DATE: Thursday, May 22, 1997                TAG: 9705220483

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   45 lines

STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS TAKE A TOLL ON FISHING ALONG NORTHERN BEACHES

Fairly strong northerly winds put a temporary end to good pier fishing along the northern beaches Wednesday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught a few tailor bluefish, sea mullet and several trout early in the morning. Fishing was slow the rest of the day.

A few scattered croaker, spot, sea mullet, bluefish and speckled trout were taken during the morning on Avalon Pier, but afternoon fishing was slow.

A handful of small bottom fish and blues were caught by anglers on Nags Head Pier before noon. Fishing was slow later in the day.

Jennette's Pier reported a few mullet taken during the morning, but nothing was landed in the afternoon.

Early-morning fishermen on Outer Banks Pier caught some sea mullet and spot, but later in the day gusty winds and grass in the water kept action to a minimum.

On Hatteras Island, a few bluefish, pigfish and small flounder were decked on Rodanthe Pier. Avon Pier reported slow fishing all day.

Some small bottom fish and sea mullet were taken on Frisco Pier during the morning. Pigfish, spot and a few nice sea mullet were landed in the afternoon.

Surf fishing was slow from Corolla to Oregon Inlet because of rough seas.

Surfcasters around Oregon Inlet and anglers fishing from the Bonner Bridge catwalk caught small bottom fish and a few keeper flounder.

Little action was reported along the beach from Oregon Inlet to Buxton because of sea conditions.

Several big drum were beached Tuesday night at Cape Point, including a 51-inch release by Nicholas Gray of Elkridge, Md.

Surfcasters along the beach south of Cape Point caught a few sea mullet and gray trout. Some small bottom fish were landed by surf fishermen from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet Wednesday.

Headboats in the Oregon Inlet area reported slow fishing with a few small blues, gray trout and flounder taken.

Inshore trolling was productive Wednesday several miles south of Hatteras Inlet toward Ocracoke, with Spanish mackerel and tailor blues taken.

The few bluewater charters that fished off Hatteras Wednesday caught dolphin.

The water temperature was 61 degrees Wednesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck and 68 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu