DATE: Sunday, April 6, 1997                 TAG: 9704030206

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 19   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: Tight Lines 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 

                                            LENGTH:   49 lines

GOOD FISHING SHOULD ARRIVE WITH THE RISING WATER TEMPERATURES

Rising inshore water temperatures in the coming week should provide improved fishing all along the Dare Coast.

On Hatteras Island, sea mullet fishing should get into full swing not only along the south beach, but also on the north beaches from Cape Point to Oregon Inlet.

Pier anglers on Hatteras Island should catch a variety of bottom fish including sea mullet, spot, croaker and scattered flounder on bloodworms, shrimp and squid.

Sea mullet fishing should be fairly good this week on piers north of Oregon Inlet. Small spot, bluefish, gray trout and scattered nice speckled trout should be landed. Blow toads should be plentiful. Most of the speckled trout will be taken on soft plastic lures, such as the Fin-S.

Plenty of mullet, toadfish and other small bottom fish should be available on the rising tide for surf fishermen from Cape Point to Hatteras Inlet.

Some good runs of drum should develop at Cape Point at night, provided the wind is from a southwesterly direction. During the day, anglers should be able to catch bluefish, a mixture of small bottom fish and an occasional drum at Cape Point.

Scattered speckled and gray trout are a good possibility for anglers fishing the surf near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on days when the water is fairly clear inshore.

Sea mullet, small bottom fish and tailor blues should provide action for surfcasters from Buxton to Oregon Inlet.

Surf fishermen and bridge anglers around Oregon Inlet should land small bottom fish, a few gray trout and small flounder throughout the coming week. Striped bass probably will be hooked occasionally around the Oregon Inlet bridge pilings.

Stripers caught in the sound along the west side of the bridge must be released because the season is closed. Stripers hooked and landed on the east or ocean-side of the bridge can be kept if they are 28 inches or longer. Anglers are allowed to retain two 28-inch or longer ocean stripers per day.

Scattered small bottom fish should be landed from deeper sloughs in the surf along the northern beaches this week. Speckled trout are a good possibility in sloughs near piers if the water is clear and fairly calm and the water temperature is in the mid-50s.

Blue water action should be good off Oregon Inlet with plenty of yellowfin tuna, scattered wahoo and an occasional dolphin taken.

Charters off Hatteras should produce some yellowfin and blackfin tuna. Good catches of school dolphin also should be taken. And a few bluefin tuna should be released.

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