DATE: Tuesday, July 8, 1997                 TAG: 9707080418

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 
SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

HOLIDAY WEEKEND PROVES FRUITFUL FOR PIER ANGLERS

Pier fishing was good along the northern beaches during the Fourth of July weekend.

Spot, mullet, bluefish and gray trout were landed Saturday on Kitty Hawk Pier. Spanish mackerel and bluefish were taken from the end of the pier Sunday morning, and spot and bluefish were caught later in the day.

Avalon Pier reported plenty of 12- to 15-inch speckled trout taken on white bucktail rigs Saturday morning. Bluefish, spot and gray trout were landed in the afternoon.

Speckled and gray trout and small blues were decked Sunday morning. A few trout and bluefish were landed throughout the afternoon.

Anglers on Nags Head Pier caught spot, blues, sea mullet, speckled trout and several 4- to 5-pound black drum Saturday. A few bluefish, Spanish mackerel, spot and small flounder were landed Sunday.

Jennette's Pier reported plenty of spot taken throughout the weekend. A few gray trout and bluefish also were landed.

Spot fishing was good most of the day Saturday on Outer Banks Pier. Spot were landed two at a time Sunday morning,along with a few trout and sea mullet. Some bluefish were taken in the afternoon.

South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported a few spot, croaker and bluefish landed Saturday.

Twoking mackerel,weighing 19 and 48 pounds, respectively,were decked Sunday morning. Five king mackerel weighing 19, 23, 42, 43 and 48 pounds, respectively,were landed Sunday afternoon. Two cobia weighing 23 and 27 1/2 pounds also were decked Sunday afternoon.

Several Spanish mackerel were landed early Saturday morning on Avon Pier. A few bottom fish were taken during the afternoon. Fishing was slow Sunday.

Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught a few sea mullet, pompano and flounder Saturday. Some nice pompano weighing between 1 and 1 1/2 pounds were landed Sunday morning along with some keeper flounder. Little action was reported Sunday afternoon.

Surf fishermen landed some speckled trout from the surf north of Kitty Hawk Pier Saturday morning. Spot and small bottom fish were landed from the surf along the northern beaches throughout the weekend.

Small bottom fish, gray trout, scattered blues and a few keeper flounder were landed around Oregon Inlet Saturday and Sunday.

Croaker, spot and sea mullet were taken during the weekend by surfcasters from Oregon Inlet to Buxton.

Spanish mackerel were landed at Cape Point along the north beach Saturday morning. Bottom fish were caught during the day. Small bluefish were landed Sunday, and some nice pompano were taken along the beach north of Cape Point.

Small blues, croaker and a few flounder were beached from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet throughout the weekend.

Inshore trolling was good for tailor blues around Oregon Inlet during the weekend. Headboats in the area caught small bottom fish, bluefish and triggerfish.

Yellowfin tuna fishing was fairly good Saturday off Oregon Inlet,with charters landing between three and 12 fish per boat. The best action was between the point and the 40630 Loran line. A few wahoo and dolphin also were taken.

Charters landed good numbers of yellowfin tuna near the point Sunday. A few dolphin were taken,and a blue marlin was released by the Sea Breeze.

Dolphin fishing off Hatteras was excellent throughout the weekend. Scattered tuna and wahoo also were taken.

Billfish releases Saturday included blue marlin by the Wahoo, the Lucky Chip and the Sundown. White marlin were released by the Lucky Chip, the Chapin, the Fin Quest and the Nancy K.

A blue marlin was released by the Top Billing,and a white marlin was released by the Big Eye onSunday.

Spot fishing should be good this week if inshore water remains somewhat dirty along the Dare coast.

The water temperature was 76 degrees Monday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck and at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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