THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606140728
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 55 lines
Pier fishing along the northern beaches was slow Thursday.
Kitty Hawk Pier anglers caught skates during the morning, and a few spot, mullet and gray trout in the afternoon.
A few sea mullet, spot, croaker and skates were taken on Avalon Pier.
Fishermen on Nags Head Pier landed scattered small bottom fish, small gray trout, skates and a few sand sharks.
Skates were taken from Jennette's Pier during the morning, and a few bluefish from the end of the pier late in the afternoon.
Spot were plentiful on Outer Banks Pier during the afternoon. A few croaker, sea mullet and small blues also were taken.
On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few small bottom fish landed.
Anglers on Avon Pier caught some sea mullet and skates during the morning, and plenty of small spot throughout the afternoon.
A few bluefish, spot, small gray trout and small flounder were decked off and on during the day on Frisco Pier.
Surf fishing was slow along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet. Only a few bottom fish and an occasional bluefish were landed.
A handful of small bottom fish were beached by surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Plenty of nice Spanish mackerel were landed late Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday morning at Cape Point along the south beach. A few bluefish and pompano also were taken.
Scattered bluefish and flounder were landed late in the surf from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet. Boaters in the inlet landed some big drum.
Headboats around Oregon Inlet reported excellent catches of pigfish, along with some triggerfish.
Dolphin fishing was great off Oregon Inlet Thursday. A few tuna were taken, and several billfish were released, including a blue marlin by the Obsession. The best action was at, and just south of, ``the point.''
Dolphin fishing also was super off Hatteras, with plenty of limits of gaffers taken. Several blue marlin were released behind the rockpile.
Cold water inshore along the northern beaches has kept pier king mackerel and cobia action at a standstill. Hopefully, a wind shift to a more easterly direction during the next few days will warm the water and improve big fish action.
The water temperature was 54 degrees Wednesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 75 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.
One hundred thirty-two boats fished yesterday, the fourth day of The 38th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City.
Three blue marlin were landed Thursday including a 460 pounder by the L's Joy and a 401 pounder by the Outlaw.
The Girl Next Door continues to lead the tournament with a 535-pound blue marlin followed by the Bull Frog with a 479-pound blue.
Sixty billfish have been released so far in the tournament. by CNB