THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9605300211
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 36 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TIGHT LINES
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 88 lines
PIER ANGLERS along the Outer Banks have landed a variety of fish recently.
Fishermen on Kitty Hawk Pier have caught sea mullet, bluefish, gray trout, croaker and spot. Fishing was particularly good May 26, with lots of spot landed during the day and a good run of 2- to 3-pound Spanish mackerel just before dark. Good catches of Spanish mackerel were reported again the following morning. Most of the fish were taken on jiggers.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish were landed on Avalon Pier during the evening of May 22 and the morning of May 23. Some tailor blues and small bottom fish were taken the next few days. Plenty of nice Spanish mackerel were caught May 27 during the afternoon. Several cobia were seen, but none could be tempted to take a bait.
Anglers on Nags Head Pier have caught some tailor bluefish and small gray trout almost every morning. Some sea mullet and an occasional keeper flounder also have been taken. Spanish mackerel and small blues were landed from the end of the pier May 26 and 27.
Spot, pigfish, sea mullet and small bluefish have provided fairly good action regularly on the Outer Banks Pier. Some Spanish mackerel and bluefish were taken early May 27.
South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier fishermen have caught primarily small bottom fish and blues during the day. Quite a few gray trout have been landed after dark. A good run of Spanish mackerel hit the pier May 27, with the action lasting most of the morning.
Pigfishing has been excellent on Avon Pier. Fishing was particularly good May 26, with lots of pigfish, spot, sea mullet, croaker and a few gray trout taken.
Spanish mackerel fishing was excellent on Frisco Pier May 22 and 23. The majority of the action was during the afternoon.
King mackerel weighing 15 and 22 pounds, a 17-pound bluefish and cobia weighing 16 and 56 pounds were landed from the pier May 24. The big cobia was taken on a live bluefish by Bill Burleson of Harper, W.Va.
A 34-pound cobia was decked on Frisco Pier by Randy Dalley of Fayetteville May 25, and a 48-pound cobia was landed by Justin Curcio May 26.
Surf fishing along the northern beaches has improved as water temperatures have risen into the mid-60s. Small bottom fish were plentiful in most sloughs on the incoming tide during the Memorial Day weekend.
Fishermen around Oregon Inlet have taken some small bottom fish, bluefish and flounder. Gray trout and a few speckled trout have been landed from several spots on the inlet's south side.
Small bottom fish have provided most of the action for surf fishermen along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Some Spanish mackerel and tailor blues were taken in the area May 27.
Nighttime drum fishing was good at Cape Point May 20 and 21, but action was slow the next few evenings.
Daytime anglers have caught some Spanish mackerel, a few bluefish, small gray trout and a few bottom fish. Some nice flounder have been landed along the beach south of the cape.
Spanish mackerel fishing was good in the surf from Frisco Pier to Hatteras Inlet May 23 and 27. Some bluefish, a few nice sea mullet and an occasional keeper flounder have been taken in the area.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been fairly good recently for Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Headboats in the area have landed some small bottom fish and sea bass.
Flounder fishing was good in Davis Slough May 26 when water conditions were excellent because of a northeast wind. Good catches of gray trout were reported by boaters jigging sting silver lures in the Old Ferry Channel on the south side of the inlet.
Blue water fishing off Oregon Inlet has been mixed. Yellowfin tuna fishing was fairly good from May 23 to 26.
The tuna varied in size from 20 to more than 80 pounds.
Some dolphin and wahoo have been taken, but no outstanding catches have been reported lately. A few billfish have been released. Most of the action has been around ``the point.''
Inshore trolling in the Hatteras area has been excellent for Spanish mackerel. Most of the 2- to 4-pound fish have been taken on Clarkspoons.
Good numbers of cobia have been landed by boaters fishing a short distance offshore from Frisco Pier to Hatteras Inlet using live bait.
Gulf Stream charters off Hatteras have landed some nice gaffer dolphin, a few tuna and some scattered wahoo.
Blue marlin were released May 23 by the Sea Creature, the Tuna Duck and the Good Times. The Lucky Chip released a white marlin and a blue marlin, the Sea Creature and the Connector released white marlin, and the Outlaw released a blue marlin May 24.
Fish have been scattered from the Diamond Shoals Tower south. Blue marlin fishing should peak in the Hatteras area this month. 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. by CNB