The Virginia black sea bass season opened Feb. 1 and runs through Feb 28. Remember, a no-cost recreational species permit along with a regular license is required to catch sea bass. The head boats will be running trips and we should have some good reports coming. In the mean time, cod, large red hake, cunners and pollock have been keeping head boat anglers busy while fishing the ocean wrecks.
Recently, Dr. Ken Neill fished some ocean wrecks. On the ride out he said the boat became covered in ice from the spray. Once they arrived at their destination, the water was warmer and they were able to use buckets of it to thaw the deck so they could stand. They fished a number of wrecks, catching sea bass, tautog and spiny dogfish. Because of the numerous dogfish, they were forced to use jigs on the sea bass. They targeted the togs with green crabs. They had three fish weigh enough for trophy-fish citations – two sea bass and one tautog.
Beth and Kevin Synowiec fished The Canyon January 27. On their first drop they caught two fish each, a large golden tilefish and some nice sized red hakes. They continued catching with each drop, with many producing two fish at a time. They finished the day with large red hakes, golden tile fish, a large black belly rose fish and an alfonsino fish.
Offshore there has been a few blue fin tuna and some limits on yellow fin tuna.
Cape Charles Water Temperature: 39.7 F
Cape Henry Water Temperature: 39.6 F
Kiptopeke Water Temperature: 37.8 F
Duck NC Pier Water Temperature: 40.8 F
Orogen Inlet Surf Water Temperature: 43.7 F
Hatteras Inlet Surf Water Temperature: 50.7 F
Outer Banks
Nothing to report for Nags Head surf or sound. At Oregon Inlet, a few boats fished offshore on Wednesday and were treated to some good catches before the winds blew. There were some nice yellow fins coming out of the boxes. We also heard of some of those blue fins swimming about.
Hatteras
Red Drum reported a good day on Wednesday with Puppy Drum caught south of the Point down to Hatteras Inlet.
It was a beautiful day Thursday, but cold. Fishing slowed a bit with just a few reports of Slot Drum coming in from the Inlet and Black and Slot Drum from near the Frisco Pier.
