THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 25, 1996 TAG: 9605250700
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: DAMON TATEM
LENGTH: 57 lines
Pier fishing improved Friday along the Outer Banks, with a mixture of small and large fish taken.
King mackerel weighing 15 and 22 pounds were decked on Frisco Pier. A 56-pound cobia was landed by Bill Burleson of Harper, W.Va., and a 16-pounder by Lester Homrick of Buxton.
A 17-pound bluefish also was taken. Anglers on the pier caught plenty of Spanish mackerel during the afternoon.
Fishermen on Avon Pier landed a mixture of small gray trout, sea mullet and pigfish off and on during the day.
Some nice gray trout were caught off Rodanthe Pier late Thursday night. A few bluefish were landed early Friday morning, and a few bottom fish were taken during the day.
North of Oregon Inlet, Outer Banks Pier reported some gray trout taken at sunrise. Scattered small bottom fish were landed during the remainder of the day.
Fishing was slow on Nags Head Pier, with a few small bluefish, gray trout and sea mullet landed.
Some sea mullet, small gray trout, croaker and a few tailor bluefish were taken on Avalon Pier.
A few gray trout were landed from Kitty Hawk Pier early Friday morning. A few small mullet, gray trout and lots of skates were caught during the afternoon.
Surf fishermen along the northern beaches landed a few small bottom fish, small trout and blues.
Fishing was slow around Oregon Inlet, with only a few bottom fish and bluefish beached.
South of Oregon Inlet, surfcasters caught small croaker, sea mullet and pigfish from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Spanish mackerel were taken just before dark Thursday at Cape Point. A few blues and flounder were landed Friday.
Bluefish and few flounder were landed along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was only mediocre Friday. Headboat action also was slow, with only a few sea bass taken.
Charters off Oregon Inlet reported some good catches of dolphin. Tuna fishing was fair, with 5 to 12 yellowfins taken per boat. Some of the tuna weighed as much as 80 pounds, but most were in the 25-pound range. A blue marlin was released by the Marlin Fever. Most of the action was near ``the point.''
Spanish mackerel, bluefish and some nice cobia were taken by boaters trolling inshore along the beach from Frisco Pier to Hatteras Inlet.
Blue water charters off Hatteras caught plenty of gaffer dolphin, a few tuna and scattered wahoo. White marlin were released by the Sea Creature and the Connector, a blue marlin by the Outlaw, and a blue marlin and a white marlin by the Lucky Chip. The best action was in deep water behind ``the rockpile.''
The water temperature was 65 degrees Friday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 73 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB