By Dr. Julie Ball
As the water temperatures continue to cool, some windows of opportunity are allowing boats to venture further off shore, where anglers are having some decent catches.
Wreck fishing is improving off the Virginia coast, with good hauls of jumbo sea bass ranging to over 4-pounds reported. A few triggerfish are also available around the Triangle Wreck area, along with big bluefish over 16-pounds. Tautog action is still good on lower Bay structures and coastal wrecks, with crab baits presented along the pilings and the tubes of the CBBT. Flounder reports from Bay waters are hard to come by, but some nice flatfish are still coming from both coastal and offshore structures.
Speckled trout are active in most of the shallows along the southern section of the lower Bay. Rudee, Lynnhaven and Little Creek Inlets are giving up some respectable trout with many fish stretching to around 22-inches. Puppy drum and school-sized rockfish are also available in these same areas.
As the wintertime fishery starts to evolve, anglers are hopeful the larger rockfish will show soon. But last season, anglers were disappointed when the schools of bigger fish stalled further up the bay, several miles short of their more accessible haunts off Plantation Light and along the Eastern Shore. Anglers are hopeful for a return to the patterns of years past for these larger fish. The changes are thought to be a result of bait deficits and water temperature influences. Some of these larger fish can weigh in excess of 50-pounds. In the meantime, school-sized fish are responding for casters working the pilings of lower Bay structures.
When boats get out to deeper water, the deep dropping action is good. Plenty of nice blue line tilefish are being caught along the Canyon edges pushing to around 10-pounds, with big grouper also a possibility. Big sea bass are a welcome by-catch, with chopper bluefish also showing.
Offshore trollers are finding some good catches of yellowfin, black fin, and bigeye tuna near the Triple Zeros this week. A few swordfish were also caught, with boats having good luck with targeting these “gladiators of the deep” during day trips lately. Most of the swords are smaller, ranging around 80 to 100-pounds.
Nags Head
TW’s says the trout fishing has been good the last couple of days. A few sea mullet were scattered up and down the beaches. Some keeper-size drum have been beached. Gene Perry caught a 27-inch drum at the Inlet. Avalon Pier had small specks and Jennette’s had small Sea Mullet on Wednesday.
Offshore boats have stayed in port.
Hatteras Surf
On Tuesday, Red Drum reported a good bite on big drum. There were 20 fish or more over 40 inches landed. The trout bite is also on. There have been some pretty speckle trout caught as well as plenty of bluefish caught on the Point. South Beach had speckles, puppy drum and bluefish. The Jetties had blow toads and sea mullet. This morning bite produced 10 big drum over 40-inches, plus bluefish and sea mullet.
It was a little rainy on Wednesday at Hatteras, but there were some fish caught. Puppies and yearlings were caught on the Point. Two citation drum were landed on Ramp 43 as well as a slot Drum. Ramp 55 had small puppies and a few black Drum. There were some speckle trout caught as well.
Hatteras Offshore
No report on Tuesday. But on Monday, some charters went out as well as the commercial King Mackerel fishermen. Temps dropped overnight to a frosty morning and warmed up quite a bit by the afternoon. Water was calm and beautiful in the sound and nice offshore. There was lots of good live-bait King Mackerel fishing as well as good catches of blackfin tuna. No boats fished inshore today.
