THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997 TAG: 9701230128
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TIGHT LINES
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 30 lines
Cold water temperatures along the northern beaches have kept fishing action in the surf and sound to a minimum recently. Water temperature at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck on Jan. 20 was 40 degrees.
A few striped bass have been landed by surfcasters from Corolla to Oregon Inlet on warm days. But action has not been dependable. Scattered fish also have been taken on bait from the revetment on the south side of Oregon Inlet.
Few anglers have been trolling in the sound because of cold air temperatures combined with slow fishing caused by low water temperatures.
Some stripers were landed at Cape Point during the morning and evening Jan. 18 and 19. Several fish also were beached behind the motels in Buxton. Cut bunker - a piece of a small, oily fish better known as menhaden - has been the most productive bait. Some of the stripers taken weighed as much as 35 pounds.
No action has been reported off Oregon Inlet. But bluefin tuna fishing has been good from 38 to 42 miles south of Hatteras. Fish weighing as much as 500 pounds have been reported.
The best action was between the 39850 and the 39900 Loran lines Jan. 19. Menhaden has been the preferred bait for the giant tuna.
A few king mackerel also have been taken behind the rockpile.
Bluefin action should continue off Hatteras Island throughout the remainder of the winter and into early spring.