DATE: Wednesday, August 6, 1997             TAG: 9708060465

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   59 lines

ANGLING SLOW FROM PIERS, BUT BLUEFISH AND SPOT TAKEN

Pier fishing along the northern beaches was generally slow Tuesday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught a few bluefish and spot, and decked a 40-pound cobia.

A few Spanish mackerel and several keeper flounder were taken on Avalon Pier. Some small gray trout were released.

A few Spanish mackerel were landed just after sunrise on Nags Head Pier. A handful of small bottom fish were caught during the rest of the day.

Jennette's Pier reported a few sea mullet taken during the morning, but afternoon fishing was slow.

Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier landed a 37-pound cobia along with a few gray trout, spot and bluefish.

South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier caught a few spot and croaker off and on during the day.

Plenty of small croaker and a few keeper flounder were landed on Avon Pier.

Frisco Pier reported several pompano, flounder and spot taken during the morning. A few nice Spanish mackerel were landed on live bait. Afternoon fishing was slow because of crystal clear water.

Surfcasters landed scattered spot, sea mullet, croaker and few pompano Tuesday along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet.

Sea mullet weighing as much as two pounds, croaker and pompano were taken in the surf from Rodanthe to Buxton.

Fishermen at Cape Point and along the beaches north and south of the Cape caught some flounder, sea mullet and pompano.

Plenty of tailor bluefish were landed by surf fishermen in the Hatteras Inlet area Monday night. Sea mullet, spot and small blues were beached in the surf from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet Tuesday.

Inshore trolling outside Oregon Inlet was good, with plenty of king mackerel, a few Spanish mackerel and some bluefish taken. Headboats in the inlet area caught pigfish, croaker, triggerfish and sea bass.

Tuna fishing improved at the point, southeast of Oregon Inlet Tuesday. Charters landed four to 12 yellowfin per boat, along with a few dolphin and an occasional wahoo.

Billfish releases included a white marlin and a sailfish by the Right Hook, two white marlin by the Surfside and a white marlin each by the Mad Hatter and the Sizzler. Billfish were taken near the point and also northeast of the inlet.

Spanish mackerel trolling was good around Hatteras Inlet.

Gulf Stream charters caught a few small dolphin and several wahoo. A blue marlin was released by the Marlin Mania, a white marlin was released by the Sea Creature and one sailfish each was released by the Tuna Duck and the Chaser.

The water temperature was 72 degrees Tuesday at Avalon Pier, and 77 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

WILLIAM P. CANNON/The Virginian-Pilot

Robert Brittingham, visiting from Norfolk, tosses a hand-cast net

into Oregon Inlet on Tuesday to see what manner of sea life it will

bring up.

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