THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010592
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 56 lines
Pier fishing improved along the Dare coast Wednesday with some good catches reported.
Kitty Hawk Pier continued to be in a fishing slump, however, with only a few flounder landed.
Some nice bluefish and Spanish mackerel were taken during the morning on Avalon Pier. A 50-pound cobia was landed, and a 41-incher was released. Some sea mullet were taken later in the day.
Anglers on Nags Head Pier caught a few bluefish, spot, speckled trout and a few Spanish mackerel early in the morning.
A 42-pound king mackerel was landed by Tim Oliver of Nags Head. A cobia with an estimated weight of 30 pounds was released. Fishing during the afternoon was slow.
Jennette's Pier reported scattered spot taken off and on throughout the day.
Spot, croaker and bluefish were caught during the morning on Outer Banks Pier. A 40-pound cobia was decked by Les Puckett of Lynchburg, Va. One 25-pound jack was released.
South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier caught plenty of spot, a few sea mullet and small gray trout on the morning's high tide.
Avon Pier reported croaker taken two at a time throughout the day. A few spot and gray trout also were landed.
A few small bottom fish, flounder, gray trout and small bluefish were taken on Frisco Pier.
Spot were abundant in the surf just about everywhere from Corolla to Oregon Inlet Wednesday.
Small bottom fish, small bluefish and a handful of keeper flounder were taken around Oregon Inlet.
Spot, croaker and sea mullet were taken most of the morning along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Some nice-sized gray trout also were taken on fresh shrimp.
Plenty of bluefish and a few Spanish mackerel were landed Tuesday evening at Cape Point. Sea mullet, spot and croaker were landed in the surf north of the cape Wednesday.
Fishing along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet was slow.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fairly good Wednesday. Some catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish were reported just north of the inlet off Coquina Beach.
Headboats in the area reported excellent catches of croaker. A few bluefish and keeper gray trout also were taken.
Scattered tuna and dolphin were landed by the Pirates Cove and Oregon Inlet Fishing Center offshore fleets. A few billfish were released, including a blue marlin by the Sizzler.
Tuna and dolphin were fair in the Gulf Stream off Hatteras. Scattered wahoo and a few king mackerel also were landed. Billfishing was slow.
The water temperature was 73.5 degrees Wednesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB