THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 22, 1995 TAG: 9508220284
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Rough surf produced by Hurricane Felix, which was reclassified as a tropical storm Sunday, kept weekend fishing action to a minimum along the Dare beaches.
Piers in the northern beach area reported almost no action Saturday. Kitty Hawk Pier was the only exception, with a few small puppy drum and speckled trout taken.
Fishing improved Sunday. Nags Head Pier reported some spot landed during the day.
Several large speckled trout were taken on fresh shrimp from Jennette's Pier.
Nice-sized spot were caught from Outer Banks Pier during the morning, but fishing was slow during the afternoon. Fishing began to improve on Monday, as the sea fell and the water began to clear.
Some spot and croaker were landed on Kitty Hawk Pier. Avalon Pier reported spot weighing as much as a half-pound.
Anglers on Nags Head Pier caught some spot, while pigfish were taken on Jennette's Pier. Spot were landed sporadically during the day from Outer Banks Pier.
Pier fishing on Hatteras Island was impossible over the weekend because of rough water.
Monday's improved conditions allowed fishermen to catch some spot, croaker and mullet from Rodanthe Pier. Avon Pier fishermen also caught a mixture of small bottom fish.
Spot, croaker and tailor bluefish were landed on Frisco Pier. The bluefish hit cut bait on the bottom.
Surf fishing was slow during the weekend, except in protected areas such as those around Oregon Inlet. Lots of croaker were taken on the inlet's south side Sunday.
Some small bottom fish and a few puppy drum were landed in the surf Monday from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Croaker and mullet were taken along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Puppy drum up to 37 inches were beached Sunday night at Cape Point. A few puppy drum, tailor bluefish and small bottom fish were landed at Cape Point Monday.
Small spot, croaker and mullet were taken by surf fishermen in the Frisco area. Good numbers of small blues were landed around Hatteras Inlet.
Inshore trolling was slow around Oregon Inlet Monday, with a few small blues taken near the mouth of Davis Slough.
The headboat Miss Oregon Inlet reported fair catches of croaker and small gray trout while fishing in the sound.
Offshore fishing has been at a standstill for more than a week. Two boats attempted to go offshore Monday morning, but big swells prohibited their passage over the Oregon Inlet bar. Improved conditions should allow resumption of offshore trips today.
Bottom fishing should be good on ocean piers and in the surf during the next few days.
The water temperature at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck was 77 degrees Monday. by CNB