"Things are still good and the age structure is improving," said Paramore. "The fishing is getting more consistent at Manteo and Morehead City. We have seen bigger fish and lots of improvements in all categories. I heard of a 14-pounder caught at Oregon Inlet and there are fish up to age 12 that are over 10 pounds in weight."

Weakfish become more migratory as they grow older. That migration takes them northward. Large adult weakfish appear off Cape Hatteras in winter when few anglers fish for them. The majority of the fish that fishermen catch are smaller fish of 1 to 4 pounds.

Pamlico and Albemarle sounds have good fishing for weakfish, where they are caught on jigs, lures, shrimp and minnows. But weakfish are primarily caught at nearshore structure such as live bottom areas, wrecks, artificial reefs and rock ledges. They move around a lot and the bite can be frantic one minute and end the next. But while the fish are biting, anglers can fill a limit in a hurry.

Jigging is a popular way to catch weakfish. Heavy jigs and metal jigging spoons are lowered to the bottom and then reeled in a couple of turns to prevent snagging. The lure is jigged up and down and weakfish will not refuse if they are in a biting mood.

Anglers find fish by circling bottom structure and watching a depthfinder screen. When a ball of baitfish shows up with larger wedges mixed in or below the baitfish, it's a good bet weakfish are the sources of the heavier echoes.

A weakfish strikes a falling lure hard. Many beginning anglers make the mistake of setting the hook just as hard. A jarring hookset can tear the fragile membranes in the mouth of a weakfish. Therefore, veteran anglers just start reeling and keep the line tight. A drag setting that allows the angler to keep the fish moving without tearing its mouth will land the fish most of the time. A landing net is imperative for success at catching large weakfish.

Capt. Butch Foster of Yeah Right charters (910-845-2004) carries anglers out of Southport to the nearby reefs for weakfish.

The two primary tarpon destinations are at Bald Head Island and Pamlico Sound. In the shallow waters of Pamlico, tarpon can be seen basking at the surface on calm days. Sometimes they crash from the water when attacking baitfish.

At Bald Head Island, the fish move through the sloughs and sandbars at Cape Fear. They head inshore from the ocean and pass through the shoals to get to the Cape Fear River channel. Late in the evening and early in the morning, anglers can see the fish as they jump from the water.

At both locations, the fishing techniques are the same. Anglers try to arrive in a good spot ahead of the fish to avoid spooking them, anchor, set out their baits and wait for a strike.

Whole dead spots, croakers, menhaden or bluefish are used as tarpon baits. Sometimes when the fishing is slow, anglers troll large plugs through a known tarpon hangout. While strikes on lures are rare, they do occur. But moving around will often startle tarpon into jumping and reveal their location to the fisherman.

About one strike in 10 results in a hookup and half of the hookups result in a landed fish. Once the leader is in the hands of an angler, the fish is considered landed, whether the leader breaks or whether the hook is worked free of a bony jaw with pliers.

Many tarpon break the line during the battle because anglers do not give enough slack when the fish leaps by "bowing" to the fish. If tension is kept on the line during a leap, the fish falls back toward the boat and parts the line with its body weight or slices it with its hard mouth. Bowing to release tension during a leap allows the fish to fall away from the boat, saving the connection between angler and fish.

North Carolina tarpon achieve weights exceeding 200 pounds, although any tarpon is a trophy fish. Some anglers use 20-pound-class king mackerel tackle to land the powerful fish. But most successful anglers prefer line weights from 30 to 50 pounds so they can land fish in a shorter period of time. At Pamlico Sound, the water can get rough without warning. Anglers must fish from boats as large as they use for fishing in the ocean for king mackerel.

At Bald Head Island, anglers fishing from johnboats and small skiffs land tarpon when the weather is good. However, larger craft are needed to fish the ocean side of the shoals.

George Beckwith Jr. of Down East Guide Service (252-349-3101) is a top Pamlico Sound tarpon and red drum guide.