THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604110148
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Cool weather and unchanging water brought some croakers April 1 and again on April 3. Small croakers were landed by anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier, Avalon Pier, Nags Head Pier and the Outer Banks Pier during the morning of April 4. As the weekend approached, weather conditions went sour and fishing ground to a halt.
About the only notable pier catch during the Easter weekend was a 3 1/2-pound speckled trout landed by Bill Bradley from Nags Head pier on April 6.
On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported a few skates taken recently. Some skates and a few toadfish have been landed from Avon Pier. Fishermen on Frisco Pier, where water temperatures have been in the low 50s, have caught fair numbers of big toadfish, a few puppy drum and an occasional croaker.
Surf fishing action along the northern beaches has been almost nonexistent due to low water temperatures.
Fair numbers of toadfish, skates and dogfish have been beached along the south side of Cape Point. A few puppy drum and sea mullet have also been taken. The largest puppy drum reported, weighing 10 pounds, was landed on April 4 during the evening.
Surf fishermen in the Frisco area have caught toadfish, a few sea mullet and several nice-sized gray trout. A 6 1/2-pound puppy drum was landed near Ramp 55 on April 7.
On Ocracoke, where water temperatures have been running in the mid-50s, most of the action has been on the south tip of the island. Anglers have caught scattered bluefish, toadfish, puppy drum and croakers.
Yellowfin tuna action has been excellent southeast of Oregon Inlet. Charters have consistently caught their limits of 15- to 25-pound tunas. Several citation yellowfins, weighing more than 70 pounds, have also been landed. A few dolphin and wahoo have also been taken.
The first blue marlin of the season off Oregon Inlet was released by the Hog Wild out of Pirate's Cove Marina on April 6. A sailfish was released by the Sizzler out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
The Hatteras Charter Fleet has also reported excellent yellowfin tuna action. The best of the action has been from the Diamond Shoals light tower to the 40280 Loran line. Dolphin, wahoo and king mackerel have also been taken by the Hatteras fleet. A blue marlin was released by the Tuna Duck on April 6. Spearfish were released by Walt Spruill's Hatteras Fever and the Marlin Mania. MEMO: Damon Tatem covers Outer Banks fishing for The Carolina Coast. Send
comments and questions to him at P.O. Box 10, Nags Head, N.C. 27959. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Jim Cropp, 41, of Danville, Va., tosses back a skate after catching
it off the Kitty Hawk Pier on April 9.
by CNB