DATE: Saturday, August 16, 1997             TAG: 9708160300

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS 

SOURCE: Damon Tatem

                                            LENGTH:   55 lines

INSHORE TROLLING AND HEADBOATS ARE EFFECTIVE AROUND OREGON INLET

Inshore trolling around Oregon Inlet was good Friday, with plenty of Spanish mackerel and a few scattered bluefish taken. Headboats in the inlet caught croaker and quite a few keeper gray trout.

Blue water action off Oregon Inlet was good, with quite a few dolphin landed from the 40700 Loran line to the Diamond Shoals Tower. Scattered tuna were taken at the point.

Billfish releases included two sailfish, a white marlin and a blue marlin by the Surfside. The best billfish action was south of the point.

The Huntress continued to lead the 14th annual Pirates Cove Tournament Thursday, with two blue marlin and two white marlin at the end of the third day of fishing.

The Prime Time was in second place with three white marlin and a blue marlin. The Phideaux was in third place with a white marlin and a blue marlin.

Plenty of bluefish were landed by charters trolling in the Hatteras Inlet Friday.

Plenty of dolphin and some scattered wahoo were taken by charters in the Gulf Stream off Hatteras. A sailfish was released by the Connector.

Surf fishermen landed small bottom fish steadily along the northern beaches and around Oregon Inlet Friday.

Surfcasters from Rodanthe to Buxton caught scattered bottom fish and a few bluefish.

Some nice sea mullet, spot and pompano were beached from Ramp 43 to Cape Point.

Small bottom fish and some nice-sized bluefish were landed in thesurf from behind the Frisco motels to Hatteras Inlet.

Pier fishing along the northern beaches was slow Friday.

A few bluefish were taken on Kitty Hawk Pier at daybreak, but fishing was slow the rest of the day.

Avalon Pier anglers landed a few Spanish mackerel and bluefish from the crystal clear water sporadically throughout the day.

Nags Head Fishing Pier reported a slow day. Plenty of stripers were seen under the pier, but none was hungry.

A few croaker were landed on Jennette's Pier during the morning. Afternoon action was slow.

Fishermen on Outer Banks Pier caught some nice spot early Friday. A 50 1/2-pound cobia was landed by Keith Trewick of Virginia Beach on live bait. Little action was reported in the afternoon.

South of Oregon Inlet, Rodanthe Pier reported slow fishing, with a few spot and croaker taken.

Lots of small croaker and a few spot were landed on Avon Pier.

Fishing was slow on Frisco Pier during the morning but improved in the afternoon when some sea mullet, gray trout and pompano were taken.

The water temperature was 70 degrees Friday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

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