DATE: Wednesday, September 3, 1997          TAG: 9709030497

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   51 lines

LOTS OF ACTION TAKES PLACE IN WATERS OFF OREGON INLET

Blue water action off Oregon Inlet was good Tuesday, with bailer dolphin plentiful. Scattered yellowfin tuna were taken and wahoo fishing improved, with some charters landing as many as six.

Good numbers of billfish were released including three sailfish by the Carolinean and two by the Sea Breeze. Billfish were taken near the point and well northeast of the inlet.

Charters fishing a few miles outside Oregon Inlet landed plenty of king mackerel, albacore, bonito and scattered Spanish mackerel. Headboats around the inlet landed croaker and triggerfish.

Charters trolling inshore in the Hatteras area landed Spanish mackerel and bluefish Tuesday. Dolphin and wahoo action was good in the Gulf Stream and several big blue marlin were released.

Billfish releases included a blue marlin, two white marlin and a sailfish by the Citation and two blue marlin and a sailfish by the Brothers Pride.

Also released were two sailfish each by the Miss Eddy II and the Top Billing, one blue marlin each by the Hatteras Blue and the Tuna Duck and a sailfish by the Gambler.

Surf fishermen caught fair numbers of spot, sea mullet and small pompano along the northern beaches early Tuesday morning on the incoming tide.

Small bottom fish, gray trout, tailor bluefish and a few keeper flounder were taken around Oregon Inlet.

Spanish mackerel and mixed bottom fish were landed by surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton.

Some sea mullet, spot and croaker were caught along the beach north of Cape Point Tuesday.Plenty of blues and scattered Spanish mackerel were beached in the Hatteras Inlet area Tuesday morning. Clear water along the northern beaches kept pier action to a minimum Tuesday.

Kitty Hawk Pier reported only a few spot taken. A few spot and several Spanish mackerel were landed on Avalon Pier.

A few spot and Spanish mackerel also were taken on Nags Head Pier. Jennette's Pier reported little action throughout the day.

Anglers on Outer Banks Pier caught a few spot, mullet, small bluefish and a few albacore.

South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier landed Spanish mackerel and small flounder during the morning. Afternoon fishing was slow.

Scattered bottom fish were taken on Avon Pier.

Plenty of Spanish mackerel were landed early in the day from Frisco Pier, along with a 27-pound king mackerel. A few spot and small flounder were landed in the afternoon.

The water temperature was 76 degrees Tuesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck.

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