THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996 TAG: 9604120571
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Warmer weather and calm sea conditions helped improve pier fishing along the northern beaches Thursday.
Anglers on Kitty Hawk pier caught plenty of skates, some small croakers and several nice size sea mullet during the afternoon.
On Avalon Pier croakers and skates were taken on shrimp and squid during the morning. A 26 inch-striped bass was released. Afternoon action consisted of mainly skates.
Nags Head pier reported only some skates landed.
Croaker weighing from one-half to one pound were landed during the late morning by fishermen on Outer Banks pier. A school of striped bass was sighted off the end of the pier but unfortunately they were out of casting range. Plenty of skates and a few mullet were taken during the afternoon.
South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe pier reported slow fishing with a couple of toadfish and croaker landed.
On Avon pier a few mullet and plenty of skates were caught throughout the afternoon.
Frisco pier reported s toadfsh and a fmullet landed Surf was slow Wdnesd Corolla to BScattered toadfish were beached at Cape Point.
Striped bass were plentiful in the Manns Harbor area. Anglers fishing near the bridge hooked and released fish weighing from 3 to 8 pounds.
Yellowfin tuna fishing was excellent southeast of Oregon Inlet yesterday. Pup tuna were very plentiful along with fair numbers of 50 pounders. The best of the action was around the 40400-40450 Loran lines in 70 fathoms of water.
The Hatteras fleet also reported good tuna fishing east of the Diamond Shoals light tower. Fish ranged in size from 18 to 50 pounds. A few dolphin and wahoo were also taken. A blue marlin was released by the Tuna Duck.
If the forecast for warm weather over the next few days holds true, anglers should see fishing improve all along the Dare coast. Increasing water temperatures should produce a drum run in the Hatteras-Ocracoke area soon.
The water temperature at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering pier in Duck was 45 degrees Thursday. The water temperature at the Frisco pier on Hatteras Island was 48 degrees. by CNB