THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605100219
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 34 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
A GRADUAL INCREASE in recent water temperatures along the northern beaches has resulted in improved fishing.
Kitty Hawk Pier reported good sea mullet fishing all day May 1. Lots of gray trout, many weighing as much as 3 1/2 pounds, were decked early that morning.
Fishermen on Avalon Pier caught tailor bluefish and gray trout the morning of May 1, along with some nice sea mullet and spot.
Sea mullet, spot, small croaker and some gray trout were landed throughout the day May 3. Small bottom fish and some nice mullet were landed daily from May 1-7.
Sea mullet and spot catches were excellent near the end of Nags Head Pier during most of the morning May 3.
Spot, sea mullet and croaker were landed sporadically May 5. A good run of tailor blues developed that afternoon.
Some bluefish and gray trout were decked just after sunrise May 6. Sea mullet were caught on bloodworms later in the day.
Anglers on Outer Banks pier caught spot, sand perch, a few bluefish and mullet weighing as much as 1 pound, 4 ounces, May 1-4.
Spot fishing was good on the pier all day May 5. Fair numbers of croaker and sea mullet also were taken. A 59-pound black drum was landed by Gary Meeks of Martinsville, Va., while fishing for sea mullet.
Rodanthe pier on Pea Island reported good fishing May 1, with sea mullet, spot, croaker, small bluefish, gray trout and two puppy drum taken.
Fishing slowed the next few days, but improved May 5, with some mullet, spot and croaker landed. A yearling drum was lost.
Spot, croaker, mullet, pigfish and pinfish were landed on Avon pier May 1 and 2.
Fishing was slow the next two days, but improved May 5, with lots of nice sea mullet and gray trout taken throughout the afternoon on shrimp.
Two pompano were landed from the pier May 6. It is unusually early in the season for pompano, but the 70-degree water temperature in the area most likely accounts for the early catches.
Good catches of sea mullet were reported from Frisco pier May 2 in the afternoon. Blues, flounder, spot and nice mullet were taken the following morning.
Fishing was good all day May 4, with nice mullet, tailor blues and gray trout taken. An 8-pound puppy drum, small croaker, sea mullet and bluefish were landed May 5.
Surf fishing along the beach from Corolla to Oregon Inlet improved. Anglers fishing deeper sloughs caught some bottom fish and tailor bluefish on the incoming tide.
Small bottom fish and tailor blues have been landed by surf fishermen around Oregon Inlet.
Action on the Oregon Inlet bridge catwalk was good May 3, with some gray trout and plenty of croaker landed. Some fairly good catches of sizable gray trout have been taken recently from the catwalk at night.
Sea mullet fishing has been outstanding along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Some spot, nice-sized puppy drum, small croaker and scattered bluefish also have been landed regularly. Gray trout have been taken in fair numbers from deeper sloughs in the area.
Mixed sizes of drum have been landed nightly at Cape Point, along with an occasional big bluefish. A few drum also have been beached daily, including a 47-pounder caught May 4 by Randy Hicks of Hopewell, Va. Anglers fishing from boats along shoals just off Cape Point have caught plenty of sizable drum. Mullet and flounder fishing has been good along the beach south of Cape Point.
Sea mullet, puppy drum, small bluefish and gray trout have been beached by surfcasters from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet. Some medium-sized drum have been landed at False Point at night. A few big bluefish and lots of rays also have been taken in the area.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been good, with lots of small bluefish taken by half-day charters.
Yellowfin tuna fishing has been good off Oregon Inlet. Charter boats landed their limits of mixed-sized yellowfin May 3.
Some king mackerel, a few dolphin and several wahoo also were taken. A blue marlin was released by the Tuna Fever.
Yellowfin tuna and dolphin fishing was good again the following day. The best action was south of ``the point.''
Fishing slowed May 5, with catches of yellowfin averaging 10 per boat. Limits of tuna, including some 70-to-80-pound fish, were caught May 6. Fishing was centered south of ``the point.''
Blue water action was good off Hatteras May 3. Charters averaged 12 tuna per boat, along with a few dolphin and wahoo.
Sailfish were released by the Tom Cat and Chaser. Blue marlin were released by the Gambler and by Walt Spruill's Hatteras Fever. Spearfish were released by the Good Times, the Big Eye and the Fin Fantasy.
Wahoo action was good May 4, with one charter reporting 11 taken. Spearfish were released by the Tuna Duck, the Connector and the Outlaw.
Although boats out of Hatteras got a late start May 5 because of fog, they still averaged a dozen yellowfin tuna per charter. Tuna fishing slowed down May 6, due to rough seas, but three sailfish were released by the Connector. by CNB