The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995                 TAG: 9504280506
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
                                             LENGTH: Short :   46 lines

A 365-POUND BLUE MARLIN TAKEN ABOARD ``SEA BREEZE''

Pier fishing along the northern beaches was fair Thursday.

Anglers on both Kitty Hawk and Avalon piers caught some speckled trout early in the morning, and some sea mullet and toadfish later in the day.

Action on Nags Head Pier and Outer Banks Pier was slow, with a few toads, skates and an occasional bluefish taken. Jennette's Pier reported a few nice-size blues landed just after sunrise.

On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier and Avon Pier reported catches of sea mullet, toadfish, spot and small croaker, while fishing on Frisco Pier was slow due to clear water.

In the surf along the northern beaches, fishermen landed some small bottom fish and tailor bluefish.

Anglers surfcasting along Avon beach caught nice mullet, small blues and a few flounder.

Drum fishing was good at Cape Point Wednesday night, with 30 to 40 large fish taken along with plenty of two-pound blues.

Action at Cape Point was slow throughout Thursday, with a few blues, sharks, skates and sea mullet landed. Nice-sized flounder were caught along the beach south of Cape Point.

Yellowfin tuna weighing from 30 to 50 pounds were plentiful Thursday around ``the point,'' southeast of Oregon Inlet. A few nice dolphin and wahoo also were taken.

A blue marlin weighing 365 pounds was taken aboard the Oregon Inlet charter boat, ``Sea Breeze,'' by Joseph Hawks, 51, of Maplewood, N.J. The billfish was caught 37 miles off Oregon Inlet. Capt. Marty Brill said the fish was brought to shore only because it died during the fight. Normally, anglers release billfish.

Anglers fishing the Gulf Stream off Hatteras caught scattered yellowfin tuna and dolphin. One blue marlin was released by the boat ``Wahoo.''

A continuation of southerly winds over the weekend should perpetuate excellent nighttime drum fishing at Cape Point.

The water temperature at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck on Thursday was 55.5 degrees. by CNB