THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 22, 1996 TAG: 9605220179
SECTION: NORTH CAROLINA PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Fishing on the Outer Banks
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 48 lines
Pier fishing along the northern beaches was slow Tuesday.
A few small bluefish and sea mullet were landed during the morning on Kitty Hawk Pier, but little action was reported in the afternoon.
Some sea mullet and small bluefish were landed by Avalon Pier anglers just after sunrise. Quite a few speckled trout were seen around the pier, but they refused to bite. Afternoon action was slow.
Nags Head Pier reported a day of slow fishing, with only a few small bluefish landed just after dawn.
Fishermen on Outer Banks Piers caught a few small blues and gray trout during the morning, and some small spot and a few mullet later in the day.
South of Oregon Inlet, some spot, sea mullet and croaker were landed on Rodanthe Pier.
Anglers on Avon Pier caught a lot of skates along with some gray trout, sea mullet and pigfish.
Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught a few trout, blues, sand perch and some nice sea mullet.
Surf fishing from Corolla to Oregon Inlet was slow. Some small bottom fish and a few keeper flounder were landed from Oregon Inlet's south side.
Fishing was good during the morning along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton. Sea mullet, croaker and spot were taken. Action was slow during the remainder of day.
Plenty of drum were beached at Cape Point Monday night. Some yearling drum, puppy drum and tailor blues were taken Tuesday.
Scattered bluefish and speckled trout were landed along the Hatteras Inlet beach Monday night. Fishing was slow in the area Tuesday.
Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was fair, with Spanish mackerel and bluefish taken. Fair numbers of pigfish were caught by headboats in the area.
Tuna fishing was good well southeast of Oregon Inlet between the Diamond Shoals Light Tower and ``the point.'' A good percentage of the tunas were in the 60- to 80-pound class.
Scattered dolphin also were taken. The Temptation landed a blue marlin weighing 445 1/2 pounds. Unfortunately, the fish died after being tail-wrapped during the battle.
Gaffer dolphin were plentiful off Hatteras. A few tuna and wahoo also were taken. Action was spread from the Diamond Shoals Tower south to the Triple Zero. Blue Marlin were released by the Hatteras Fever, the Hatteras Blue and the Sea Creature. The Gambler released a blue and a white marlin.
The water temperature was 57 degrees Tuesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 70 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB