DATE: Friday, June 20, 1997                 TAG: 9706200717

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

OUTER BANKS PIER ANGLERS SEE SOME SLOW FISHING ACTION

Pier fishing along the Dare coast was slow Thursday.

A few bluefish, sea mullet and trout were caught on Kitty Hawk Pier during the morning. Scattered blues, some as long as 14 inches, were taken off and on in the afternoon.

Avalon Pier reported slow fishing, with a handful of bottom fish, small blues and trout decked during the day.

A few bluefish, speckled trout and gray trout were landed early Thursday morning from Nags Head Pier, but afternoon fishing was slow.

Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught scattered sea mullet sporadically throughout the day.

A few bottom fish and small gray trout were decked on Outer Banks Pier during the morning, but fishing was slow the rest of the day.

South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported slow fishing overall, with only a few Spanish mackerel, blues and small gray trout taken. Fishing also was very slow on Avon Pier.

Frisco Pier reported a king mackerel hooked and lost Wednesday afternoon. Thursday's fishing was slow.

Surf fishermen caught a few small bottom fish and small bluefish along the northern beaches and at Oregon Inlet.

Scattered spot and croaker were beached by surfcasters from Oregon Inlet to Buxton.

Some bluefish were taken early Thursday morning at Cape Point. A few mullet, small trout and blues were landed along the beach just north of Cape Point during the day.Small bluefish were hauled from the Hatteras Inlet surf Thursday morning. Some good catches of trout were reported by boaters fishing on the sound side of the inlet.

Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fair, with some Spanish mackerel and small bluefish taken. Headboats in the area caught blues and a few bottom fish.

Yellowfin tuna fishing was good off Oregon Inlet near the point. Good dolphin action was reported near the Diamond Shoals Light Tower.

Charters off Hatteras landed plenty of dolphin. Scattered tuna and wahoo also were taken.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish trolling around Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet should be productive this weekend if winds remain moderate.

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

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