NEW YORK

Point Lookout

The party boat Captain Al will sail for cod this winter, so long as the fish show up, Capt. Tom Weiss said. Good catches of them, lots of throwbacks, but also keepers, were walloped last year on the vessel. The angling began somewhat late, toward the end of January, but every year can be different. Currently trips bagged mostly blackfish and sometimes quite a few ling. A couple of cod were coolered each day, and a handful of sea bass showed up. Sea bass mostly moved offshore for winter, and Tom was surprised some still bit. The boat fished around 17 Fathoms or in 100 feet. New York’s blackfish season closes on December 21. Then trips will target cod and ling. Trips sail 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily all winter, and no reservations are required. Call:  516-623-2249.

VIRGINIA

Chincoteague

A trip limited out with striped bass with no problem off Wachapreague on Saturday, said Capt. Perry Romig from Topless Fishing Charters. That’s about 20 miles south of Chincoteague, and anglers on the radio that day reported catching plenty at Fisherman’s Island, another 20 miles south. The fish should remain around Wachapreague a while if weather doesn’t remain too cold, and Topless sails for the fish as far down as Fisherman’s Island. Nearby Chesapeake Bay already became too cold, and stripers pushed out from the waters. The fish with Topless were good sized, up to 46 inches. Most were 36 to 41 inches, and none was smaller than 32. They were big, mature rockfish that migrate south to Virginia for the winter. The angling is the best striper fishing in the world, because the big ones gather no other place in populations as large as they do here for winter. Topless trolls the fish with a custom-made rig with Sassy Shads and an Atomic plug. The leader is 150-pound mono that can reel in two or three stripers at once that weigh 25 to 30 pounds. No bluefish were in the mix on the trip. Perry prior to fishing off Wachapreague scoped out waters off Ocean City, Maryland, 28 miles north of Chincoteague, looking for stripers. No stripers were found from close to shore to 16 miles out. None was found as he motored 12 or 14 miles south from there either, and he saw three gannets the whole time, and never wet a line, because of the lack of fish. More stripers will school down from up north, but waters were too cold hugging the coast at Ocean City and somewhat farther south for the bass to swim there within 3 miles from the coast, where striper fishing is open. The fish will pass farther offshore. Waters were 43 degrees within 3 miles from Ocean City, and were 46 degrees at 16 miles off the town. The ocean was 46 to 48 degrees where Topless caught stripers off Wachapreague. A cold ocean might be in store this winter, and anglers shouldn’t hesitate to come down and fish. During some years, when the ocean becomes cold enough, the fish move south to North Carolina. Call: 757-824-5580. Visit Web Site.

Virginia Beach

Anglers limited out on striped bass by 11:30 a.m. on a trip Saturday and by 12 noon on a trip Sunday with Fin Seeker Sport Fishing, Capt. Bob Robinson said. The fish were good-sized, 25- to 35-pound migrators. “All you want,” Bob said. “Come and get them.” Stripers were also eeled along the Eastern Shore, but Fin Seeker’s fish were trolled on the ocean. They were caught north of Rudy Inlet, and no bluefish were hooked. Seas and the weather were beautiful on Saturday’s trip, and seas were somewhat snotty on Sunday’s. January is fairly booked with charters, but ¾-day trips are discounted 10 percent in December, and the fish are here. Go while they are! The fish could begin to move south in winter, if waters become cold. Call: 757-618-7421. Visit Web Site.

A phenomenal catch of sea bass was bailed on the weekly, offshore party boat trip Saturday with Rudee Inlet Charters, Capt. Skip Feller said. All the anglers probably limited out, and the lumpheads probably included 15 citation fish, sea bass 5 pounds or larger that make the angler eligible for a citation award from Virginia. The sea bassing, taking place at wrecks 50 to 60 miles from shore, was some of the best in a long time. In the afternoon the boat was moved to Norfolk Canyon for a few hours of blueline tilefishing, and some of the tiles were caught. The trip spent time sea bass fishing especially because sea bass season is probably going to close on January 1. Afterward the trips will target their usual species – bluelines, golden tilefish, black belly rosefish and groupers – at the Norfolk, a 3-1/2- or 4-hour trip from port. Seas were somewhat rough, not bad, in 20-knot winds, though forecasts called for flat seas. The annual trips are sailing 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Saturday through winter. But one of the trips will sail Wednesday, December 29, because no trips will fish on the Saturdays of Christmas and New Year’s Day. Call: 757-422-5700 or 757-425-3400. Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Hatteras

Tons of blackfin tuna bit before the weather kept boats from sailing, said Steve Hissey from The Roost Bait & Tackle at Teach’s Lair Marina. One vessel acted as a mother ship for kayakers, and the trip waxed 29 blackfins to 33 pounds. The boat and kayakers the previous day also landed lots. The blackfins lately were big, averaging 20 pounds. Bluefin tuna showed up Friday, and seven of the fish to 200 pounds were brought to market Saturday. One of the boats that day got covered up by yellowfin tuna. So all three tuna were around, and anglers hope they remain after the weather calms. This morning was 28 degrees, frigid for Hatteras. The surf before the cold was in the mid to low 50s, and surf casters beached speckled sea trout and a few puppy drum, black drum and sea mullet. Specks were abundant but small, and one angler banked 50 including two keepers, saying a trip scored well if two keepers were bagged. Pamlico Sound was too cold for fishing. Visit Web Site.

Atlantic Beach

A few tried for giant bluefin tuna during breaks in rough weather, but only two or three of the fish were boated, said Loretta Davis at Captain Stacy Fishing Center.  The angling was slow, running late, and waters were probably warm. The current cold snap should drop ocean temps. Nobody bottom-fished in the weather. Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

South Beach

Carl LaManna, owner of Canyon River Club Marina in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, returned from fishing from South Beach, Florida, last week, he said. He keeps his C-Annamal there in winter, traveling back and forth between there and Point through the season. Carl fishes on his boat from South Beach to the Bahamas through winter. The ocean at South Beach was 77 to 80 degrees, and deep-drop bottom fishing pumped in consistent catches of mutton snappers and a few strawberry groupers. Live pilchards and greenies are dropped to 120 to 240 feet for bait. Spanish mackerel and cero mackerel swam close to shore, pouncing on the same bait. Trips leave early in the mornings before sunrise to castnet the bait for the livewell. Three 20-pound skipjacks, huge ones, were trolled on his vessel last week on Monday. Many people are unaware that skipjacks taste great, including making terrific sushi. Daytime swordfishing is one cool trip from South Beach. Though swords are caught at night off Jersey, they can be angled during the day from Florida, because waters are deep. The daytime trips sink bait – giant squid or rigged skipjack or bonito bellies – to 1,800 feet, between Miami and Bahama Bank. A high-quality strobe light that can stand up to the depths is attached to the line near the bait, and light sticks would implode. The fishing is an art, and only one rod is fished. The angling takes work, keeping the bow into the current – running at almost 4 knots from the north in that location – and the line is kept straight down. The boat cannot circle the line in the depths without messing up the line. A Daiwa 3000 electric reel is used because of the depth, and Carl usually uses an 80-pound-class rod, lighter than the 130-pound rod usually used, because the lighter rod helps the angler see the hits. When a 130-pound rod is fished, a light-tipped one is used. Carl plans a trip from South Beach to Grand Bahama Island and Bimini soon, mostly fishing for wahoos, mahi mahi and blackfin tuna. Carl’s Canyon River Club Marina, located on Manasquan River in New Jersey, features all the amenities in a convenient location, with no bridges before Manasquan Inlet. The marina is open all year, and a few boats already arrived for the winter for slips for wreck fishing. Call: 732-616-3240. Visit Web Site.

Lake Okeechobee

The weather was cold last week, and was turning cold again today for a couple of days, and temperatures were supposed to plummet to 27 degrees this morning, said Capt. Angie from Captain Angie Douthit Guide Service.  Only three trips fished for largemouth bass with her on the lake since the last report, because of the weather. But she competed in a largemouth tournament, scoring well on the fish, including two 9-pounders. Lots of fog covered the lake that day, not lifting until 11 a.m., and the fish became more active once the sun warmed waters. She nailed largemouths that day while flipping and pitching Skinny Dipper soft-plastic baits cranked through the grass. Not many bass held in open waters, and they prefer grass in cooler weather to keep warm. The lake was 54 degrees in the morning and 62 to 63 degrees in the afternoon. Crappie fishing was good in the lake, and the fish school up during cold fronts. Fishing for them just after cold fronts, when the weather warms, is especially productive. Call: 863-228-7263. Visit Web Site.

Miami

Nobody really fished the ocean because of weather, said Jackie Glinski from the Blue Waters II. She expected boats to return to the waters next week. Previously a few sailfish were wrestled 2 miles from shore, and mahi mahi and blackfin tuna were taken 3 miles out.  Spanish mackerel were trolled close to the beaches then. Call: 305-373-5016. Visit Web Site.

Islamorada

Some cold fronts barreled in, and the weather was chilly, but quite a few sailfish bit, said Capt. Bruce Anderson from Captain Easy Charters. His trips either slow-trolled ballyhoos to hook them just outside the reef or sight-cast to sails that showered bait along the edge of the reef. Trips also pumped in mutton snappers from the wrecks or from the patch reefs in shallow waters. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

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