DATE: Wednesday, July 16, 1997              TAG: 9707160474

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   65 lines

BILLFISH PROVIDE EXCELLENT ACTION OFF TWO INLETS

Billfish action off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet was excellent Tuesday.

Charters from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center and Pirate's Cove Marina released more than 53 billfish north of the 41000 Loran Line.

Releases included five white marlin each by the Outer Limits and the First Crack, three white marlin by the Gannett and two white marlin and a blue marlin by the Capt. B.C.

Also released were two blue marlin and a white marlin by the Candlewick Lady, a blue marlin and a white marlin by the Fast Lane and two white marlin by the Right Hook.

Additionally, dolphin fishing was good in the area and fair numbers of tuna were taken by charters fishing near the point.

Excellent action also was reported off Hatteras, with more than 40 billfish releases reported.

A double grand slam (two white marlin, two blue marlin and two sailfish) was registered by the Top Billing. Following closely was the Tuna Duck with two blue marlin, two white marlin and a sailfish released.

Other releases included six white marlin by the Hunter, three white marlin by the Hatteras Fever and two white marlin and a sailfish by the Harpers Folly.

Two blue marlin were released by the Good Times, and two white marlin each were released by the Big Eye, the Capt. B., the Citation, the Fin Fantasy and the Albatross II.

The best action was from the40960 Loran Line to behind the Rockpile.

Pier action along the northern beaches was slow Tuesday.

Kitty Hawk Pier reported a few bluefish and a 36-pound king mackerel taken.

Anglers on Avalon Pier caught a few bluefish off and on throughout the day.

Three cobia were landed Monday on Nags Head Pier, including a 75-pounder by Stuart Hale of Gates City, Va. The other cobia taken weighed 58 and 35 pounds. A 33-pound king mackerel also was landed by Ron Erb of Nags Head.

Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught a 17-pound cobia Monday and a few tailor blues Tuesday.

Scattered blues, gray trout and small bottom fish were landed by fishermen on Outer Banks Pier Tuesday.

South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported little action Tuesday.

A handful of small bottom fish and small blues were landed on Avon Pier.

Frisco Pier fishermen reported a few nice sea mullet taken.

Surf fishermen landed a few scattered bottom fish and small bluefish along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet Tuesday. Fishermen on the Bonner Bridge catwalk caught a few flounder, bluefish and sheepshead.

Lots of small croaker were hauled from the surf along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton.

Surfcasters landed some flounder near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Some sea mullet were taken on the north side of Cape Point and a few pompano were caught along the south beach.

Fishing was slow from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet.

The water temperature was 70 degrees Tuesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck and 81 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot

Arthur Moody, left, of Liberty, N.C., and Stuart Hale, of Gates

City, Va., lift cobia caught on the Nags Head Pier Tuesday. Three

cobia were landed on the pier Monday, including a 75-pounder caught

by Hale. A 33-pound king mackerel also was landed by Ron Erb of Nags

Head.

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