THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608220371
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 58 lines
Billfishing continued to be excellent well northeast of Oregon Inlet around the triple zeros. More than 115 white marlin were released by the Oregon Inlet and Pirates Cove fleets.
The top boat was the Pelican, with 11 white marlin released. Other billfish released included nine by the Fight 'N Lady and five by the Right Hook.
A few dolphin also were taken in the area. Fair numbers of yellowfin tuna in the 40-pound class were landed between the 40550 and the 40650 Loran lines in 100 fathoms of water.
Charters off Hatteras reported good numbers of dolphin, a few tuna and a few wahoo taken. Sailfish were released by the Miss Edie, the Wahoo and the Gambler.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fair, with Spanish mackerel taken. Some good catches of flounder were landed by boaters using live minnows and squid strips in sloughs around the inlet. Headboat fishing was slow.
Pier fishing was spotty along the northern beaches.
Fishing was slow on Kitty Hawk Pier.
Avalon Pier reported a few spot, flounder, blow toads and Spanish mackerel taken. Also reported was an unusual show of at least two 18-inch sailfish pulled in by Daniel Williams of Kill Devil Hills and Charlie Spry of Nags Head.
Nags Head Pier anglers caught some spot, pigfish and a few nice flounder during the morning. Small flounder and a few mullet were taken in the afternoon. A few stripers were released. Lots of Spanish mackerel were seen, but few were landed.
Fishing on Jennette's Pier was slow, with only a handful of keeper flounder taken.
Outer Banks Pier reported lots of pompano and a few flounder taken during the morning. Fishing was slow in the afternoon.
On Hatteras Island, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier caught a few flounder, sheepshead, spot and Spanish mackerel.
Anglers on Avon Pier landed lots of small bottom fishing during the morning, and pompano weighing as much as 1 1/2 pounds in the afternoon.
Plenty of Spanish mackerel were landed early in the day on Frisco Pier. Pompano and sheepshead were decked in the afternoon.
Surf fishermen caught scattered small bottom fish from Corolla to Oregon Inlet.
Small bottom fish, a few tailor bluefish and some keeper flounder were beached around Oregon Inlet.
A few bottom fish were caught by surfcasters along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Several nice gray trout were landed on shrimp from Ramps 23 to 27.
Good catches of Spanish mackerel were landed Tuesday just before dark at Cape Point. Lots of sea mullet and pompano were caught along the south beach on sand fleas Wednesday.
Plenty of Spanish mackerel and bluefish were hauled from the surf on artificial baits early Wednesday morning around Hatteras inlet. Small flounder also were plentiful in the area.
The water temperature was 78 degrees Wednesday at the Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB