THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996 TAG: 9609050508
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON
LENGTH: 28 lines
As if Edouard's flirtation with the East Coast wasn't enough, along comes Fran, at best another uncertainty. But let's assume the weekend will be smooth sailing - an assumption already rejected for the Virginia Beach Marlin Tournament. Blown out over Labor Day, the contest has been scrubbed for the year.
Edouard's passage off the East Coast was not all bad, although some charter boat skippers might disagree, since they remained in port for several days. But if they're able to sail this weekend, white marlin action could be furious in the vicinity of the Cigar. Tremendous action was reported there Tuesday by several boats from Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet, south of Nags Head.
On Edouard's plus side, the blow moved a lot of medium-size bluefish and big croaker to the lower Chesapeake Bay, especially around the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It also resulted in some big spot showing up in the surf and around ocean piers at Virginia Beach and on the North Carolina Outer Banks.
On the freshwater side, the big worry is that potential heavy rains from Fran will be in concert with muddy conditions on many rivers, lakes and ponds in the area. Only time will tell. by CNB