DATE: Thursday, July 17, 1997               TAG: 9707170668

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem 

                                            LENGTH:   58 lines

FEW FISH BITE FOR PIER, SURF ANGLERS

Pier fishing along the northern beaches was slow Wednesday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught a few pigfish and small bluefish, and released many under-sized flounder.

A few small bluefish and croaker were taken on Avalon Pier.

A few spot, croaker and small flounder were landed on Nags Head Pier.

Jennette's Pier reported slow fishing, with only a few bluefish taken.

Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier caught some small spot, gray trout and sea mullet.

South of Oregon Inlet, spot, croaker, sea mullet and a few gray trout were landed from the muddy water at Rodanthe Pier.

Lots of small croaker, a few spot, small gray trout and small blacktip sharks were taken on Avon Pier.

Anglers on Frisco Pier caught a few Spanish mackerel just after sunrise. Croaker and other small bottom fish were taken during the remainder of the day along with some keeper gray trout that were landed on fresh shrimp.

Surf fishing along the northern beaches was fairly slow, with a few scattered bottom fish taken mainly on the incoming tide.

A few keeper flounder, croaker, spot, sheepshead, small bluefish and gray trout were landed around Oregon Inlet.

Plenty of small croaker, a few spot and small blues were taken by surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton.

Sea mullet weighing as much as 2 pounds, some nice pompano and keeper flounder were hauled from surf on the north side of Cape Point.

Surf fishermen caught scattered small bluefish, flounder and sea mullet along the beach from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet.

Inshore trolling was fair Wednesday around Oregon Inlet with a few Spanish mackerel and fair numbers of bluefish taken. Some small king mackerel were landed at Wimble Shoals.

Dolphin fishing was good between the 40480 and the 40750 Loran lines off Oregon Inlet. Tuna fishing was fair near the point.

Approximately 30 billfish were released including four white marlin by the Temptress and two white marlin each by the Sea Witch and the Phideaux.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish action was good in the Hatteras Inlet area.

Dolphin fishing was excellent and wahoo fishing was good in the Gulf Stream off Hatteras.

The Hatteras Harbor Marina fleet reported releases of four blue marlin by the Hatteras Fever, two blue marlin by the Sea Creature and one blue marlin by the Big Eye.

Two white marlin were released by the Gambler, one white marlin each was released by the Citation and the Lucky Chip and one sailfish was released by the Top Billing.

Other releases in the area included two blue marlin and a white marlin by the Chaser and a blue marlin and a white marlin by the Fin Fantasy.

One blue marlin each was released by the Marlin Mania, the Harpers Folly, the Bullfrog and the Brothers Pride, and a white marlin was released by the Hunter.

The water temperature was 65 degrees Wednesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 77 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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