
DATE: Saturday, April 5, 1997               TAG: 9704050233

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 

                                            LENGTH:   58 lines

CONDITIONS IMPROVE BUT FISHING IS SLOW

Pier fishing remained slow Friday along the northern beaches, even though fishing conditions were good. About the only action reported was skates.

Surf fishing also was slow from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. A few toadfish and skates were beached around the inlet.

On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported a few toadfish landed. Anglers on Avon Pier caught a handful of sea mullet and toadfish.

Good catches of toadfish and sea mullet were taken from Frisco Pier during most of the morning. Action slowed during the afternoon. Most of the fish hit either bloodworms or squid.

Surfcasters found fishing slow from Oregon Inlet to Buxton, with only a few toadfish and an occasional sea mullet beached.

Toadfish and scattered keeper flounder were hauled from the surf along the beach south of Cape Point.

Striper action was good in the Croatan Sound again Friday. Anglers released plenty of stripers near the Manns Harbor bridge, and also on shell beds north of the Manteo airport.

Yellowfin tuna fishing was fair off Oregon Inlet. The best of the action was around the 40600 Loran line on the edge. The fish weighed from 25 to 43 pounds.

Charters off Hatteras reported fairly good yellowfin tuna fishing around the 40280 Loran line. Scattered dolphin and a few wahoo also were taken. Several bluefins weighing from 100 to 150 pounds were released.

The water temperature was 50 degrees Friday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 59 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.