THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602220156
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Striped bass action around the Manns Harbor bridge in Croatan Sound improved dramatically in the middle of the month.
Moderate weather conditions Feb. 13 and 14 set the stage for good catches of 21- to 24-inch fish on bucktails tipped with a plastic worm. The few anglers in the area caught and released fish until they tired. Lester Sawyer of Manns Harbor released more than 200 fish, each weighing as much as 8 pounds. Amazingly, Lester took all his fish on the same green hairy worm, never losing the bait to a single fish.
Substantial action ended in the Manns Harbor area Feb. 16, with the arrival of a strong cold front and snow.
It was announced last week that recreational fishermen will be able to keep striped bass when the season opens March 16 in Albemarle waters. Three fish of at least 18 inches can be taken on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Bluefin tuna fishing has continued to be generally steady below ``the rockpile'' on days when sea conditions have allowed fishing.
Some fairly good action was reported, including four bluefin releases aboard Walt Spruill's Hatteras Fever. One blackfin tuna also was landed. Most of the fish taken were larger than on previous days.
Some good commercial catches of king mackerel have been reported off Hatteras. Small yellowfin tuna, a few dolphin and a 25-pound wahoo were landed aboard the Citation Feb. 16 while fishing outside of the bluefin fleet.
Surf fishing along the northern beaches has been at a standstill because of water temperatures of 40 degrees or less.
Action at Cape Hatteras also has been nonexistent, but that could change at any time. South winds elevated the water temperature at Cape Point to about 50 degrees Feb. 20. Warmer water, combined with the normal movement of fish north into the waters off Hatteras, could produce some early spring fishing before February ends.
Good numbers of striped bass have been reported south of Hatteras, and some big schools have been spotted by commercial fishermen a short distance off Cape Point. If conditions remain moderate and the water temperature inshore continues to rise, some of these stripers could possibly hit the beach in a feeding mood. by CNB