THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 30, 1996 TAG: 9608300523
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B01 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 55 lines
Billfish action improved Thursday northeast of Oregon Inlet. More than 60 white marlin were released by the Pirates Cove and Oregon Inlet Fishing Center fleets.
Releases included nine white marlin by the Temptress and seven by the Prime Time. The best action was around the 40890 Loran line. Some action also was reported above the triple zeros.
Fair catches of gaffer dolphin and some nice yellowfin tuna were landed at the point.
Blue water action off Hatteras was slow. Boats caught scattered dolphin and wahoo, and a white marlin was released by the Big Eye.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fairly good, with plenty of bluefish and some scattered Spanish mackerel taken. Headboats in the area caught lots of small trout, some pigfish and croaker on the morning trip, and croaker in the afternoon.
Pier fishing along the northern beaches improved Thursday.
Some spot, bluefish and pompano were taken in Kitty Hawk Pier during the morning. Fishing was slow later in the day.
Some speckled trout, spot, small flounder, sea mullet and bluefish were landed on Nags Head Pier off and on throughout the day.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught a few speckled trout, spot, mullet, flounder and pompano. A few striped bass were hooked and released.
Lots of striped bass were released by fishermen on Outer Banks Pier during the morning. Small bottom fish also were landed. Fishing was slow during the afternoon.
South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier caught a few sheepshead and pompano in the morning. Rough seas kept action to a minimum during the afternoon.
Good numbers of Spanish mackerel were landed late Wednesday afternoon on Avon Pier. A few spot were taken Thursday.
Frisco Pier reported good Spanish mackerel fishing early in the day. Afternoon action was slow.
Scattered bottom fish and bluefish were landed by surfcasters from Corolla to Oregon Inlet.
A few bottom fish, gray trout, keeper flounder and a few puppy drum were beached in the surf around Oregon Inlet.
Heavy surf caused slow fishing from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Fishing also was slow at Cape Point because of sea conditions. Several 6- to 10-pound puppy drum were reported taken at Ramp 43.
Sea mullet and a few pompano were landed along the beach from Frisco to False Point. Some Spanish mackerel and lots of small flounder were taken in the surf at Hatteras Inlet.
Puppy drum action should improve as seas begin to get rough along the Dare Coast.
The water temperature was 78 degrees Thursday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 81 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB