THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 4, 1996 TAG: 9602010154
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Bluefin tuna action off Hatteras has continued to dominate the fishing picture along the Dare Coast.
Good catches have been reported from the area around ``The Rockpile'' off the Diamond Shoals Light Tower just about every day the weather has permitted fishing.
Action northwest of ``The Rockpile'' was particularly intense Jan. 30, with plenty of fish weighing as much as 300 pounds caught and released.
Giant tuna have been scarce so far this season, however.
Bluefin tuna have been taken by anglers trolling and chunking. Although most fish have been released, a few anglers have kept fish smaller than 73 inches for consumption.
Commercial catches of yellowfin tuna have been good around ``the point'' southeast of Oregon Inlet. The majority of fish taken have been small to medium in size, although some 60-pounders have been reported.
Striper fishing in the Manns Harbor area has been good.
Stripers were thick along the shore of Croatan Sound on the northwest side of the bridge Jan. 27. Fish breaking the surface of the water while feeding attracted lots of birds but only a few anglers. Some good catches of 5- to 10-pound fish were landed by anglers slowly fishing bucktails near the bottom during the following week.
Surf fishing has been at a virtual standstill because of water temperatures in the upper 30s along the Nags Head beaches, and in the lower 40s on Hatteras Island. Net catches of gray trout have been good in deeper water a fair distance off the beach, but surf fishermen have caught only a few puppy drum. by CNB