THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610240170
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TIGHT LINES
SOURCE: Damon Tatem
LENGTH: 73 lines
Blue water action has been good along the Dare coast recently, with nice king mackerel and tuna catches reported.
Charters off Oregon Inlet landed plenty of mixed-size yellowfin tuna Oct. 16. Fair catches were reported the next day. Action improved Oct. 18, with lots of tuna, king mackerel and dolphin landed. Weather kept boats at the dock Oct. 19, but fishing resumed Oct. 20 with limits of bailer dolphin, a few tuna and scattered king mackerel taken. A sailfish was released by the Jo-Girl.
Live bait fishing for king mackerel has been excellent off Hatteras. Limits of 18- to 30-pound king mackerel have been landed consistently by charters only a few miles offshore.
The most popular live bait has been menhaden. Dolphin and some nice wahoo were caught Oct. 16-18, along with the king mackerel.
Pier fishing has been fairly good along the northern beaches.
Kitty Hawk Pier reported some good-size sea mullet, small speckled trout, bluefish and spot decked Oct. 17. A few sea mullet and spot were landed the next several days.
Anglers on Avalon Pier caught scattered sea mullet, spot, bluefish and trout daily Oct. 16-18. Sea mullet fishing was good in the afternoon and during the night Oct. 19. Fishing was slow Oct. 20.
Sea mullet fishing was good on the end of Nags Head Pier Oct. 16. Some bluefish and small bottom fish were taken Oct. 17 and 18. Fishing was slow Oct. 19 and 20 with a handful of nice sea mullet, spot and an occasional trout taken.
Fishing was slow on Jennette's Pier Oct. 16, but improved Oct. 17 with some nice sea mullet, a few speckled trout and some black drum landed. A few small bottom fish were taken Oct. 18. Sea mullet fishing was good Oct. 19 during the late afternoon and evening. Action slowed Oct. 20.
Little action was reported on Outer Banks Pier Oct. 16. Some nice speckled trout, sea mullet, black drum and small spot were landed Oct. 17. Mullet catches were good overnight Oct. 17, and in the afternoon Oct. 18. Sea mullet hit again Oct. 19 and 20.
South of Oregon Inlet, anglers on Rodanthe Pier caught only a few small bluefish Oct. 16 and 17. Good catches of sea mullet were taken overnight, but action slowed as the sun rose Oct. 18.
Scattered small bottom fish and a few bluefish were landed Oct. 19. Fishing improved the next day with decent catches of spot and mullet reported.
Avon Pier reported a few spot, mullet and black drum landed Oct. 16-18. A 200-pound tiger shark was decked Oct. 17 during the night, and eight big drum were landed from the end of the pier the next night. A 44-inch drum, spot and fair numbers of mullet were taken Oct. 19. Fishing was slow Oct. 20.
Little action was reported on Frisco Pier Oct. 16, but sea mullet fishing was good in the afternoon for the next several days. Nice bluefish and sea mullet were landed Oct. 20 during most of the day.
Surf fishing along the northern beaches has been fair, with primarily small bottom fish, several puppy drum and a few bluefish landed.
Mixed bottom fish, flounder, bluefish and trout have been caught daily around Oregon Inlet. Gray trout fishing has been good on the catwalk at the south end of the Bonner Bridge on calm nights.
Speckled trout were landed from sloughs north of Rodanthe Pier Oct. 16. A 32-inch striper was beached in the same area. Drum weighing 34 and 45 pounds were hauled in Saturday and Sunday at Ramp 27. Spot, sea mullet, black drum and a few puppy drum have been taken daily from Rodanthe to Buxton.
Good catches of drum were landed at Cape Point at night Oct. 16 and 17. Some speckled trout were landed in the surf near the lighthouse Oct. 18. Lots of sea mullet were taken along the north side of Cape Point the same day. A handful of large drum were landed overnight Oct. 18.
Mullet fishing was good the next day. Some flounder were beached on the south side, and bluefish along the north side of Cape Point Oct. 20.
Sea mullet, small bluefish, a few trout, puppy drum and black drum have provided action for surfcasters along the beach from Frisco to Hatteras Inlet recently. MEMO: Damon Tatem covers fishing for The Carolina Coast. by CNB