Virginia anglers wrapped up another short February black sea bass season. When weather permitted access to the reefs and wrecks, bottom fishing for sea bass and tautog was good. Unfortunately our sea bass season is over, but the tautog season continues.
There have been reports of decent speckled trout catches. Louis Glaser and Douglas Wilburn posted about a good bite on the Elizabeth River. On Sunday they caught 10 specks using MR 27 Mirror Lures and Z man baits on 1/4 oz heads.
It’s time to keep an eye on the water temps as they start rising. Usually when you see 60 degree water at the point in Buxton NC, red drum are a possibility. Bay temperatures in the low 50’s usually supports a good tautog bite at the CBBT.
OBX
North Carolina tuna fishing has been excellent. Bluefin tunas have generated most of the excitement. Boats fishing from Oregon Inlet are finding bluefin tuna in the 400- to 900-pound range. The recreational season is over, and the commercial guys enjoyed a few extra days, but now that the quota has been reach its all catch and release. Many captains say that just the strike alone is worth the price of admission.
During the recreational season, Captain Jake Hiles and Jeff Landis fishing onboard the Toro made a long run from Rudee Inlet to the Tuna Hole in federal water off North Carolina and fished with the Carolina boats. They picked up a bluefin measuring 109 inches and weighing 708 lbs. By departing from and returning to Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, it qualified their catch as the new Virginia State record. Congratulations to the crew on the Toro. Quite an effort.
Yellowfin, blackfin, school size bluefin and big eye tuna are also available off the OBX. Most of the blackfin are being caught off Hatteras Inlet, by jigging.
