THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 16, 1996 TAG: 9607160260
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS
SOURCE: DAMON TATEM
LENGTH: 51 lines
Pier fishermen wasted little time getting back into action along the Dare coast after the passage of a weakened Hurricane Bertha.
Anglers on Kitty Hawk caught lots of croaker on almost any type of bait Saturday afternoon. Plenty of small croaker, scattered spot and a few sea mullet were landed Sunday, mainly on bloodworms.
Avalon Pier reported a few croaker and mullet Saturday, and fair numbers of croaker Sunday.
Croaker were plentiful on Nags Head Pier late Saturday. A few black drum and sea mullet also were taken. Some croaker, some weighing as much as two pounds, along with spot, mullet and pigfish were taken Sunday. Action was best in the afternoon.
Fishing was slow on Jennette's Pier Saturday. A few croaker were caught Sunday.
Outer Banks Pier fishermen caught a few croaker during the weekend.
Piers along the northern beaches reported croaker, spot and pigfish landed Monday.
Rodanthe Pier, Avon Pier and Frisco Pier reported few people and little action Saturday.
Some croaker were landed from Rodanthe Pier Saturday night, and mixed bottom fish, including some large croaker, were taken Sunday. Small bottom fish were caught Monday.
Lots of black tip sharks and mixed small bottom fish were caught Sunday afternoon on Avon Pier. Small bottom fish were taken Monday.
Fishing was slow Sunday on Frisco Pier, with only a few spot and hogfish taken. Little action was reported Monday because of rough seas.
Surf fishing was slow Saturday except at Cape Point, where some 18- to 20-inch bluefish were taken on cut bait.
Surfcasters landed nice croaker, small spot and a few mullet Sunday from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Small bottom fish were landed around the inlet.
Surf fishermen caught scattered spot and croaker from Rodanthe to Buxton Sunday. A few puppy drum were landed from Cape Point Sunday morning. Some flounder and small blues were taken during the day.
Rough seas and dirty water killed action along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet throughout the weekend.
Charter craft remained in port Saturday throughout Dare County because of rough seas. A few boats went to the Gulf Stream on Sunday and were rewarded with fair catches of dolphin and a few tuna. Four white marlin were released by the Smoker northeast of the inlet.
Good fishing should resume as soon as the water clarity improves within the next few days.
The water temperature was 59.5 degrees Monday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 81 degrees at Avon Pier on Hatteras Island. by CNB