DATE: Sunday, July 6, 1997                  TAG: 9707040224

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 48   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: HOW TO HOOK `EM 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 
                                            LENGTH:   82 lines

PIER FISHERMEN SHOULD REEL IN SCORES OF SMALL BOTTOM FISH

Pier fishing should be fairly good along the Dare coast this week, provided weather conditions remain moderate.

Pier jockeys along the northern beaches should land fair numbers of tailor bluefish and Spanish mackerel just after first light and shortly before dark. Some of the Spanish mackerel could weigh as much as 4 pounds.

Most of the fish will be taken on bucktail rigs or jiggers if the water is clear. Bluefish should be landed on fireball rigs baited with cut mullet if the water is dirty. Spanish mackerel action disappears in muddy water.

Gray trout also should provide fairly dependable action for pier fishermen. Most will be taken on artificial baits, although some will be landed on cut bait or bloodworms. The minimum length on gray trout is 12 inches and the creel limit is four fish per day.

Some speckled trout probably will appear in catches, but these fish have been scarce recently. The minimum length on speckled trout is 12 inches and the creel limit is 10 fish per day. Most of the speckled trout should be taken on soft plastic lures such as the Fin-S.

A variety of small bottom fish should be available on piers from Kitty Hawk to Oregon Inlet. Anglers should catch small spot, pigfish, croaker, sea mullet and sand perch. Action should be good if the water is slightly dirty. Most of the small fish hit bloodworms, shrimp or squid.

Some triggerfish, an occasional pompano and scattered flounder also will be landed by pier fishermen.

A few cobia, king mackerel and jacks should be landed by live bait fishermen from the ends of local piers if the water is clear and warm. Big fish action hasn't been dependable so far this season.

Pier anglers south of Oregon Inlet should land plenty of Spanish mackerel early mornings and late afternoons, provided the water is clear. Fair numbers of blues also should be taken.

Pier anglers on Hatteras Island should catch fair numbers of croaker, spot, sea mullet and pigfish if southwest winds cloud inshore waters.

Gray trout fishing should be pretty good, with some of the best action overnight if daytime temperatures are high and the water is very clear.

Cobia, king mackerel and jack action is a good possibility if water temperatures remain in the 70s and seas stay calm. Some tarpon could be decked by anglers on Frisco Pier.

Surf fishing should be in the summertime doldrums from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. A few bottom fish, scattered bluefish and an occasional flounder should be beached. Action is best in the cool of the morning and late in the afternoon on the rising tide.

Anglers around Oregon Inlet should catch a mixture of small bottom fish, bluefish and some keeper flounder on both the north and south sides. Nighttime fishing with live bait should be good for gray trout from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge.

Small bottom fish, pompano, bluefish and an occasional Spanish mackerel should be hauled from the surf along the beach from Oregon Inlet to Buxton.

Anglers at Cape Point should experience good runs of Spanish mackerel mixed with bluefish early mornings and late afternoons. Small bottom fish, pompano, flounder and a few puppy drum also should be beached sporadically by both night and day fishermen.

A mixture of sea mullet, spot, croaker, flounder, pompano and tailor blues should be caught by surfcasters from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet. Spanish mackerel fishing should be good for boaters and surf fishermen in the inlet area.

Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet should be fair, with some bluefish, Spanish mackerel and albacore taken.

Headboats fishing in the sound should land small bottom fish, blues and gray trout, while those fishing outside the inlet in the ocean should produce good catches of sea bass and triggerfish.

Blue water action should be fairly good off Oregon Inlet with dolphin, yellowfin tuna and wahoo appearing in catches. Fair numbers of billfish should be hooked and released, particularly after a period of brisk northeast winds.

Charters off Hatteras should do well catching plenty of dolphin, wahoo and fair numbers of king mackerel. Scattered billfish should be released daily.

Pompano fishing should improve along the southern Dare coast as water temperatures rise into the mid-70s. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by WILLIAM P. CANNON

John College, 39, of Columbia, NC, filets the record setting

83-pound cobia that he caught off the Outer Banks Pier on Sunday,

June 29. With the water and weather warming up, pier fishing should

also heat up.

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