THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511220312
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
IT RECENTLY has become evident that the striped bass population has increased dramatically along the eastern seaboard.
Striper action from Corolla to Hatteras has been the best it has been since the early '70s. Although the fish do not rival in size those caught 25 years ago, substantial numbers of medium-sized fish are present in the surf and a short distance offshore along the Dare Coast.
Pier fishing has been good along the northern beaches, with mainly striped bass and speckled trout landed.
Kitty Hawk Pier fishermen caught good numbers of speckled trout on Nov. 15, 16, 18, 20 and 21. The majority of fish were taken during the morning, although some good catches were made overnight. Most of the fish weighed between 2 and 5 pounds. Stripers have been landed from the pier daily and at night. A good run was reported the night of Nov. 19.
Some small bluefish, speckled trout and striped bass have been taken on Avalon Pier. Ten keeper stripers were landed from the pier on bucktails and Rat-L-Traps Nov. 20. Speckled trout, some weighing more than 4 pounds, and a few stripers were taken the following morning.
Nags Head Pier reported speckled trout taken off and on all day Nov. 16. Some weighed as much as 4 1/2 pounds. Puppy drum, flounder, bluefish and sea mullet also were decked. A 14-pound striped bass was landed from the pier Nov. 20 by Bernie Scanlon of Nags Head. The fish hit a white bucktail garnished with a white twister tail.
Good numbers of speckled trout were caught by anglers on Jennette's Pier Nov. 17. Striped bass weighing 12 and 13 pounds. Speckled trout weighing as much as 4 pounds and tailor bluefish were landed on Nov. 19.
Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier landed some nice speckled trout onNov. 16 throughout the afternoon. Some puppy drum, bluefish and a few flounder also were taken. Quite a few trout and a 32-inch striper were landed before dawn on Nov. 18. A good run of speckled trout was reported early in the morning on Nov. 21.
South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier have landed puppy drum, small croaker, small black drum, a few speckled trout and an occasional striped bass.
Two 37-pound drum were taken on Avon Pier during the night of Nov. 17, and a 41-pounder on Nov. 19. Plenty of sea mullet, a few speckled trout and a few big striped bass also have been landed from the pier.
A good run of speckled trout was reported on Frisco Pier the morning of Nov. 18. Some nice-sized sea mullet and quite a few 2-pound speckled trout were taken Nov. 21.
Trout fishing has been real good in the surf along the northern beaches when conditions have allowed fishing. Speckled trout weighing as much as 6 pounds were taken from sloughs north of Kitty Hawk Pier Nov. 16, 17 and 18. Most sloughs along the beach south toward the inlet have been productive on the same days, including those north of Avalon Pier, Nags Head Pier, Jennette's Pier and behind the Ramada Inn.
Speckled trout also have been beached north of Ramp 4. One of the largest reported recently weighed 7 1/2 pounds, and was taken from the north side of Oregon Inlet by Gery Martin of Springfield, Va., on Nov. 17. Soft plastic artificial lures, mirrolures and Rat-L-Traps have produced good trout catches.
Stripers also have been caught with regularity along the beach by trout fishermen and bottom fishermen using cut bait. Extremely good catches of stripers have been reported by boaters casting and trolling adjacent to the revetment on the south side of Oregon Inlet. Puppy drum, flounder and some large sea mullet have been landed by surfcasters around the inlet.
Surf fishing has been good from Oregon Inlet to Buxton. Puppy drum, tailor blues, speckled trout, black drum, nice sea mullet and quite a few keeper striped bass have been beached regularly.
Good runs of stripers have been reported after dark at Cape Point. Scattered fish have been taken daily. Speckled trout fishing has been great along the beach from the motels to Cape Point. Many of the fish have been larger than the 4 pounds necessary for a North Carolina citation. Black drum weighing as much as 9 pounds, puppy drum and some sea mullet also have been landed in the area. A 10-pound, 5-ounce flounder was taken by Al Mury of Buxton from Cape Point on a Rat-L-Trap and a 37-pound drum was caught and released by David Shockley Nov. 21.
Fair numbers of speckled trout, nice-sized puppy drum, gray trout, black drum and lots of small bluefish have been taken along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet.
Tuna fishing has been good off Oregon Inlet on days when the weather has permitted fishing. Good catches of yellowfin tuna weighing as much as 60 pounds were landed below ``the point'' Nov. 18. Several 150-pound big-eye tuna were taken by the Hooker, the Mad Hatter and the Osprey. Tuna fishing was good again Nov. 20. The best action was around the 40840 Loran line. The largest yellowfin, weighing 92 pounds, was taken by the Sizzler.
Charters off Hatteras have landed plenty of king mackerel. Excellent catches of large fish were taken Nov. 17 off Avon in 90 feet of water. Lots of kings also were landed the following day, along with some blackfin tuna.
Yellowfin tuna fishing was good east of the Diamond Shoals light tower Nov. 19. Bluefin tuna have appeared in fair numbers off Hatteras. Three 400-pounders were caught and released by the Big Eye on Nov. 18. Numbers of bluefins in the area should increase as winter approaches. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Al Holmstrup, 37, of Alexandria, Va., caught a large striped bass at
Kill Devil Hills on Nov. 21.
by CNB