Evening star., 1960-08-28
What to Do When More SpoiIs Fishing?
Try Fly or Spin Casting on Outer Banks Ponds
By CHARLES COVELL
Outdoor Editor

NhNSSA @NHNS-
What does a fisherman
on North Cardinals Outer
Banks do when a north
easter comes whistling in
and
Whips sand across the
dunes to redden eyes and sting
cheeks.
Churns the ocean into angry
seas, foaming and white-crested
as far as one can see and
sending towering breakers onto
the beach, making even surf
casting impossible.
Idles the fishing fleets so
that Oregon Inlet looks like a
deserted village with a forest
of outriggers stirring in the
wind.
Drives the tides out Of the
sounds so that even the famous
brackish-water fishing for
largemouth bass is impossible.
In short, what does one do
when Hatteras' weather gets
as abominable as only HatteraS'
weather can get?
Can Try Fresh Water
Well, it seems. there's an out.
Along the Outer Banks there
are fresh water ponds and
many of these, as well as the
sounds, contain largemouth
bass and bluegills or Dream. II
you hug a lee shore you may
find some good angling even IN
a storm.
Particularly we'll known for
lunker bass are ponds in the
Nags Head-Kitty Hawk area.
Trouble is, the really good ones
are virtually inaccessible and
many of the natives won't tread
near some of them.
Quite naturally. everyone
thinks Of the Outer Banks in
terms of the seashore with wide
beaches, sea oats waving on the
high dunes, paved highways
and motels and hotels, some
pretentious and some not so
pretentious.
World of Forest Trails
Not one visitor in 10000,
probably, sees the other world
that begins not more than
1000 yards from the beach and
extends the width Of the island.
1t is a world Of forest trails,
Of deer and fox. of pine and
oak, of holly, dogwood. beech,
sycamore and sumac, Wild
sweet peas spread a cloying
scent along the trail. 1t is
something unbelievable.
While q northeaster spread
gloom along the beach, Julian
Oneta, manager Of the Hotel
Carolinian, showed us this
country from a jeep.
The first pond is easily
reached by automobile. Stocked
with bass and Dream by the
State, it is at the end Of a con-
crete strip running at right
angles to the beach. From there
on to the others, though, pro-
gress must be made by jeep.
Tangle Around Each Pond
Taking to the sand, we
climbed quickly through thick
growth of loblolly pine. The
trail was high and the ground
fell away on each side to a
veritabIe jungle. Each little
pond was surrounded by a tan
gle. There was sweet gum and
and black gum, cattails and
goldenrod and creepers of all
description.
On some of the ponds, seldom
touched by the sun, algae was
so thick that fish could not
survive. But on others, the
water was clear and sparkling
We longed to get out and put
together a spinning rod until
on the edge of the trail we spied
water moccasin, as thick as
your forearm.
That's the drawback in sum-
mer fishing these ponds. that
and their inaccessibility and
the mosquitoes on quiet days.
No boats are available unless
you can take in a cartop craft
If you plan to wade at this time
of year, wear heavy boots.
Pond Offers Pleasant Wading
There may be some snakes
around the first pond but it i:
closer to civilization and pleas.
ant wading as we discovered
with Fred O'Rourke of Beth
esda and his bride, the forme,
Bonnie Shelton.
Our meeting was quite acci
dental and since they were il
the same state of Illustration
over the storm that had sty
mied other angling, we joined
forces.
Fly rods with popping bug
are said to be especially effec
tive on the pond, which is per
haps three-quarters of a mil