DATE: Thursday, November 20, 1997           TAG: 9711200490

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS

SOURCE: DAMON TATEM

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

BIG BLUES STEAL THE THUNDER ON PIERS

Pier fishing improved Wednesday along the northern beaches, with big bluefish taken at all locations.

Jumbo blues were landed on Kitty Hawk Pier by anglers suspending cut bait below the surface from float rigs.

Avalon Pier fishermen reported a slow day, catching only one large bluefish.

A half-dozen big blues, one keeper puppy drum and dogfish were caught from Nags Head Pier. The bluefish were landed on Gator lures.

Plenty of big blues were landed from the end of Jennette's Pier on metal lures and cut bait off and on during the day.

Outer Banks Pier anglers also caught big blues weighing as much as 20 pounds on lures and cut bait. The best action was in the afternoon.

On Hatteras Island, anglers on Rodanthe Pier saw quite a few big blues, but none was landed.

A few speckled trout were decked on Avon Pier.

Frisco Pier reported little action throughout the day.

Scattered blues and a few striped bass were hauled from the surf along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet. Some of the best action was in the Coquina Beach area.

A few speckled trout were beached late in the afternoon north of Kitty Hawk Pier.

Speckled trout and small bluefish were landed north of Rodanthe Pier and along the beach toward Buxton. Some jumbo blues were caught by surfcasters from Oregon Inlet to Rodanthe Pier.

Good catches of speckled trout were reported taken in the surf near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and near Avon Pier.

Scattered puppy drum were beached at Cape Pont early Wednesday morning, and a few stripers were taken during the day.

Puppy drum, small bluefish and flounder were caught by the surfcasters from Ramp 55 to north of Hatteras Inlet.

Trolling for big bluefish was good a short distance off Oregon Inlet. Striped bass action also was good. Tuna fishing off Oregon Inlet was slow, with a few yellowfins taken. A 175-pound big-eye was landed by the Tuna Fever.

King mackerel action was fairly good off Hatteras. Some yellowfin tuna also were taken.

The water temperature was 54 degrees Wednesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 59 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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