THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506010223
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 38 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Recent pier fishing along the northern beaches has been good, with plenty of small croakers, spot, gray trout and little blues caught.
Sea mullet fishing has been excellent, with catches equaling those of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many citation mullet weighing more than 1 1/2 pounds have been taken, including a 2-pounder landed by Jonathon Ferguson from Nags Head Pier on May 28. Bloodworms and fresh shrimp have been the preferred baits.
Pier fishing on Hatteras Island has been fairly slow, with some small bottom fish, tailor blues and trout landed. Anglers on Frisco Pier caught Spanish mackerel Friday, May 26. No king mackerel have been taken recently from Frisco Pier.
A variety of small bottom fish have been beached by surf fishermen from Corolla to South Nags Head. Some good catches of flounder have been reported around Oregon Inlet, both from anglers fishing from the revetment on the inlet's south side and from drift boats. A good run of gray trout, averaging in length from 14 to 18 inches, developed in Green Island Slough on Saturday.
Small spot, sand perch, mullet, croakers and tailor blues have been landed along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Anglers at Cape Point have caught Spanish mackerel and bluefish in good numbers at sunrise and sunset.
Along the south beach, from Cape Point to Hatteras Inlet, fishing was good over the Memorial Day weekend, with gray trout, flounder and blues landed.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet has been spotty. Some good catches of Spanish mackerel and bonito have been reported by charters fairly regularly, but there have been days when fish were scarce.
Cobia fishing has been outstanding from the entrance of the inlet south to the boiler. The fish have been caught near tide lines, sea turtles and schools of sting rays. A 57-pounder was taken on a fly last week near the boiler, south of Oregon Inlet, by Capt. Brian Horsley.
Yellowfin tuna fishing off Oregon Inlet has been generally good, but is slowing down as summer approaches and water temperatures rise offshore. Action has been spread from ``The Point'' to above the 41,000 Loran line, as schools of sizable fish have begun to move north. A larger class of yellowfin tuna has been in the area the past week, with several taken weighing more than 70 pounds. Dolphin catches also have been good, and some billfish have been released. Scattered wahoo have been landed, including a 112-pound whopper aboard the ``Fast Lane'' on May 29.
Marlin fishing off Hatteras Island was was excellent over the Memorial Day weekend. At least 30 billfish were released in the area Saturday, and at least 30 were released Sunday. Releases included three white marlin by the ``Capt. B,'' three blue marlin by the ``Gambler,'' and two white marlin and a blue marlin by the ``Citation.''
Action was centered in n 30 to 100 fathoms, from southeast of the Diamond Shoals Light Tower to below the rock pile. Dolphin fishing in the Hatteras area also has been good, with lots of big dolphin taken. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Larry Ramey, 42, of Galax, Va., caught a pigfish on the south side
of Herbert C. Bonner Bridge.
by CNB