WELCOME TO THE FIRST OFFSEASON REPORT OF 2007!

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

Holidays and rough weather kept boaters from fishing much of last week, but when they did get out, they often limited out on yellowfin tuna, said Bambi from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.  They were also limiting out on tilefish and having great sea bass fishing. Inshore anglers were boating fair numbers of striped bass, but the water was in the 60s and too warm for the best striper fishing. Lots of big bluefish were tearing up baits in inshore waters. Visit Web Site

Hatteras

A stirred-up ocean from strong winds hampered fishing much of last week, said Steve from The Roost Bait & Tackle at Teach’s Lair Marina. Boaters hooked a small handful of blackfin tuna, very few yellowfin tuna, an occasional wahoo and scarce numbers of king mackerel, but the fishing will improve when the water clears. Striped bass fishing was strange so far this season, because normally stripers start biting by mid November, but hardly any bass are around Hatteras now. Stripers started to be hooked during the third week of November, but then they disappeared. Whiting fishing has turned on, and that tells Steve that the water is too warm for stripers. Surf anglers picked up scattered stripers here or there, and they got into good puppy drum fishing at False Hatteras Point. Puppies were also beached at the Buxton jetties, and larger drum were landed at Ocracoke. Normally drum fishing is best in spring, so the drum fishing is another unusual thing this winter. A few flounder were bagged in the wash, and lots of dogfish and skates filled the surf. Visit Web Site.

Atlantic Beach

Giant bluefin tuna fishing was good before the holidays, and limits of king mackerel were bagged before Christmas, said Loretta from Captain Stacy Fishing Center. She had been away from the shop since the holidays. The party boat Captain Stacy was on a winter break, but the vessel will start bottom fishing January 6. Most of the trips will be full-day outings on Saturdays and Sundays, and a few 24-hour trips will take place, and patrons will target bottom fish such as red snappers, groupers and triggerfish. Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Jupiter

Sailfishing recently turned on, and anglers with Showtime Sportfishing Charters were catching sails, dolphin, king mackerel and cobia, Capt. Tony said. The action will probably peak in a couple of weeks. Every time a cold front rolls in with bad weather, the fishing is excellent, and the fish are scored at the drop-off 3 ½ miles from shore on live goggleyes. Showtime usually fishes for those types of fish and not bottom fish, but bottom anglers are grabbing yellowtail snappers, mutton snappers and gray groupers. Call: 561-743-6942. Visit Web Site.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton

The winter is warm, so the migration of fish is delayed, but charters on the Just Add Water were fighting king mackerel, and cero mackerel and Spanish mackerel were mixed in, Capt. Ron said. When winds blow from the east, charters are sometimes hooking mahi mahi, and sailfishing is turning on for a day or two and then turning off, because of the warm weather, and the prime time for sails will probably be in February or March. All of these fish are caught a mile or two from shore on live bait. When the weather is rough, charters fish the harbor and canals and are currently catching jacks and barracuda and an occasional tarpon. Call: 954-423-8700. Visit Web Site.

Islamorada

Sailfishing from the Florida Keys is very good, and king mackerel and wahoo are hitting, said Capt. Bruce from Captain Easy Charters. The fishing season is just starting, because anglers are just beginning to come to Islamorada. These fish are caught 3 to 5 miles offshore in 100 to 180 feet on live ballyhoos and cigar minnows. A three-quarter day charter Thursday nailed a sailfish, a limit of king mackerel and about 20 yellowtail snappers. A charter last Tuesday scored two sails, eight good-sized kings from 20 to 30 pounds and a 50-pound wahoo. Blackfin tuna fishing was amazing this fall and is now slower. But the tuna fishing will be red hot again sometime in January or February about 12 miles from shore. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

Plenty of sailfish are being fought, and king mackerel fishing recently picked up, Capt. John from Pretty Work Charters said. A few wahoo are also grabbing baits, and an early run of cobia is taking place. On bottom-fishing trips mutton snapper fishing is outstanding, and groupers are getting hauled in during cold fronts. John was headed out to fish for blackfin tuna when he gave this report.  The fishing from Islamorada is just getting started and will only improve. Call: 305-481-6527. Visit Web Site. 

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