DATE: Tuesday, September 2, 1997            TAG: 9709020111

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 

                                            LENGTH:   86 lines

LABOR DAY CATCH VARIES WITH LUCK AND LOCATION

Pier fishing action along the Dare Coast was mixed during the Labor Day weekend.

Kitty Hawk Pier reported little appreciable action Saturday, with the exception of a 25-pound cobia decked in the afternoon. A few Spanish mackerel were landed from the end of the pier Sunday.

Lots of small flounder were released and a few keepers were landed on Avalon Pier Saturday. Good numbers of Spanish mackerel were taken on jiggers late in the afternoon.

Scattered Spanish mackerel were caught Sunday morning on Avalon Pier, but afternoon fishing was slow.

A handful of Spanish mackerel, tailor bluefish and bottom fish were landed sporadically Saturday on Nags Head Pier. A few Spanish mackerel, spot and several spadefish were caught Sunday.

Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught plenty of spot Saturday.Only a few scattered spot and some small flounder were decked Sunday.

Small flounder, a few Spanish mackerel and a short run of spot were reported by the Outer Banks Pier on Saturday. A few blues and Spanish mackerel were landed Sunday, along with plenty of small flounder that were released.

South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier caught spot Friday night.

Quite a few pompano, weighing as much as 1 pound each, were landed Saturday morning on Rodanthe Pier. Fishing was slow in the afternoon. The water was clear in the area Sunday, and only a few pompano and Spanish mackerel were landed.

Croaker were taken Saturday morning and some nice Spanish mackerel Saturday afternoon on Avon Pier.

Fair numbers of spot, scattered croaker and a few keeper flounder were landed Sunday morning on Avon Pier. Spanish mackerel were caught Sunday afternoon.

Albacore and a few Spanish mackerel were caught early Saturday from Frisco Pier A 19-pound king mackerel was decked in the afternoon. Scattered Spanish mackerel, a few pompano and small flounder were landed Sunday.

Surfcasters landed small bottom fish, a few bluefish and an occasional pompano during the weekend along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet.

Bottom fish, a few keeper flounder, small gray trout and bluefish were taken from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge and from the inlet's south side.

Bottom fish, tailor bluefish and scattered pompano were hauled from the surf along the beach from Oregon Inlet to Buxton throughout the weekend.

A few puppy drum, flounder and small croaker were taken in the Cape Point area Saturday.

Some Spanish mackerel and small bluefish were landed Sunday morning at Cape Point and along the north beach. Scattered bottom fish were taken in the area during the day.

Lots of small flounder, a few keeper flounder, scattered bluefish, small croaker, spot and pompano were beached from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet off and on Saturday and Sunday.

Oregon Inlet charters trolling a few miles offshore caught small king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and albacore during the weekend.

Bailer dolphin were taken at Wimble Shoals and a few cobia were landed around buoys off the inlet. Headboats operating around the inlet caught a few croaker and pigfish.

Drift fishing for flounder was good in Oregon Inlet Sunday. Plenty of Keeper flounder were taken, including an 11-pounder by Mark Nimmo of Kill Devil Hills.

Dolphin fishing was good off Oregon Inlet Saturday. Action was spread from east of the inlet to the triple zeros. Tuna fishing was fair, as was billfishing.

Releases included three blue marlin and a white marlin by the For-Play-N, one white marlin each by the First Crack and the Sea Breeze and a sailfish by the Fintastic.

Dolphin action slowed a bit Sunday, but some boats still did well. Scattered tuna were taken along with a few wahoo. A handful of billfish were released, including a blue marlin by the Capt. B.C.

Dolphin fishing was good Saturday off Hatteras. Some wahoo and scattered tuna also were taken. A sailfish was released by the Brothers Pride.

Billfishing improved dramatically at Hatteras Sunday.

Releases included one blue marlin and one sailfish each by the Meredith, the Miss Eddie and the Hatteras Blue, a blue marlin and a white marlin by the Lucky Chip and a white marlin and a sailfish by the Old Salt.

Also released were two sailfish each by the Top Billing and the Tuna Duck, one blue marlin each by the Marlin Mania, the Harpers Folly, the Hatteras Fever and the Citation, and a white marlin by the Nancy K.

Dolphin fishing was good, and scattered wahoo and yellowfin tuna also were taken Sunday.

The water temperature was 76 degrees Monday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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