The 2023 fishing season certainly closed out with a bang. As the season ended on Dec. 31, huge rockfish were plentiful at the High Rise and off Cape Charles. Luke Mooney (pictured above) landed one of the big “rocksâ€. Notice the large fish in its mouth – looks like a small Wahoo to me. Any ideas? The rockfish are still around but must be released. Giant bluefins are still just off the coast of Virginia. That season will close soon, when the quota is filled. Black sea bass season also ended on Dec. 31 and will reopen May 15. These fish seem to be plentiful. I’m not sure about the strict limits. Tautogs will be available in January, depending on the water temperature.
Speckled trout and puppy drum can also be caught in river and marsh shallows during warmer periods throughout the winter. The Elizabeth River is always a winter hotspot.
OBX
The fishing forecast for the foreseeable future in the Carolina surf is dogfish (small sharks) and skates. These bait snatchers enjoy cold water and will bite when nothing else will.
On the sound side, it’s a different story. Lots of speckled trout! Puppy Drum action has backed off a bit, but the specks are more than making up for it. Stripers up to 10 pounds are also abundant in the sounds.
King Mackerel fishing has been outstanding at Hatteras, but the fleet has now switched its attention to tuna. The big boys have arrived.
Freshwater
The Dutch Gap stretch on the James River offers warmer water, due to the power plant discharges. This presents excellent opportunities for trophy-sized Blue Catfish up to 100 pounds. Fresh shad caught with nets is the preferred bait. But many anglers use fresh cut eels, available at many bait shops in the winter months.