The water temps in the Bay are in the lower 50s and the big boys have moved in. Big stripers, that is. They like it cold – cold weather bunches up the bait. Reports of rocks pushing 50-inches are on the rise. It should only get better as we approach the season’s end on Dec. 31.The rivers are still giving up good numbers of medium size fish in the 24 to 28 inch range. Umbrella rigs in the lower Rapp have been effective. The tautog bite is red hot now, though few are fishing for them. Most any structure is holding fish. Crabs are the preferred bait. Sea bass fishing is excellent, as well, on ocean wrecks.
On the Outer Banks, the surf fishing is slow. Except for a few big drum at Buxton. Pups, specks and some nice stripers are still biting at the Inlet and back in the sound. King mackerel are keeping the charter boats active.
In freshwater, bass’n is very good now at Anna. A 5-fish bag weighing 23-pounds took a weekend tournament out of Sturgeon’s. Stripers are active at The Splits. Crappie are deep, but biting if you can get a minnow close to their snouts. Buggs Isalnd is overflowing with water – 304 and rising. Except for the Chick, rivers are unfishable. Some good stripers, however, have come from the Lanexa area of the Chick. Catfish are biting there as well.
Trout streams are full of water and the fish are well dispersed, but the water is cold – in the lower 40’s.