THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9508310262
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 44 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Tuna fishing off Oregon Inlet has improved dramatically. Good numbers of 40- to 60-pound yellowfins have been landed recently outside the 70-degree tower northeast of the inlet.
Dolphin fishing has been only fair, and billfishing has been disappointing. The best billfishing action recently was reported Aug. 23, with 22 billfish released east of Oregon Inlet. Releases included three sailfish and two white marlin by the Surfside, and three sailfish by the Fight 'N' Lady.
Scattered billfish have been released by the charter fleet off Hatteras. Dolphin and wahoo fishing have been fair.
Headboat action has been mixed. Some good catches of croaker and gray trout have been reported from the sound, but some almost fishless trips also have been reported.
Good catches of croaker and keeper gray trout have been reported by anglers fishing the channel near the bridge in the Manns Harbor area.
Murky water left over from Felix's rough seas has resulted in decent bottom fishing on ocean piers along the Outer Banks recently. Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier have caught fair numbers of spot, small croaker and sea mullet. Some good runs of spot have been reported from Avalon Pier. Croaker, mullet, pompano, small gray trout and tailor bluefish also have been landed.
Scattered spot, mullet and a few blues have been taken on Nags Head Pier. Most of the spot have weighed about 1/2 pound, but some larger fish also have been decked. Using bloodworms for bait, John Swanson caught a 1-pound, 2-ounce spot Aug. 29 from the pier.
Action on Jennette's Pier has been slow, with some small bottom fish taken. A 3 1/2-pound speckled trout was landed from the pier Aug. 29.
Outer Banks Pier fishermen have caught quite a few spot, small croaker, some pompano and small puppy drum.
South of Oregon Inlet, some large spot have been taken from Rodanthe Pier. Billy Futrell of Murfreesboro landed a 37-pound king mackerel from the pier Aug. 26 on live bait.
Scattered spot, croaker and a few bluefish have been taken on Avon Pier.
Frisco Pier, where the water has been fairly dirty, reported good catches of spot and croaker.
Surfcasters along the northern beaches have landed plenty of small bottom fish when sea conditions have allowed fishing. The best action has been on the incoming tide.
Croaker, spot and small gray trout have been taken by anglers fishing from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge at Oregon Inlet. Speckled trout fishing in the area has been slow.
Although some keeper flounder have been landed by drift fishermen in the Davis Slough area, most of the fish taken have been released due to being undersized.
Small bottom fish and a few bluefish have made up the bulk of catches along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Pompano fishing in the area has improved, with some fish weighing as much as 1 1/2 pounds.
Bottom fish and a few puppy drum have been taken at Cape Point. Spanish mackerel fishing has been slow because of lack of water clarity. Water conditions were acceptable Aug. 23, and a few Spanish mackerel were landed during the morning.
Surf fishermen in the Frisco area have caught spot, croaker and scattered bluefish. Small blues and flounder have been beached around Hatteras Inlet.
Blue water action should improve off Oregon Inlet and Hatteras as fall approaches and water temperatures begin to drop. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by VICKI CRONIS
Anglers crowd Kitty Hawk Pier on Wednesday as they hauled in dozens
of spot.
by CNB