NEW YORK

Point Lookout

Cod fishing became “a little picky” in the past week or so, Capt. Tom Weiss from the party boat Captain Al said. But some were still caught aboard, and ling fishing improved quite a bit on deck. Trips nabbed both in 90 to 120 feet. Waters there were 43 or 44 degrees, warmer than usual, but suitable for cod. No mackerel were hooked like earlier this season. Trips were weathered out Friday to Sunday, and weather was rough on Monday’s trip, making fishing tough. The Captain Al is this site's closest Long Island cod boat to New Jersey. Trips run 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. See More Info. Call: 516-623-2248.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach

Terrible winds kept docked the weekly party boat trip to Norfolk Canyon on Saturday for Rudee Inlet Charters, Capt. Skip Feller. But the fishing has been excellent this season, and should continue. On the last trip, covered here last week, blueline tilefish were crushed, and, while the trip fished deeper waters a moment, a few golden tilefish, groupers and wreckfish were pumped in. The trips are sailing to Norfolk Canyon 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Saturday this winter. The unique outings steam for catches including blueline tiles, golden tiles, black belly rosefish, wreckfish and groupers. Ask about special golden tile trips that are set for April and May. Charters are also running. Call: 757-422-5700 or 757-425-3400. Visit Web Site.

No reports were posted since two Sundays ago on Virginia Beach Fishing Center’s Web site. Did that mean fishing was slow? Impossible to say. Maybe the weather was rough, for example. In the last news posted on the site, covered here last week, fishing for striped bass and bluefin tuna seemed to slow down, not unusual for the time of year. But trips then seemed to run into the fish on certain days. News from other sources said stripers schooled off Ocean City, Maryland, in the past weeks. That seemed to mean the bass were migrating north. Deep-drop fishing for catches including blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, groupers, wreckfish and black belly rosefish should remain top-notch on local vessels like party boats. Other catches like yellowfin tuna and summer flounder should pick up as the fish migrate to the local coast. Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

At Oregon Inlet Fishing Center three boats sailed offshore Saturday, each trip bagging a bluefin tuna, Denise MacNamara said. The tuna weighed 200 pounds, 149 pounds and 109 pounds. Five bluefins were also released from the boats, and the trips also scored three yellowfin tuna and two mahi mahi. Two boats ran offshore Monday, returning with one bluefin and two yellowfins. Another trip that day fished closer to shore, boxing tilefish. Winds kept boats docked  Sunday and today. Visit Web Site.

Hatteras

“When it has not been blowing,” a report on Teach’s Lair Marina’s Web site said, “(fishing was) kind of a mixed bag.” For big-game boaters, bluefin tuna and blackfin tuna “(were) the easier ones to find,” the report said. A few 70-pound-class yellowfin tuna were around.  Surf fishing was slow, churning out a few puppy drum and summer flounder here and there. But drum anglers might keep an eye on the fishing, because waters were warm, so drum might arrive early this year. Lots of bait schooled the surf.  Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Islamorada

A little of everything bit, said Capt. Bruce Anderson from Captain Easy Charters. One trip stopped at a floating tree stump in 300 feet, tackling a bunch of wahoos 10 and 12 pounds and a mess of mahi mahi, including a 40-pounder. The season was early for mahi, but the mess of them, including the big one, was a pleasant surprise. Mahi fishing amps up as the weather warms. A good number of kingfish were clobbered, and a few sailfish were landed. The populations of mutton snappers and amberjacks caught was increasing. Fishing for the a.j.’s usually becomes better and better each week through the next couple of months. Evening shark trips that fight the big fish a stone’s throw from port usually begin in early March. Tarpon fishing usually becomes good in April, and was amazing last April. Bruce hopes for a repeat. The weather reached the high 80s and was good on most days.  Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

Two anglers joined one of the weekend getaways to the Florida Keys aboard, Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service said. Jersey Cape, fishing from Sea Isle City, N.J., the rest of the year, offers the Keys trips each winter. On Saturday the anglers, fishing in the Everglades, walloped redfish, speckled sea trout, jacks, barracudas, sheepshead, snook, a goliath grouper and catfish. In the evening they caught and released an 80-pound tarpon and jumped a 40-pounder. On Sunday, fishing near Islamorada, the anglers whacked reds, specks, jacks, barracudss, sheepshead, gag groupers, mangrove snappers, Spanish mackerel and cero mackerel. Then they landed one tarpon and jumped another. So fishing was great, nailing a large variety of species. The anglers fished with jigheads tripped with either Gulps or live shrimp. But for the tarpon they used jigheads with shrimp. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and get back to work Monday. The trips will last until April. Then Joe will turn all attention to New Jersey. Visit Web Site.
Call: 609-827-3442.

Though a cold front with winds blew in during the weekend, stirring up waters, yellowtail snapper fishing can pick up when that happens, because the fish are line-shy, said Capt. Ben Loy from the party boat Miss Islamorada.  That’s what happened Monday: Waters were dirty, and yellowtails were bailed aboard. Porgies and hogfish were also taken. Fishing was like that through the past week. When waters were dirty, better catches were made, and when waters were clear, the angling was slower. But on average yellowtails and sometimes porgies and hogfish were reeled in. Sometimes so were jacks, not good to eat, but fun to fight. To make the catches, trips chummed at the reef within 4 miles from port. Anglers impaled a chunk of bait or piece of shrimp on 12-pound test with hardly any weight, a small split shot, to fish along the surface for the yellowtails. The weather reached the 80s and felt good most of the week. On Monday’s trip the weather was 82 degrees and pleasant. Visit Web Site.

COSTA RICA

Los Suenos

On the Dream Girl, in four days of fishing with Capt. Pete Snyder’s party last week, 30 sailfish and two 250-pound blue marlin were released, and eight dorado were beaten, Capt. Pete Wagner said. Pete’s boat Hyper Striper, sailing from Highlands, N.J., will be ready for striped bass fishing in April. Call now to lock in dates. Visit Web Site.

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