THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310573
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 52 lines
Pier fishing along the Outer Banks was generally slow at most locations Tuesday.
The exception was Outer Banks Pier, where quite a few small spot and croaker were taken throughout the day. Three cobia weighing 15, 30 and 45 pounds were caught on live bait, and one small cobia was released.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught a few spot off and on during the day.
Nags Head Pier reported a few Spanish mackerel taken from the end of the pier early in the morning. A few spot, bluefish and a 25-pound cobia were landed later.
A few blues were taken from Avalon Pier during the morning, and scattered spot were caught in the afternoon.
Some spot were landed early in the day on Kitty Hawk Pier, but fish were scarce the rest of the day.
South of Oregon Inlet, a 25-pound king mackerel was taken on Rodanthe Pier, and a big cobia was lost. A few spot and gray trout also were taken.
Small spot, croaker, flounder and gray trout were landed by Avon Pier fishermen.
Frisco Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few small flounder, sea mullet and spot taken.
Surf fishing along the northern beaches continued to be good, with small bottom fish, a few bluefish and a few flounder landed. Some striped bass were hooked and released.
Small bottom fish, flounder, a few keeper gray trout and snapper bluefish were beached around Oregon Inlet.
Surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton landed scattered spot and croaker.
Some scattered bluefish were beached early in the morning at Cape Point. Sea mullet and pompano were landed later in the day along the beach south of the cape.
Fishing was slow in the Frisco area.
Charters trolling around Oregon Inlet caught quite a few small bluefish and some Spanish mackerel. A few cobia were landed by boaters fishing a short distance off the beach north of the inlet near Outer Banks Pier.
Headboats around the inlet reported good catches of croaker and flounder.
Tuna fishing improved off Oregon Inlet. Charter craft landed as many as 12 yellowfins per boat southeast of the inlet.
A few dolphin and several wahoo also were taken. Several billfish were released, including three white marlin by the Suspense and a blue marlin by the Sea Witch.
The Hatteras fleet reported a few dolphin and tuna taken. A sailfish was released by the Top Billing.
The water temperature was 76.5 degrees Tuesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB