DATE: Monday, November 3, 1997              TAG: 9711030105

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR 

                                            LENGTH:   52 lines

WEEKEND FISHING

The wet, blustery weather of recent days apparently convinced most anglers to find something else to do. But a few braved the elements and made impressive hauls.

Among them was Alton Butler of Virginia Beach, who boated an 8-pound, 4-ounce speckled trout at Lynnhaven Inlet, where big fish have been scarce all fall.

Another was Phil Tucker of Buxton, N.C., who beached and released five red drum, all between 45 and 48 inches.

Mark Paulson of Virginia Beach took the bluefish lead in the annual Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament with a 17-11 catch. His fish, boated off Virginia Beach on the Already Gone, was only the third blue of the year entered in the state-sponsored contest.

Lake Prince in Suffolk produced a few big largemouth bass, including 24 1/2-inch fish for Bob Piatt of Virginia Beach and Bill Schaffer of Isle of Wight.

Terry Jenkins of Charlottesville, a member of the Tidewater Bass-N-Babes, finished sixth and won $460 in a Pro/Am largemouth bass tournament on the Tombigbee Waterway in Mississippi. Her combined catch weighed 12 1/2 pounds. She also had the lunker at 4.45 pounds. The contest was staged by Bass-N-Gals.

Here's a rundown of other recent catches by anglers from Southeast Virginia and Northeast North Carolina:

VIRGINIA BEACH INSHORE: Speckled trout: Charles Ryder, Newport News, 6 pounds, 9 ounces, caught at Rudee Inlet, no name on boat.

VIRGINIA BEACH OFFSHORE: No outstanding catches reported.

LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY: Speckled trout: Craig Paige, Chesapeake, 6-3, Elizabeth River, Paige II.

EASTERN SHORE: Speckled trout: Bill Reynolds, Fairview, Va., 5-3, Plantation Creek, Bernie's Bateau. Tautog: Bill Wild, Virginia Beach, 9-4, Kiptopeke, Homey.

OUTER BANKS INSHORE: Red drum releases: Charles Long, Buxton, N.C., caught from the surf; Greg Tucker (2), Buxton, surf; Mike Spicer (2), Virginia Beach, surf; and Troy Davis, Buxton, surf.

OUTER BANKS OFFSHORE: King mackerel: Stewart Ballance, Hatteras, 49-0, Release; Patrick Herrle, Kill Devil Hills, 36-0, Dee J.; and Thomas C. Mason, Virginia Beach, 32-0, Smoker. Spanish mackerel: Greg Cooner, Virginia Beach, 7-2, Blitz.

FRESHWATER: Largemouth bass: Ben Hogwood, Virginia Beach, 23 1/2 inches, caught at Lake Prince; Paul Knowles, Suffolk, 23 1/2 inches, Prince; and Kenny Wright, Newport News, 8-0, Prince. Yellow perch: Bryan Black, Chesapeake, 1-4, Prince. Bream: Tommy Salmon, Courtland, Va., 1-0, Prince. Shellcracker: Ricky Casper, Suffolk, 1-15, 1-4, 1-3, Western Branch Reservoir; Tommy Butler, Chesapeake, 1-7, 1-4, 1-2, Prince; Timothy Black, Chesapeake, 1-3, Prince; and Tommy Salmon, Courtland, 1-0, Prince.

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