THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601110171
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
ALTHOUGH the dramatic reappearance of striped bass along Dare beaches and in the sounds was the premier fishing story of 1995, many additional species provided action during the year.
Speckled trout fishing throughout 1995 was good compared to previous years. Runs of speckled trout developed early in May on ocean piers along the northern beaches. Trout weighing between 2 and 3 pounds also were taken regularly in May from sloughs adjacent to Kitty Hawk Pier, north of Avalon Pier and in the surf along the Nags Head beach.
Trout were landed throughout the summer from Duck to Hatteras Inlet by pier anglers and surfcasters in the early mornings when the water conditions were good.
Trout fishing also was good throughout the summer season in many locations in the sound, including Duck Island, behind the Bodie Island light, around Oregon Inlet and behind Hatteras Island.
The arrival of fall brought excellent runs in the surf along the Nags Head beaches and on ocean piers. Action north of Kitty Hawk Pier was steady for most of October and November. Fishing also was good along the Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head beaches in deeper sloughs. Many of the fish weighed as much as 7 pounds, with citation fish being predominant during November.
Action during early December was in the Nags Head area, around Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Island. Falling water temperatures toward the end of the month moved most of the fish south to the Buxton/Cape Point area, where fishing remained good into January. Speckled trout also were taken in the Hatteras Inlet area during early January.
Soft plastic baits such as Fin-S and bucktail rigs proved the most productive lures during the spring, summer and early fall. The old favorite, the Mirrolure, took over late in the season, producing even more and bigger fish.
The gray trout, the mainstay years ago of recreational fishermen all along the East Coast, reappeared in small numbers along the Outer Banks after an absence of many years.
Fish were taken sporadically by anglers fishing for speckled trout from piers, in the surf and in the sounds. Few large fish were reported, but small fish seemed to be available in fair numbers, particularly in the Hatteras Inlet area.
Fishing for the big channel bass was fairly good during 1995. As usual, the vast majority of large fish were taken at night from Cape Point beaches. The spring run was impressive, with anglers releasing anywhere from 30 to 100 fish each night from April 7 through the end of the month.
The fall run of big fish in the surf in the Hatteras area lasted from early October to mid-November and wasn't as strong as the spring fishing.
Only a handful of big drum were taken from ocean piers. Most of the fish caught on piers were landed from Avon Pier and Rodanthe Pier. Two 45-pounders were caught from Kitty Hawk Pier late in October.
Puppy drum were plentiful throughout the 1995 season. Nice fish were taken by pier anglers and surf fishermen when conditions were right. The best action was reported from the Cape Point area and along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Spot, croaker and sea mullet fishing improved in 1995. After a scarcity of many years, croaker appeared in both ocean and sound catches. Although most were small, scattered fish weighing as much as 3 pounds were reported. Some of the better action was in Croatan Sound.
Small spot were taken fairly regularly from piers and in the surf all along the Dare Coast during the summer. Although fall spot fishing wasn't up to par in Virginia, ideal weather conditions in this area led to particularly good runs on ocean piers. Anglers caught plenty of fish during September and October, with fish commonly weighing as much as three-quarters of a pound.
Sea mullet fishing was good in the spring, the summer and throughout the fall. Particularly strong runs were reported in September and October from piers and along the beach south of Oregon Inlet. Unusual numbers of fish were taken that weighed in excess of the 1.5-pound minimum North Carolina citation weight.
Flounder fishing was disappointing in 1995. Although a few big fish were taken, such as a 9 3/4-pounder landed from Rodanthe Pier in October, fish of all sizes were scarce.
Bluefish action also was well below the average of past years. Tailor bluefish runs on piers and in the surf were few and far between. Boaters consistently caught more Spanish mackerel than blues while trolling around Oregon Inlet.
Big blues never hit the beach during the spring, although some were reported well offshore in deeper water. A few big fish were landed during the summer at Cape Point. The fall run was almost nonexistent. A few fish were landed around Oregon Inlet and from the Pea Island beach Dec. 15. Another run developed Dec. 29 at Cape Point.
Spanish mackerel fishing, although not as good as expected, provided substantial action for boaters trolling inshore. Pier fishermen caught fair numbers of fish in the spring and early summer, but they were disappointed later in the year. Some large fish were taken, including a 7-pounder from Frisco Pier in mid-May.
Pompano fishing also left a lot to be desired. Anglers experienced a slow summer season. Fair numbers of sizable fish were taken during the fall. The bulk of the action was south of Oregon Inlet.
Next week: Big fish and bluewater action. by CNB