THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 16, 1996 TAG: 9608160546
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 64 lines
Billfishing was excellent northeast of Oregon Inlet near the triple zeros Thursday, with 117 billfish released in the 13th Annual Pirate's Cove Billfish Tournament.
The top boat Thursday was the Smoker, with eight releases. The Sea Toy was second with six releases.
The Prime Time, the leader for the previous two days, released four fish Thursday, with an overall total of 16 releases and first place in the tournament.
Tuna and dolphin action was slow northeast of the inlet. Some fair catches were reported southeast of the inlet between the 40400 and 40650 Loran lines. The Phideaux released two spearfish and landed six blackfin tuna and several yellowfin tuna in the area. Other charters reported similar catches.
Blue water action off Hatteras was unusually slow, with a few bailer dolphin and wahoo taken. A blue marlin was released by the Fin Fantasy and a sailfish by the Harpers Folly.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet improved with some good catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish reported. Headboat fishing was slow with a few spot, croaker and small flounder landed.
Pier fishing along the northern beaches was fairly good.
Kitty Hawk Pier reported good water conditions but only a few bluefish and spot taken.
A few bluefish, Spanish mackerel and flounder were landed on Avalon Pier during the morning. Quite a few blues and some Spanish mackerel were landed in the afternoon.
Nags Head Piers reported a 45-pound barracuda released in the morning. Some Spanish mackerel, spadefish and small spot were taken during the day. Quite a few Spanish mackerel were taken late in the afternoon.
Bottom fish, small flounder and a few black drum were landed off and on from Jennette's Pier.
Anglers on Outer Banks Pier caught lots of spot, some pompano, Spanish mackerel and bluefish throughout the day.
South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported some bluefish and Spanish mackerel landed just after sunrise. Some bottom fish were landed later in the day. Good catches of Spanish mackerel were taken from the end of the pier just before dark.
Anglers on Avon Pier caught lots of spot, croaker and a few pompano throughout most of the day.
Some nice Spanish mackerel were landed on Frisco Pier early in the morning. A few bluefish, sea mullet, small flounder and small pompano were taken later in the day.
Scattered small bottom fish were landed by surfcasters along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet.
Small spot, croaker, sea mullet, tailor bluefish and pompano were taken along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Spanish mackerel were beached late Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday morning at Cape Point. Nice sea mullet, a few nice pompano and an occasional puppy drum were landed during the day.
Fishing was slow along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet. A few Spanish mackerel were taken from the surf around the inlet by anglers casting gold Clarkspoons.
Early morning and late afternoon Spanish mackerel catches should be a good bet along the Dare Coast if the winds remain light during the weekend.
The water temperature was 74.5 degrees Thursday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 81 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB