THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9609260214
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 78 lines
Large fall spot arrived in force along the Dare coast recently, providing good action for pier and surf anglers.
Kitty Hawk Pier fishermen caught plenty of spot Sept. 18 and 19. Quite a few croaker and scattered sea mullet also were landed. Following two slow days, a good run of spot developed again Sept. 22. Spot fishing remained good the following day.
Avalon Pier reported some small bottom fish and a few bluefish taken Sept. 18 and 19. Fishing was slow the next several days, but improved Sept. 23 with plenty of nice spot landed.
Lots of spot, a few croaker and some pigfish were landed from Nags Head Pier Sept. 18. A few spot, bluefish and Spanish mackerel were landed Sept. 19 through 22. Fishing improved Sept. 23 with plenty of spot and sea mullet taken by anglers fishing along the north side of the pier during the afternoon.
Anglers on Jennette's Pier caught croaker weighing as much as 2 pounds along with plenty of spot Sept. 18 and 19. Action slowed Sept. 20 and 21, but improved the following day with spot taken steadily two at a time. Fishing was slow early in the day Sept. 23. A good run of spot and mullet developed after noon that day and continued through 4 p.m.
Plenty of half-pound spot were landed on Outer Banks Pier Sept. 19 during the morning. Fishing was slow for the next several days, with only a few small bottom fish taken. A 2-pound, 3-ounce pompano, a few Spanish mackerel and several blues were taken Sept. 21. Action was slow the next two days.
On Hatteras Island, Rodanthe Pier reported quite a few spot landed Sept. 18. A few bottom fish and bluefish were taken Sept. 19 and 20. Scattered bluefish, pompano, Spanish mackerel and small bottom fish were landed Sept. 21 and 22. Only a few Spanish mackerel were caught Sept. 23.
A few small bottom fish were taken from Avon Pier Sept. 18 and 19. Spot bit all day Sept. 20. Action was slow, however, for the next several days.
Fishermen on Frisco Pier caught croaker, spot and some nice gray trout Sept. 18. Lots of pompano were taken Sept. 19. Although fishing was slow Sept. 20 through 23, Terry Smith of Welcome, N.C., landed a jumbo 11-pound flounder the afternoon of Sept. 23.
Surf fishing along the beach from Corolla to Oregon Inlet has been good, with spot plentiful. Some nice sea mullet also have been taken, along with scattered croaker.
Anglers fishing in the Oregon Inlet area have caught some big croaker under the bridge on the north side of the inlet recently. Spot, mullet and pompano action has been good on the beach north of the inlet. Anglers fishing on the south side of the inlet have taken bottom fish and some keeper trout.
Surfcasters fishing from Rodanthe to Buxton have landed small bottom fish, bluefish, pompano and a few puppy drum.
Pompano, small bluefish, bottom fish and a few puppy drum have been beached lately at Cape Point. The largest pompano reported recently weighed 2 pounds, 12 ounces, and was taken Sept. 21 from the north side of Cape Point.
A few bottom fish and lots of small flounder have been landed along the beach from Frisco to False Point. Some good catches of gray trout, flounder and puppy drum have been reported from around Hatteras Inlet at night.
Although trolling close to the beach around Oregon Inlet has been slow, charters going several miles offshore have caught many 5- to 12-pound king mackerel on spoons. Lots of albacore and a few Spanish mackerel also have been taken.
Some good catches of gray trout and flounder have been reported by boaters fishing in Davis Slough.
Croaker and stripers have been plentiful in the Manns Harbor area.
Tuna fishing has improved off Oregon Inlet. Good catches of yellowfins have been reported recently from well northeast of Oregon Inlet, and also from around the point. Some good catches of dolphin have been taken, mostly southeast of the inlet. A few billfish continue to be released by charters fishing near the triple zeros.
Hatteras charters have landed plenty of wahoo weighing as much as 50 pounds lately. Good catches of dolphin and a few nice tuna also have been reported from the area. Sailfish were released recently by the Top Billing, the Sea Creature, the Release, the Chaser and the Marlin Mania. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
More than 300 anglers line the Kitty Hawk Pier to catch their share
of a load of big spot that were bitting, mostly on bloodworms, on
Sept. 25. by CNB