THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604180176
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
A slow warming of inshore waters along the Dare Coast has brought a gradual increase in fishing action.
Kitty Hawk Pier anglers have caught plenty of skates, a few croaker and several sea mullet recently.
Skates, toadfish, small croaker and a few sea mullet have been landed on Avalon pier. A 16-inch striper was hooked and released April 14.
A few croaker, toadfish and plenty of skates have been taken by fishermen on Nags Head pier.
Outer Banks Pier reported croaker weighing between 1/2 and 1 pound, skates and several sea mullet landed April 11 and 12.
South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier have caught small croaker and scattered sea mullet.
Toadfish, skates, croaker, small sea mullet and a few gray trout have been taken on Avon Pier, where water temperatures rose to the upper 50s April 13 and 14. A few 10-pound bluefish were taken by anglers using artificial lures April 15.
Small croaker, sea mullet and toadfish have been landed regularly by anglers on Frisco pier. Fair numbers of keeper gray trout were caught from the pier on squid April 13.
Anglers have landed a few skates and small croaker along the beach from Corolla to Oregon Inlet.
Plenty of skates, some toadfish, small croaker and scattered sea mullet have been beached south of Oregon Inlet from Rodanthe to Buxton. A good run of big bluefish developed along the beach near ramp 23 on the afternoon of April 14. The 10- to 15-pound fish were taken on artificial lures. Commercial netters in the area also hauled in plenty of the jumbo blues.
Small bottom fish, bluefish and a few gray trout have been taken at Cape Point. Some undersized puppy drum have been hooked and released.
Small bluefish, toadfish and croaker have been landed by surf fishermen in the Frisco area. A few keeper gray trout and some sea mullet have been caught around Hatteras Inlet.
Striped bass trolling in the Manns Harbor area near the bridge was good April 13 and 14. A variety of fish weighing between 2 and 8 pounds were released. White and yellow bucktails and Rat-L-Traps proved productive baits.
Blue water action was excellent southeast of Oregon Inlet April 11. Most charters caught their limits of small yellowfin tuna, along with a few 50-pounders. The best action was around the 40400 - 40500 Loran lines in 70 fathoms of water.
Fishing slowed April 12, with only a few limits of mixed-size yellowfins reported.
Water temperatures dropped in the area during the next few days, and tuna became scarce. A couple weighing as much as 70 pounds were taken by charters trolling baits deep behind planers.
The Hatteras offshore fleet reported good catches of yellowfin tuna April 11. A few dolphin and wahoo also were taken. A blue marlin was released by the Tuna Duck.
Water temperatures in the Hatteras area dropped during the next few days, resulting in generally slow tuna fishing.
Headboat fishing off Hatteras has been productive recently. The Miss Hatteras reported several big drum taken on the Avon Rocks on April 13. Anglers on the Miss Hatteras caught plenty of deep water bottom fish the following day on a trip to ``the rockpile.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Al Stevens of Rocklick, W. Va., was catching skate two at a time on
the Nags Head Fishing Pier on April 17.
by CNB