THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609120164
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 36 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 78 lines
The recent passage of Hurricane Fran well west of the Dare coast produced a few gusty winds, but it had little effect on inshore fishing.
Plenty of spot were landed Sept. 4 on Kitty Hawk Pier. A few spot were taken the next few days. A few bluefish also were landed Sept. 8.
Avalon Pier also reported lots of spot and some croaker taken Sept. 4. Seas were choppy the next few days. But anglers managed to catch fair numbers of spot.
A good run of bluefish developed on Avalon Pier Sept. 8 during the afternoon. Good numbers of bluefish, spot and a few Spanish mackerel were taken the following day.
Fishermen on Nags Head Pier caught plenty of small croaker Sept. 4. Scattered spot, croaker and a few black drum were landed Sept. 5-7.
Lots of small gray trout were taken from Nags Head Pier on artificial lures and cut bait Sept. 8. Spot fishing was good the afternoon of Sept. 9.
Jennette's Pier reported some nice spot taken Sept. 4, but little action the next day. Fishing was good Sept. 6, with a mixture of spot, croaker, black drum and small trout taken. Fishing on Jennette's Pier was slow the next several days, with only a few spot, mullet and croaker landed.
Plenty of spot, small gray trout and some sea mullet were landed Sept. 4 on Outer Banks Pier. Some nice spot were landed Sept. 5 and 6. Scattered croaker were taken and quite a few striped bass were released from Outer Banks Pier Sept. 7. Fishing was slow Sept. 8. But lots of spot were landed two at a time Sept. 9.
South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported a few spot, puppy drum and flounder taken Sept. 4. Action was slow Sept. 5 and 6. But some nice croaker and spot were taken Sept. 7. Spot and croaker fishing were good Sept. 8 in the afternoon on Rodanthe Pier. But action was slow Sept. 9.
Fishing was slow on Avon Pier Sept. 4 through 6 because of rough seas and a hard running tide. Some nice croaker and spot were taken Sept. 7 and 8. A cobia was hooked but lost Sept. 8. Croaker and spot fishing were good all day Sept. 9.
Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught some bottom fish and a few pompano Sept. 4, although swells were as high as eight feet. Little action was reported Sept. 5 and 6 because of rough weather. Action resumed Sept. 7, with bottom fish, a few puppy drum, small gray trout, bluefish and keeper flounder taken. Croaker fishing was good the following day. Some puppy drum, black drum, big croaker, toadfish and a few sheepshead were taken Sept. 9.
Surf fishing from Corolla to Oregon Inlet has been good for small bottom fish on days when seas have been moderate.
Plenty of nice croaker have been landed from both the north and south sides of Oregon Inlet.
Most of the croaker have weighed between one and two pounds and have been landed on shrimp.
Some good catches of gray trout have been reported from the south side of the inlet, with the best action at night from the Bonner Bridge catwalk.
Action along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton was slow Sept. 5 and 6. Quite a few spot, nice croaker and scattered puppy drum were taken Sept. 7 and 8. Good catches of small bottom fish were reported Sept. 9.
Little action was reported at Cape Point Sept. 5 and 6. Some puppy drum were taken Sept. 7 and 8. And small bottom fish were landed along the south beach. Tailor bluefish, croaker, sea mullet and a few puppy drum were taken Sept. 9.
Plenty of bluefish were landed by surf fishermen in the Hatteras Inlet area Sept. 7. Some keeper flounder and small bottom fish also were taken.
Big croaker were beached in the surf in the Frisco area Sept. 8. Some nice puppy drum, bluefish, flounder and small bottom fish were caught from Frisco to False Point Sept. 9.
Blue water fishing was at a standstill Sept. 5 through 7 because of the effects of Hurricane Fran.
Offshore charters went back into action Sept. 8, releasing 18 white marlin northeast of Oregon Inlet around the triple zeros. A few good catches of dolphin also were reported in the area.
Fair catches of tuna were taken at the point the following day, along with scattered dolphin. Billfish action was slow.
Hatteras charters were unable to fish Sept. 4 through 7. Fishing was slow when action resumed Sept. 8, but improved the next day with plenty of bailer dolphin, scattered wahoo and a few king mackerel taken.
Offshore fishing should improve with the arrival of cooler weather. by CNB