DATE: Tuesday, November 11, 1997            TAG: 9711110420

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   57 lines

KEEPER STRIPERS AMONG BEST CATCHES DURING THE WEEKEND

Pier anglers on Hatteras Island landed a mixture of fish during the weekend, including keeper stripers.

Frisco Pier reported sea mullet and a few bluefish taken Saturday, and lots of one- to two-pound bluefish Sunday.

Several striped bass weighing between 15 and 20 pounds were taken on cut bait Saturday on Avon Pier. Two stripers, the largest measuring 39 inches, were decked Sunday morning. Fishing was slow Sunday afternoon, with a few sea mullet taken.

Small bluefish, a few nice striped bass, sand sharks and skates were caught from Rodanthe Pier Saturday. A few throwback puppy drum were landed Sunday.

Piers north of Oregon Inlet reported minimal action during the weekend.

Sand sharks, skates, throwback puppy drum and ling cod were landed Saturday and Sunday from Outer Banks Pier.

Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught sharks, skates and small puppy drum Saturday, and nothing Sunday.

Small bluefish and sharks were taken from Nags Head Pier throughout the weekend.

Avalon Pier reported slow fishing Saturday. A few sharks were landed Sunday.

A few sharks, skates, small bluefish and ling cod were landed Saturday and Sunday on Kitty Hawk Pier.

Surfcasters hauled in a few keeper stripers and an occasional bluefish from Corolla to Oregon Inlet during the weekend. Scattered stripers and a few trout were landed around Oregon Inlet.

Good numbers of stripers weighing between 15 and 25 pounds were landed on cut bait in the surf from Rodanthe to Buxton Sunday, along with small bluefish. Fishing in the area slowed somewhat Sunday, with a few scattered stripers landed.

A big drum, several nice stripers, small flounder and bluefish were beached at Cape Point Saturday. A few big drum were landed Sunday at the cape. Some sea mullet were taken on shrimp and cut bait.

Lots of small bluefish, a few nice speckled trout and small flounder were taken around Hatteras Inlet Saturday. A few small bluefish, throwback flounder and small drum were hauled in Sunday.

Yellowfin tuna fishing was good off Oregon Inlet near the point Saturday. Good catches of wahoo also were reported, and several king mackerel were landed. Rough seas kept action to a minimum Sunday.

King mackerel action was good off Hatteras Saturday, with big fish weighing as much as 54 pounds taken on live bait. The best action was around the bad bottom. Yellowfin tuna and wahoo were taken by Hatteras charters in deeper water.

Blue water action off Hatteras was slow Sunday, with several tuna, wahoo and dolphin taken.

Striper fishing should improve along the northern beaches when seas fall and the water begins to clear.

The water temperature was 59 degrees Monday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 64 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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