DATE: Sunday, May 18, 1997                  TAG: 9705150228

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 38   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: HOW TO HOOK `EM 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 

                                            LENGTH:   77 lines

SPOT, MULLET AND BLUEFISH SHOULD SPLASH ALONGSIDE PIERS THIS WEEK

Pier fishing along the Outer Banks should be good this week, as long as the weather is seasonal.

Pier anglers along the northern beaches should land sea mullet, spot, bluefish, gray trout, croaker, flounder and a few speckled trout.

Spot fishing could be good, since there seems to be an increased number of these fish available this year.

Spanish mackerel action is a possibility in the area if water temperatures increase.

Live bait fishing from the end of piers for kind mackerel and cobia also is tied to an increase in the water temperature. These large fish generally appear around the northern beaches by this time of year. They are seen frequently, and occasionally can be tempted into biting.

Cobia and king action increases as more fish move into the area on their northerly migration routes.

Pier fisherman on Hatteras Island should catch plenty of nice sea mullet, spot, croaker, pigfish, tailor bluefish and scattered flounder.

Good catches of Spanish mackerel also should be landed by anglers fishing early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Jiggers and double bucktail rigs should be the most productive baits.

King mackerel and cobia live bait fishing should be pretty good, providing the weather cooperates and water temperatures remain high.

Frisco Pier usually is the early summer hot spot for live bait fishing. Big king mackerel, cobia and a few big bluefish can be landed from the pier daily when conditions are right. Live bluefish and menhaden are the most popular baits for this type of fishing.

Surf fishing along the northern beaches should continue to improve this week, with scattered small bottom fish, gray trout and tailor blues hauled from deeper sloughs.

The catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge across Oregon Inlet should be productive, with good numbers of small bluefish, gray trout and some flounder landed.

Some gray and speckled trout should be taken in the Green Island Slough area, and also in the Off Island Channel behind Bodie Island Lighthouse.

Surf fishermen south of Oregon Inlet should beach a mixture of small bottom fish, tailor blues and gray trout from Oregon Inlet to Buxton. Some Spanish mackerel also could be taken in the area. And an occasional drum is a possibility.

Night fishing for drum at Cape Point in Buxton should be productive during southwest winds. Day fishermen should catch bottom fish, gray trout, bluefish, puppy drum and a few Spanish mackerel there. Plenty of flounder should be landed along the beach south of Cape Point regularly.

Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and small bottom fish should be beached by surfcasters from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet. Flounder should be fairly plentiful in the inlet area. And a few drum of mixed sizes should be caught by surfcasters nightly at False Point.

Inshore trolling should be pretty good for small bluefish around Oregon Inlet this week. A few Spanish mackerel also should be taken.

Headboats in the area should land fair numbers of small bottom fish and a few nice flounder. Flounder fishing should be good when the wind is from the northeast and the water is clear in the inlet.

Gulf Stream charters off Oregon Inlet should catch a mixture of yellowfin tuna, dolphin, king mackerel and wahoo. Tuna fishing should be fairly good overall, with a variety of sizes taken, some weighing as much as 80 pounds.

A few billfish should be hooked and released. Most of the action should be near the point.

Inshore trolling in the Hatteras area should be good for Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Some drum and cobia should be landed by boaters in Hatteras Inlet.

Blue water action off Hatteras should be good, with gaffer dolphin, wahoo, king mackerel and scattered tuna taken.

Marlin fishing should continue to improve, with blue marlin fishing peaking in June. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON

Fred Krause, 56, of Chesapeake, Va., brings in a spot at Jennette's

Pier in Nags Head.

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