THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9606270212
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 44 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 104 lines
WARMER WATER along the Dare Coast recently has brought an influx of cobia and king mackerel to ocean piers.
Five king mackerel and four cobia, the largest weighing 46 pounds, were decked on Rodanthe Pier June 19. There was little action June 20, but fishing improved the following day with eight king mackerel, weighing as much as 43 1/2 pounds each, and cobia weighing 51 and 64 pounds taken.
Five king mackerel and two cobia were landed June 22, and four king mackerel, including a 42-pounder, were decked June 24. Pier anglers also caught some small bottom fish, tailor bluefish, a few pompano, small gray trout and several Spanish mackerel.
Avon Pier also reported several big fish caught, including a 52-pound cobia landed by Wayne Carrier of Wade, N.C. Fair numbers of spot, croaker, tailor bluefish and some Spanish mackerel also have been landed from the pier.
After several days of negligible big fish action on Frisco Pier, a 71-pound tarpon was taken June 22 by Hicky Jackson of Frisco. The big fish hit a live threadfin herring. A 30-pound king mackerel and a 12-pound bluefish also were landed the same day.
Action continued June 23, with a 23-pound king mackerel taken and a cobia and a tarpon lost. King mackerel weighing 12-, 14-, and 20-pounds were landed the following day. A few bottom fish, small bluefish and a few Spanish mackerel have been taken almost daily from the pier.
North of Oregon Inlet, Kitty Hawk Pier reported good catches of tailor bluefish, sea mullet, croaker and spot June 20.
A few Spanish mackerel, small bluefish and a 27-pound king mackerel were landed June 22. Three king mackerel and one cobia were taken the next day. Plenty of keeper bluefish were landed by pier anglers June 24.
Avalon Pier reported a few nice mullet, some bluefish and gray trout taken recently. Cobia weighing 40 and 42 pounds, and king mackerel weighing 23 1/2 and 27 pounds were landed June 22. Several king mackerel and jacks were lost June 23.
Some spot, croaker, sea mullet and pigfish were landed on Nags Head Pier June 19-21. A good run of spot developed during the afternoon of June 24, and some Spanish mackerel were landed just before dark.
A king mackerel was landed on Nags Head Pier and several jacks were released June 22. A 28 1/2-pound king mackerel was taken June 23 and several large fish were lost.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught good numbers of spot, sea mullet, small bluefish and triggerfish June 21.
Fishing was good again the following morning, with scattered bluefish, Spanish mackerel and triggerfish taken. A 32-pound cobia was decked by Dillon Jones of Nags Head.
Good catches of small spot have been reported from Outer Banks Pier daily. Most of the fish have averaged 4-per-pound. A few sea mullet, bluefish, small gray trout and flounder also have been taken.
Cobia weighing 17 and 20 pounds were landed from the Pier June 22, and several jacks were released. A number of jacks were released during the next few days, but no other big fish were landed.
Surf fishing has been fair along the northern beaches. Anglers have caught mainly small bottom fish. Some tailor bluefish and a few Spanish mackerel also have been taken when the water has been clear close to the beach.
Quite a few small bottom fish have been taken around Oregon Inlet. Anglers fishing from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge have caught plenty of spot along with some croaker and sea mullet. A few good catches of sheepshead have been reported from around the bridge supports.
Spot fishing was good in the surf from Rodanthe to Buxton June 22-24. A few nice sea mullet, scattered croaker and tailor bluefish also were landed.
A few puppy drum, pompano and scattered Spanish mackerel were beached at Cape Point June 19. Small bottom fish and a 43-pound drum were taken June 21. Fishing was slow June 22-24, with only a few Spanish mackerel and bluefish landed during early mornings and late afternoons.
Scattered small bluefish, small bottom fish, and a few keeper flounder have been taken by surfcasters from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet. Some good catches of Spanish mackerel and tailor blues have been taken in the Hatteras Inlet area during the late afternoons.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been good, with plenty of Spanish mackerel and bluefish landed by anglers trolling around the bar.
Cobia have been unusually plentiful south of Oregon Inlet a little distance offshore. Some king mackerel also have been taken in the area by anglers trolling and live bait fishing. The cobia have been taken on a large variety of bait, including big banjo-eye bucktails tipped with a squid strip.
Headboats operating around Oregon Inlet have caught a wide variety of fish including spot, croaker, pigfish, triggerfish, gray trout and tailor bluefish. Some good catches of flounder also have been taken when the wind has been out of an easterly direction.
Blue water fishing off Oregon Inlet has been spotty. Dolphin fishing was good June 21 and 22, but slow the following day. Yellowfin tuna fishing has been slow, although a few large fish have been taken, including a 110-pounder by the Dances with Dolphins, and a 94-pounder by the Sportsman.
Billfishing has been fair, with most of the action well south of Oregon Inlet. Eight white marlin, six blue marlin and two sailfish were released by the Pirates Cove and Oregon Inlet Fishing Center fleets June 22. A grand slam was released by the Temptation June 23.
Dolphin fishing has held up well in the Gulf Stream off Hatteras. Good catches of gaffers have been reported almost every day. Tuna have been scarce, as have wahoo.
Billfishing has been pretty good off and on south of the rockpile. Releases June 22 included six white marlin by the Top Billing, four white marlin by the Release, two white marlin and a blue marlin by the Eagle, and blue marlin by the Hatteras Fever and the Tuna Duck. A grand slam was scored by the Release June 23. 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