DATE: Saturday, July 12, 1997               TAG: 9707120339

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   51 lines

EAST OF OREGON INLET THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE BEST CATCHES

Dolphin fishing was good east of Oregon Inlet Friday. Scattered tuna also were taken. Some king mackerel were landed west of the 102-degree tower.

Billfish released included three white marlin by the Sea Toy and a white marlin each by the Flying Fisherman and the Prime Time.

Spanish mackerel fishing was excellent for anglers trolling in the Hatteras Inlet area.

Billfishing was good off Hatteras, but not as hot as Thursday.

Releases included a blue marlin by the Albatross II, three white marlin by the Top Billing and two white marlin each by the Sea Creature, the Fin Fantasy and the Chaser.

Also released were one white marlin each by the Hatteras Fever, the Gambler, the Wahoo, the Marlin Mania, the Lucky Chip, the Citation and the Gecko. Fair numbers of dolphin, scattered wahoo and some king mackerel also appeared in blue-water catches.

Pier fishing along the Dare Coast was slow Friday with only a few exceptions.

Kitty Hawk Pier reported a 56-pound king mackerel landed and a 35-pound drum released late Thursday afternoon. Only a few small bluefish and gray trout were decked Friday. Two jacks were released.

Quite a few small bluefish, several Spanish mackerel and some spot were landed on Avalon Pier Friday. One king mackerel was lost.

Anglers on Nags Head Pier caught a few scattered sea mullet, bluefish and Spanish mackerel.

A few blues and spot were taken sporadically throughout the day at Jennette's Pier.

Scattered blues and spot were landed on Outer Banks Pier.

South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier landed a few small bottom fish and flounder. Lots of small gray trout were released.

Plenty of small croaker were taken during most of the day on Avon Pier.

Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught scattered small bottom fish throughout the day.

Surf fishermen beached spot, small flounder, a few bluefish and scattered sea mullet Friday, along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet.

Grass was thick along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton, where scattered bottom fish were landed.

A few Spanish mackerel were taken at Cape Point and some sea mullet were hauled in along the south beach by surfcasters.

Some nice-sized sea mullet, tailor bluefish, small flounder and some 1- to 2-pound pompano were taken by surf fishermen from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet.

The water temperature was 73 degrees Friday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck and 75 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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