THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TAG: 9607030518
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 57 lines
Blue water action off Oregon Inlet was good Tuesday.
Charters landed plenty of dolphin, a few wahoo and scattered tuna.
Billfish releases included seven white marlin by the Carolinean, three blue marlin and two white marlin by the Temptress, two white marlin and two blue marlin by the Sea Toy and two white marlin and a blue marlin by the Pelican.
Most of the billfish action was between 40200 and 40230 Loran lines, but the Carolinean's white marlin catch was a little south of ``the point.''
Dolphin fishing was excellent off Hatteras, with most charters catching their limits of mixed-sized fish.
Thirty- to 60-pound yellowfin tuna were plentiful. The tuna were scattered in water depths ranging from 100 to 200 fathoms.
A few wahoo were taken, and seven white marlin were released by the Hatteras fleet.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was slow. A few Spanish mackerel and small bluefish were landed by half-day charters.
Good catches of pigfish were reported by headboats operating around the inlet.
Surf fishing along the northern beaches was fair, with a mixture of spot, croaker, pigfish and sea mullet taken during the morning on the incoming tide.
Some Spanish mackerel and scattered speckled trout were landed from the surf near the Bonner Bridge on the north side of Oregon Inlet Tuesday morning.
Tailor blues, small gray trout and bottom fish were landed from the inlet's south side.
Spot, croaker, sea mullet, bluefish and a few gray trout were landed by surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Quite a few large puppy drum were beached Monday night at Cape Point. Scattered Spanish mackerel, bluefish, flounder and a few pompano were landed Tuesday.
Spanish mackerel were plentiful around Hatteras Inlet Monday evening. Small bluefish, a few Spanish mackerel and some flounder were taken in the surf from Frisco to False Point Tuesday.
Pier fishing along the northern beaches was fair.
Kitty Hawk Pier reported croaker, spot, bluefish, sea mullet and a few trout taken during the morning.A few bluefish, small bottom fish and flounder and an occasional Spanish mackerel were taken from Nags Head Pier.
Jennette's Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few flounder, small sea bass and a few Spanish mackerel taken.
Fishing also was slow on Outer Banks Pier. Anglers landed a few bottom fish and Spanish mackerel. A 40-pound cobia also was taken.
South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier fishermen caught small bottom fish, a few Spanish mackerel and several pompano.
Avon Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few bluefish and mullet taken.
Four king mackerel, weighing between 17 and 28 pounds, were decked on Frisco Pier. One small king mackerel was released. A few spadefish and small bottom fish also were taken.
The water temperature was 75 1/2 degrees Wednesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 75 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB