DATE: Wednesday, September 17, 1997         TAG: 9709170496

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS

SOURCE: DAMON TATEM

                                            LENGTH:   48 lines

DOLPHIN FISHING EXCELS OFF OREGON INLET

Dolphin fishing was great Tuesday off Oregon Inlet with some limits taken. Tuna fishing was fair between the 40750 and the 40850 Loran lines. Scattered king mackerel were landed around the 65-degree tower. Billfishing was slow.

Blue water catches of dolphin and wahoo were excellent off Hatteras. Some scattered yellowfin tuna also were taken.

Hatteras fleet billfish releases included a blue marlin, a white marlin and two sailfish by the Release, four sailfish by the Hatteras Fever and a sailfish by the Release, four sailfish by the Hatteras Fever and a sailfish each by the Citation, the Connector and the Harpers Folly.

Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fair, with Spanish mackerel and albacore taken. Headboats in the area landed croaker, sea bass and pigfish.

Pier fishing along the Dare coast was generally slow Tuesday.

The water was extremely clear on Kitty Hawk Pier throughout the day and little action was reported.

Avalon Pier reported a flurry of Spanish mackerel action on the end of the pier during the morning. A short-lived run of speckled trout also hit the pier near the cleaning stand early in the day. Afternoon fishing was slow.

Anglers on Nags Head Pier caught very little during the day, while fishermen on Jennette's Pier landed only a few Spanish mackerel and bluefish.

Outer Banks Pier also reported slow fishing with several albacore, pompano and small bottom fish taken and some small puppy drum released.,

South of Oregon Inlet, a few Spanish mackerel and blues were landed from Rodanthe Pier. Plenty of albacore were around the pier, but few were hooked.

Some bluefish were taken and small flounder were released on Avon Pier.

Fishing on Frisco Pier was very slow with a few spot and several keeper flounder landed.

Surf fishermen caught a few bottom fish, small bluefish, small flounder and scattered pompano from Corolla to Rodanthe. The best action was early in the morning.

A few blues, puppy drum and small flounder were landed from the surf along the beach between Rodanthe and Buxton.

Some nice two- to four-pound Spanish mackerel and tailor blues were taken by surfcasters at Cape Point early Tuesday morning. Small flounder and mullet were landed in the area during the day.

Some nice sea mullet, bluefish and small flounder were caught by surf fishermen from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet.

The water temperature was 75 degrees Tuesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 81 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu