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

DATE: Thursday, July 20, 1995                TAG: 9507200387
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks 
TYPE: Column 
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
        
                                             LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

SOME FINE CATCHES, BUT PIER FISHING IS SLOW

Pier action along the Dare Coast was slow Wednesday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught a few spot, croaker, trout and a 64-pound cobia. A few bluefish were taken early in the morning on Avalon Pier. Nags Head Pier reported a few small bottom fish.

Some spot and croaker were decked on Jennette's Pier. A few trout and spot were released during the morning on Outer Banks Pier. And a 15-pound cobia was released during the afternoon.

South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported a few spot and croaker taken. Fishing was slow during the morning on Avon Pier, but improved in the afternoon with some nice mullet and pompano landed. Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught a handful of spot and croaker.

Some small bottom fish, a few blues and an occasional pompano were taken by surf-casters along the northern beaches on Wednesday. Bluefish, sheepshead and small flounder were landed around Oregon Inlet. Some croaker, spot, mullet and a few trout were taken along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton.

A 45-pound drum was landed at Cape Point during the morning. Additionally, small bluefish and a few Spanish mackerel were beached. Lots of small bluefish were landed south of Cape Point to Hatteras Inlet.

Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet improved Wednesday, with fair numbers of keeper bluefish taken. Head-boats fishing in the sound reported lots of croaker landed.

The Oregon Inlet charter fleet released 34 billfish Wednesday while fishing south of ``The Point.'' The Fast Lane was the top boat of the day, with six sailfish and two blue marlin released. A few tuna were landed between ``The Point'' and the 40450 Loran line. Dolphin fishing was fair in the area.

Charters fishing off Hatteras Island saw a lot of billfish, but caught and released only six. Dolphin fishing was good in the area, with most boats catching close to their self-imposed limits of 10 per person.

Speckled trout fishing should improve along the beach in Kitty Hawk today as the water has cleared.

Water temperature at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck was 71.5 degrees Wednesday. by CNB