THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512140185
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
WEATHER CONDITIONS have played the major role in the ups and downs of fishing recently along the Dare Coast.
Fair weather and light winds produced good fishing all along the coast Dec. 6.
Nags Head Pier reported two striped bass weighing 15 and 24 pounds taken by Bill Bradley of Nags Head on Fin-S lures.
Scattered speckled trout were landed on Jennette's Pier.
Plenty of 1- to 4-pound speckled trout were taken during the morning on Outer Banks Pier, along with striped bass weighing 10 and 12 pounds.
Surf fishermen found excellent speckled trout fishing in most of the deeper sloughs along the northern beaches. Hot spots were south of Nags Head Pier, behind the Nags Head Inn and along the beach north of Ramp 4.
Some striped bass were landed along the Nags Head beach and around Oregon Inlet.
South of the inlet, speckled trout action was good along the Pea Island beach and in most sloughs from Rodanthe to Buxton. Scattered stripers also were reported from the same areas.
In the Cape Point area, speckled trout fishing was excellent behind the motels in Buxton and in the surf near the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.
Surfcasters near Frisco Pier caught plenty of 12- to 14-inch speckled trout late in the afternoon Dec. 5 and during most of the day Dec. 6.
Striper fishing in the Manns Harbor area was good just before sundown Dec. 6.
Blue water action also was good Dec. 6. The few charter craft that fished caught their limits of yellowfin tuna at ``the point,'' southeast of Oregon Inlet. Several wahoo were taken. A sailfish with an estimated weight of 40 pounds was released by the Outer Limits, fishing out of Pirate's Cove Marina.
Catches of king mackerel were fairly good off Hatteras. Most of the fish were medium-sized.
With only a few exceptions, inshore fishing action came to a halt Dec. 7 and 8 because of bad weather.
A couple of stripers were taken by anglers on ocean piers along the northern beaches, and a few were caught around Oregon Inlet.
A few black drum were landed at Cape Point, and a few small speckled trout were taken along the beach in the Frisco area.
The striped bass in the Manns Harbor area apparently liked the rough weather, however, and cooperated by biting steadily both days.
No offshore trips were attempted Dec. 7, but a few boats made the effort Dec. 8. They found good concentrations of yellowfin tuna between the 40560 Loran line and ``the point.''
Fishing conditions gradually improved Dec. 9 through 11.
Nags Head Pier reported a 14-pound striped bass decked Dec. 9 and a few nice speckled trout taken the following day.
A good run of stripers developed on the north side of Oregon Inlet just before sundown Dec. 9. Most of the fish, weighing as much as 25 pounds, were landed on metal. Scattered fish were reported in the area on subsequent days.
Speckled trout were landed at Cape Point in the surf near the lighthouse Dec. 10 and 11. The best action was early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Although charter craft didn't go blue water fishing last weekend, several found exceptionally good striped bass trolling near the south bar of Oregon Inlet Dec. 9.
The fish weighed as much as 30 pounds. Most were landed on bucktails.
Striper action was hot in the Manns Harbor area. Anglers caught plenty of fish while trolling beside the bridge, and also while fishing from shore Dec. 9 and 10.
The striper season in the Albemarle/Roanoke Management Area will remain open until the 12,000-pound angling quota is reached. Anglers can keep two fish over 21 inches long on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. by CNB