THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601250221
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TIGHT LINES
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Although low water temperatures have curtailed fishing activity along the northern beaches, some action has been reported in the sound, well offshore, and along the south side of Hatteras Island recently.
Most of the reported striper action has been in the Croatan Sound south of the Manns Harbor bridge. Fishing has been fair in the Stumpy Point area and near Marshes Island light. The fish have been in shallow water and very sluggish because of low water temperatures. Artificial baits fished very slowly have been the best producers.
Yellowfin tuna fishing around ``the point,'' southeast of Oregon Inlet, has been excellent with plenty of small fish available. Some larger fish weighing as much as 50 and 60 pounds have been landed by anglers chunking. Predominantly small fish have been taken by anglers trolling ballyhoo.
Bluefin tuna fishing has been good around ``the rockpile'' off Hatteras. Medium-sized tuna have been plentiful, with some charters catching and releasing as many as 40 in a single day. Giant tuna have been scarce, and so far this year the fish have failed to congregate around wrecks as they have done in the past few years.
A little action has been reported along the beach south of Cape Point on Hatteras Island. A few trout and an occasional striped bass have been landed on days when light southerly breezes have warmed the water. ILLUSTRATION: Reeling in a fish with bragging rights
Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
On the stern of the Sea Creature, which is skippered by Steve
Coulter, top, fly rod angler Michael Reid, right, of Upperco, Md.,
fights a bluefin tuna in the Gulf Stream on Jan. 23. The fish, which
weighed 128 pounds when it was finally hauled in, is a potential
world record in the 20-pound class tippet.
by CNB