Virginia Peninsula Report
Dr. Ken Neill, IIII
Wrecks in the Triangle Reef area are holding good numbers of flounder. Sea bass and bluefish are being caught off of the ocean wrecks with the deep-water wrecks holding the largest sea bass. There are still some triggerfish available.
Big bluefin tuna are being caught out of Morehead City. There should be some bluefin off of our coast somewhere. We just need enough boats to go looking for them. When boats can get out of Oregon Inlet, yellowfin tuna fishing is good. Boats that have gotten offshore out of Virginia have been bottom fishing. Good catches of blueline tilefish and sea bass are being made along with some golden tilefish and snowy grouper.
Inshore, there are some speckled trout being caught, but nothing like we are used to in the fall. The best catches have been made inside of Rudee Inlet where trout to 6 pounds were caught this week. Anglers fishing the normally productive Elizabeth River are finding that the shutting down of the power plant and the past 2 winter fish kills has mostly ended that world-class fishery. There are a few trout being caught in the Elizabeth along with lots of small striped bass.
Striped bass fishing is improving with more and larger fish being caught. There have been some good catches made off of Windmill Point by anglers trolling umbrella rigs and casting to working birds. Small striped bass can be found around most lit structures at night. More fish over 30 inches are being caught at the Hampton Roads crossings and at the CBBT. The mass of large fish is still to our north, but should be trickling down here soon. Impressive catches of large striped bass are being made from New York to Delaware.
Tautog action is good at the CBBT and on other structures in the bay. The coastal wrecks are also holding tog, but until the water cools down more, all of the sea bass on the wrecks make getting a bait to a tog a challenge.
Nags Head
Jim Dickerson of Charlottesville just got back from a Carolina fishing trip.
“We caught several nice rockfish under the Currituck Bridge Friday and harvested the best oysters I’ve ever had – just north of Bonner Bridge. It’s great having a step son with a boat who lives in Manteo!
TW’s Tackle had this report on 12-3. Fishing news is scarce this morning from our northern beaches. Avon Pier caught big Red Drum for the last 2 days. The beaches south of the Inlet are catching Sea Mullet, Bluefish, Drum and Trout. Striper fishing is good in the sound.
The wind is NW at 17 and the water temps is 59 degrees.
Oregon Inlet
The Fishing Center reports: We had 2 charters that came in from fishing today and both boats limited out on their catches. Fishin Frenzy caught a limit of swordfish, a total of 3. Lisa J also fished this morning with Bob Twichell, his daughter Laura and Ronald Dimon on board and caught a limit of some nice-size Stripers. The Stripers seem to be pretty easy catching in the sound at this time.
Hatteras Surf
Red Drum Reports:
The Speckle trout bite was pretty good on Wednesday. The Jetties had Puppy Drum, Gray Trout, and Speckled Trout for anglers using jig heads and Gulp. The Point had Sea Mullet, lots of Bluefish and some pretty Speckle trout. Avon Pier had 10 Big Drum caught and released today. Anthony caught a 48-inch Drum off the pier. Berry Peele caught a 3-pound Speckle. It seems everyone who was fishing for Speckles today had a decent catch. Get your trout rods ready.
On Tuesday, The Point had slot and under-slot Puppy Drum on both sides, North and South. The ones out there fishing were using cut bait and jig heads with grubs. Avon Pier had a bite on Big Drum. Ramp 55 had Bluefish caught on metal. Ramp 55 also had a few keeper Flounder, Sea Mullet and Blow toads. Ramp 30 had a few Puppy Drum and Sea Mullet. There has been some of the local guys coming in and buying Jig heads and Gulp so there must be some Speckles around.