THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 

              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.



DATE: Saturday, April 27, 1996               TAG: 9604270481

SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                             LENGTH: Short :   50 lines

THE WIND WAS GUSTING, BUT THE FISH WERE BITING

Gusty winds had little effect on the good pier fishing along the Dare Coast Thursday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught plenty of sea mullet, along with croaker and toadfish most of the day.

Sea mullet, small gray trout, several keeper flounder, a few small bluefish and baby spot were landed by anglers on Avalon Pier.

Nags Head Pier reported plenty of sea mullet and some sand perch taken during the morning. A few croaker and mullet were landed during the afternoon.

Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier had a good morning catching croaker, sea mullet and toadfish. Fishing slowed during the afternoon.

Some sea mullet and croaker were landed throughout the day on Rodanthe Pier.

Plenty of sea mullet weighing more than a pound were landed from Avon Pier most of the morning. Scattered sea mullet were taken in the afternoon.

Frisco Pier reported plenty of puppy drum, some legal flounder and a 10-pound striped bass landed Thursday night. Action was a little slow Friday because of strong southwest winds.

Surf fishing along the northern beaches improved a little as water temperatures increased. Some small bottom fish were beached, along with a few trout.

Small bottom fish and a few small bluefish were landed around Oregon Inlet.

Sea mullet, croaker and a few bluefish were caught in the surf from Oregon Inlet to Buxton.

Good numbers of yearling drum and a few larger fish were landed Thursday night at Cape Point. Scattered bottom fish, flounder and small blues were caught Friday.

A few sea mullet were landed in the surf from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet. Windy conditions hampered fishing in the area.

The few charter boats that fished in the Gulf Stream off Oregon Inlet reported good catches of yellowfin tuna. No charters went offshore from Hatteras because of strong winds.

The water temperature was 49 degrees Friday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 68 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB