crawl.
Some nice-sized speckled trout were landed from Avalon Pier the mornings of Oct. 22 and 23. The fish, weighing between two and four pounds, were taken on bucktails, jiggers and green twister tails. A 9-pound puppy drum was taken from the pier Oct. 20 by 10-year-old Michael Bair of Coinjock.
Nags Head Pier reported a good run of tailor bluefish early in the morning Oct. 20. Pier anglers also have landed a few nice speckled trout, black drum and sea mullet weighing as much as two pounds from Oct. 18 to Oct. 24.
A few speckled trout, flounder, black drum and small bluefish have been landed from Jennette's Pier.
Anglers on Outer Banks Pier caught plenty of speckled trout during most of the morning Oct. 20. Small black drum, bluefish, croaker and a few keeper puppy drum also have been taken recently.
South of Oregon Inlet, small bottom fish and a few blues have been landed by fishermen on Rodanthe Pier.
Avon Pier reported good sea mullet action Oct. 18 and 19. Several yearling drum were landed from the pier during the night Oct. 21.
Puppy drum fishing was good on Frisco Pier Oct. 20 and 21, with lots of 5- to 8-pound fish taken. Good catches of 10- to 12-inch sea mullet were reported Oct. 18 and 19.
Headboat catches around Oregon Inlet have been good when boats have been able to pass through the inlet and fish on rough bottom a short distance offshore. Catches have consisted of pigfish and sea bass.
King mackerel fishing has been good a few miles offshore of Oregon Inlet. Although most of the fish have been small (5 to 15 pounds), they have been easy marks for Drone spoons or strip baits pulled deep. The most productive areas have been east, southeast of the inlet.
Offshore charters out of Oregon Inlet have caught a few dolphin and wahoo. Tuna fishing has been fair. Most boats caught between three and 15 yellowfin tunas in the 50-pound class Oct. 12. Most of the fish landed the previous week were small.
Although billfishing is mostly over with for the season, some good action was reported Oct. 23. Three white marlin were released by the Fight 'N' Lady, two sailfish by the Marlin Fever and one sailfish by the Temptress. The action was centered near ``the point.''
Yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dolphin and king mackerel fishing has been fairly good off Hatteras. Most of the yellowfin tuna have weighed between 30 and 50 pounds. Billfishing has been spotty. Two sailfish were released by the Release and one sailfish by the Nancy K. Oct. 19. Sailfish were released by the Wahoo, Citation and Tuna Duck Oct. 20. A 400-pound bluefin tuna was freed by the Connector the some day.
As water temperatures continue to fall, some strong runs of big drum should occur on Rodanthe and Avon Piers and in the Hatteras Island surf. by CNB