DATE: Thursday, September 4, 1997           TAG: 9709040479

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

COLUMN: FISHING ON THE OUTER BANKS

SOURCE: DAMON TATEM

                                            LENGTH:   46 lines

BEST ANGLING DONE FROM PIERS ALONG THE COAST OF DARE COUNTY

Pier fishing was good in some locations along the Dare coast Wednesday.

Anglers on Kitty Hawk Pier caught scattered spot, Spanish mackerel and bluefish off and on during the morning. Afternoon fishing was slow, however.

Lots of Spanish mackerel were landed on Avalon Pier early in the morning on double bucktail rigs and jiggers. Some spot were taken later in the day.

Nags Head Pier reported a few Spanish mackerel and scattered bottom fish caught during the morning. Action was absent in the afternoon.

Fishing was slow throughout the day on Jeannette's Pier.

Small bottom fish, Spanish mackerel and an 11 1/2-pound albacore were taken on Outer Banks Pier before noon. Fishing was slow later in the day.

South of Oregon Inlet, fishermen on Rodanthe Pier caught Spanish mackerel, small bottom fish and a 26 1/2-pound king mackerel.

Good numbers of spot, a few Spanish mackerel, some sea mullet and croaker were landed on Avon Pier.Frisco Pier reported slow fishing.

Surfcasters beached small bottom fish and a few bluefish from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. Lots of Spanish mackerel were seen jumping, but few were taken.

Spot, croaker, small blues, pompano, gray trout and a few keeper flounder were landed by surf and bridge anglers around Oregon Inlet.

Surf fishermen along the beach from Rodanthe to Buxton caught a few bluefish, scattered Spanish mackerel and bottom fish including some nice sea mullet.

A few Spanish mackerel were beached at Cape Point and along the south beach early Wednesday morning. Keeper flounder were landed in the surf by the jetties near the lighthouse.

Scattered bluefish, sea mullet, spot and pompano were landed by surf fishermen from Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet.

Limits of Spanish mackerel and king mackerel were taken by charter boats trolling outside Oregon Inlet. Croaker, a few gray trout and triggerfish were landed by headboats in the inlet area.

Billfishing was good northeast of Oregon Inlet in deep water. More than 60 were released. Offshore charters also reported good catches of dolphin, tuna and wahoo.

Blue water charters off Hatteras caught good numbers of wahoo. Dolphin and tuna fishing were fair. Billfishing was slow.

The water temperature was 76 degrees Wednesday at the Army Corps of Engineers Pier in Duck, and 79 degrees at Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu