THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996                TAG: 9604060398
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
TYPE: Column 
SOURCE: Damon Tatem 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   41 lines

AS SPRING IS SLOW, SO, TOO, IS PIER FISHING

Pier fishing along the Dare Coast continued to be slow Friday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier decked a few skates during the morning. Cooler weather and a shift in the wind chased most fishermen from the pier early in the afternoon.

Some croaker weighing up to three-quarters of a pound were taken on Avalon Pier by anglers using shrimp.

A few sea mullet were taken on Nags Head Pier late Thursday afternoon. Croaker and lots of skate were landed Friday morning on squid.

Outer Banks Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few skates landed.

On Hatteras Island, fishing was slow on Rodanthe and Frisco piers. A little action was reported from Avon Pier, where scattered skates, toadfish and a few small croaker were landed.

No appreciable action was reported from the surf along the northern beaches, except for a few skate landings.

A 10-pound puppy drum was landed late Thursday afternoon at Cape Point. Anglers caught a few puppy drum, toadfish and several small sea mullet Friday. One sizeable bluefish was lost.

Charters out of Oregon Inlet found conditions fairly uncomfortable and fishing slow Friday. A few yellowfin tuna were taken.

Off Hatteras, a few dolphin and an occasional yellowfin tuna were landed near ``the rockpile.'' Blue marlin were released by the Connector and the Big Eye.

Surf fishing should improve after the passage of what hopefully will be the last northeaster of the spring.

The water temperature at the Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck was 44 degrees Friday, and 52 at Frisco Pier at Hatteras Island. by CNB