DATE: Tuesday, October 7, 1997              TAG: 9710070304

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   76 lines

OUTER BANKS ANGLERS NAB PLENTY OF MACKEREL OFF PIERS

Pier fishing was good along the Outer Banks during the weekend.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier landed scattered Spanish mackerel and bluefish from the end of the pier Saturday, and caught Spanish mackerel, spot and a few speckled trout Sunday.

Avalon Pier reported a good mid-morning run of Spanish mackerel on Saturday. Lots of small pompano, some spot and a 15-pound king mackerel were landed during the afternoon. A few Spanish mackerel, spot and pompano were taken Sunday.

Fishing was a bit slow Saturday on Nags Head Pier, with a few blues and albacore taken.

Plenty of Spanish mackerel were landed from the end of the Nags Head Pier early Sunday. A few spot, several nice croaker and scattered Spanish mackerel were caught during the rest of the day.

A few bluefish and Spanish mackerel were taken Saturday by fishermen on Jennette's Pier. Fishing was fairly slow Sunday, with Spanish mackerel and bluefish landed sporadically.

Outer Banks Pier reported good catches of Spanish mackerel Saturday morning. Spanish mackerel, along with some albacore, were landed again just before dark. A good run of Spanish mackerel developed the next morning, but action slowed after sunrise. Some spot, pompano and several black drum were taken later in the day.

South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier caught plenty of Spanish mackerel, bluefish and small pompano Saturday. Nice croaker were landed Saturday night, and a few Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano were taken Sunday.

Sea mullet, spot, pompano and some nice flounder were landed off and on during the weekend from Avon Pier.

Frisco Pier reported some nice Spanish mackerel, albacore, gray trout and keeper flounder taken Saturday morning. Afternoon fishing was slow.

A few Spanish mackerel, bluefish, gray trout and nice flounder were landed Sunday. The flounder were taken on live bait.

A few spot, sea mullet, small pompano and scattered bluefish were landed by surfcasters from Corolla to Oregon Inlet during the weekend.

Some nice-sized speckled trout were hauled from the surf north of Kitty Hawk Pier on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Small bottom fish, keeper flounder, tailor blues and a few trout were beached around Oregon Inlet.

Plenty of small pompano and a few mixed bottom fish were landed in the surf from Rodanthe to Buxton Saturday. Fishing was slower Sunday, with a few bottom fish and pompano taken.

Spanish mackerel and flounder were caught on live bait at Cape Point during the weekend. Scattered sea mullet and a few puppy drum also were taken.

Gray trout were beached on the sound side of Hatteras Inlet on Friday night. Small pompano, scattered Spanish mackerel and albacore were taken along the beach from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet on Saturday. Tailor blues were landed in the area Sunday.

Good numbers of Spanish mackerel, bluefish and king mackerel were landed by inshore charters of Oregon Inlet during the weekend.

Dolphin fishing was good in the Gulf Stream off Oregon Inlet on Saturday. Scattered yellowfin tuna in the 50-pound class were taken between the 40630 and the 40800 Loran lines. A few wahoo also were taken, and several billfish were released.

The Country Girl out of Pirates Cove Marina reported a good catch of sea bass and large triggerfish on a deepwater bottom-fishing trip Saturday.

Dolphin fishing was pretty good Sunday, and tuna fishing was fair.

King mackerel fishing was good off Hatteras on Saturday. Wahoo fishing was good, and a few yellowfin tuna were taken.

A blue marlin was released by the Fish Wagon, and one sailfish each was released by the Citation, the Hatteras Fever and the Top Billing.

Sunday's mackerel action was good.

Scattered dolphin and a few wahoo also were taken. A sailfish was released by the Hatteras Blue.

King mackerel fishing should be excellent off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras this week.

The water temperature was 71 degrees Monday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 73 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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