THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608010199
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 44 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 90 lines
Pier anglers along the Dare Coast have landed a variety of fish recently, both big and small.
Plenty of Spanish mackerel were landed on Kitty Hawk Pier late in the afternoon July 26 and again the next morning. The Spanish mackerel were caught on jiggers. Fishing was slow the next several days.
Avalon Pier reported king mackerel weighing 24 and 39 pounds taken July 24 on live bait. A good run of Spanish mackerel developed on the pier early July 27.
Plenty of nice pompano were taken July 28. The largest reported weighed 2 pounds, 6 ounces, and was taken by Romeo Milano of Currituck. A 36-pound cobia, spot, small gray trout and a few pompano were decked July 29.
Spot, croaker, pigfish and a few flounder were taken from Nags Head Pier July 24 through 29. A 43-pound cobia was landed July 25. A 20-pound cobia was landed July 27. And a 23-pound king mackerel was landed July 28. Three cobia weighing 29, 38 and 38 pounds and a 37.5-pound king mackerel were landed July 29.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught plenty of spot July 24 and 27. Cobia weighing 18 and 28 pounds were taken July 25 by 9-year-old Michael Batten of Five Forks, W.Va. A few bottom fish were taken July 28 and 29.
Cobia weighing 22 and 57 pounds were landed from Outer Banks Pier July 24. Plenty of croaker were caught during the next few days. A 21-pound cobia was decked July 28, along with scattered spot, croaker and sea mullet.
On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported a 16-pound king mackerel landed July 24. A 17.5-pound cobia and two kings weighing 20 pounds each were taken July 25. Spot fishing was good during the afternoons July 26 and 27. Although fishing was slow July 28, a 34-pound cobia and a few small bottom fish were taken.
Plenty of spot were landed on Avon Pier July 25 in the afternoon and most of the next day. Fishing was slow July 27 through 29.
Action on Frisco Pier was slow July 24 through 26, and July 28 and 29. A few Spanish mackerel, gray trout, pompano and a 21-pound barracuda were hauled onto the pier July 27.
Water temperature in the area has been around 80 degrees.
Surf fishermen have landed plenty of small spot and croaker daily from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Some nice-sized sea mullet and pompano also have been taken by anglers using soft sand fleas for bait in deeper sloughs.
Spot, croaker and other small bottom fish have been plentiful around Oregon Inlet. Fair catches of keeper flounder have been reported during periods of clear water produced by onshore winds.
Gray trout fishing has been good at night from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge. Speckled trout action in the area has been practically nonexistent.
Bottom fishing has been good along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Spot and croaker have been plentiful. And some big pompano have been taken.
Plenty of 13- to 15-inch stripers were hooked and released July 28 between Ramps 23 and 27. Most of the fish were hooked on small Fin-S lures.
Some good runs of Spanish mackerel have been reported at Cape Point early mornings and just before dark. A few puppy drum also have been landed. Surfcasters have landed some big sea mullet and pompano just north of Cape Point.
Surf fishermen from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet have landed mostly bottom fish. A 30-pound cobia was landed from the beach in the area July 27. Small bluefish, Spanish mackerel and some keeper flounder have been hauled in around Hatteras Inlet.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been fair with bluefish and scattered Spanish mackerel taken. A few cobia have been landed by charters fishing north of the inlet a short distance off the beach with live bait and bucktails.
Headboats around the inlet have caught plenty of croaker. Good numbers of flounder also have been landed on days when the water has been clear and winds light from an easterly direction.
Croaker fishing has been excellent next to the Manns Harbor bridge in Croatan Sound. Some nice flounder also have been taken in the area.
Striped bass continue to be plentiful in the area. In fact, stripers have been so plentiful that anglers have had difficulties catching other species because the striped bass take the bait first.
Blue water action off Oregon Inlet has been mediocre lately. Yellowfin tuna fishing has been slow. A few decent catches of dolphin have been reported, mainly well south of the inlet.
Billfishing also has been somewhat slow, although a few have been released each day. The best action recently was July 27, when 18 marlin and sailfish were released from numerous locations.
Charters off Hatteras have fared a little better. Consistent dolphin fishing has been reported. Scattered wahoo also have been taken. Yellowfin tuna fishing was good off the rockpile July 20, which is unusual this time of year.
A few billfish have been released, including a white marlin on the headboat Miss Hatteras July 28, and white marlin by the Hatteras Fever II, the Release and the Citation July 29.
Billfishing should improve dramatically off Oregon Inlet with the arrival of a nor'easter. by CNB