DELAWARE

Indian River

The Bandit, a boat that sails from Belmar, New Jersey, most of the year, is now tog fishing from Indian River, Delaware, for the winter, allowing anglers to bag a limit of 10 of the blackfish while Jersey’s limit is reduced. Open-boat trips are taking place every Friday through Sunday, and only one of the trips got out this past weekend, because of strong winds, said an e-mail from Jerry the mate, who was actually late getting back to Jersey this week because of snow down there. The vessel fished in deep, 80- to 90-foot water, and some large tog but not enough fish were hooked, because of the weather. But a 13.2-pound hog was nailed, and so were some 8- to 10-1/2-pounders, and the high hook nabbed six keepers. Call to reserve space on the open trips, and the boat is also offering charters on the days it’s not sailing open-boat. Call: 732-692-9521. Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

Boaters mostly had to run far north on all-day trips to catch striped bass, but one angler did hook stripers at the inlet yesterday, probably while jigging, said Jenny Lippincott from <b>Oregon Inlet Fishing Center</b>. Warm water was keeping the bass from schooling farther south, but the catches up north seemed decent, and some big stripers, such as 48-pounders, were nailed last week. One of the marina’s boats limited out on yellowfin tuna Sunday, so offshore fishing was still good. Visit Web Site.

Hatteras

Surf fishers were reeling in a few dogfish, sea mullet, blowtoads, flounder and a stray striped bass, and the anglers were waiting to see if the colder weather improved the striper fishing, said Dave Hissey from  The Roost Bait & Tackle at Teach’s Lair Marina. The water was probably 54 to 57 degrees, and a shot of stripers came through earlier this season but left, and once they’re gone, none usually return, but you never know, and February is supposed to be cold. Surf sharpies also hooked a few puppy drum, but Dave emphasized the word “few.” Drum fishing turns on in spring and fall, and currently when the weather is warm, sometimes drum and speckled sea trout are dragged onto the sand. Not many boats sail offshore at this time of year, but the ones that do make the run are finding yellowfin tuna, and king mackerel fishing is mostly finished for the season. Clamming and oystering are good. Visit Web Site.

Atlantic Beach

Rough weather kept charter boats from sailing for giant bluefin tuna and also kept the party boat Captain Stacy tied to the dock in the past week, said Kathy Peden from the Captain Stacy Fishing Center. The giant fishing’s been off and on, and not many of the tuna have been around, and the quota is unfilled, so the season’s likely to remain open a while. The party boat is bottom fishing on weekends for fish such as groupers, triggerfish and big sea bass. Visit Web Site.

LOUISIANA

Venice

A trip to the Midnight Lump in the Gulf of Mexico was weathered out Monday, and a charter waited out the weather Saturday but was able to sail to the Lump the next day, and the wait was worth it, said the fishing report on Paradise Outfitters’ web site. The charter loaded the boat early with yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna and three wahoos. Friday was also rough, and seas were 5 to 7 feet, but a charter that day nailed a 130-pound Allison, a 110-pound Allison, three other yellowfins and some jacks and snappers. Another boat from Paradise that day topped off the box with five yellowfins and two wahoos and went home early, and the ride home was long because of the seas. The weather was rough lately, but the Midnight Lump’s fishing for tuna, including big yellowfins topping three digits, and wahoos is on, and the action lasts until March, when the fish head to deeper water. Paradise Outfitters fishes offshore for big game and also for rig and wreck fish, such as snappers, cobia, grouper and amberjacks. Call: 985-845-8006. Visit Web Site.

Note: Fishing the bayou state’s marshes and bays for speckled sea trout and redfish is certainly possible at this time of year, but this is the slowest season for such inshore charters. Those charters start to sail more often toward March, and those reports will be attempted to be posted here starting then.

FLORIDA

Clearwater/Tampa/Tarpon Springs

Fishing was good for big speckled sea trout from 4 to 8 pounds on light spinning tackle, and pilchards were the best bait, and pinfish and shrimp were second best, Capt. Rich Knox from Absolute Flats Fishing said in an e-mail. Quarter-ounce jigs with shrimp imitations, Berkeley 7-inch jerk shads and Top Dog top-water plugs also fooled the specks. Redfish are swimming the flats around full moons, and shrimp can’t be beaten for bait, and the 7-inch jerk shads also trick these fish. Snook can be bagged around the river mouths and in the bayous on pilchards and jigs. Giant tarpon charters from world-famous Boca Grande should be booked now with Rich, and the beasts from 100 to 200 pounds, with plenty of attitude, are targeted from May to June. Call 727-376-8809 or 800-890-9373 or Visit Web Site.

Jupiter

Sailfishing picked up after a cold front and then remained decent last week, and more cold weather will blow through this week, so plenty of sails should be pushing through by the weekend, said Capt. Tony Matarese of Showtime Sportfishing Charters. The sails migrate south for the season, and live-bait fishing, such as hanging a goggleye from a kite, is best. The fishing drops off during warmer spells, such as southwest winds that killed the bite yesterday. A few dolphin could be picked up by pitching live bait or chunks when a school was found, and the best fishing for the mahi takes place in April and May, when the fish migrate north, but scattered mahi are also found now. A few king mackerel were also around, and the water was too dirty for cobia fishing. But when the water is very clear, Showtime does battle with cobia by targeting the fish while looking for manta rays that the cobia follow, tossing live bait or jigs tipped with a whole squid or blueclaw crabs to grab a bite. Lots of Spanish mackerel were hitting jigs or small spoons off Stewart. Showtime usually does no bottom fishing, but yellowtail snappers and mutton snappers were reeled up from the bottom. Fishing the Intracoastal Waterway is also rare for Showtime, unless rough weather cancels ocean fishing, and charters decide to fish inside, in which case they can currently find good action on snook, ladyfish and jacks on live shrimp along the waterway and on the grass flats in the back waters. Call: 561-743-6942. Visit Web Site.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton

Capt. Ron Mallet from the Just Add Water was away much of the week and returned recently, but he fished last Tuesday and Wednesday, when the sailfishing seemed to be improving, he said. The sailfish migration had been starting later than usual because of warm weather, but a charter Wednesday went 1 for 5 on sails, a lopsided ratio, but the sails were there, and the action was some of the best so far this season, and an older angler on the trip had difficulty closing the deal on the sailfish bites. Some large, 15-pound false albacore also grabbed the live pilchards while the anglers tried for sailfish. So recent cold weather was finally starting to push the fish south, and some scattered dolphin also started to be caught, which Ron expected, because northeast winds usually bring them around. The migration of sailfish usually peaks in February, when multiple sails begin to be hooked on trips, but the warm season’s effects on the migration make it difficult to say what will happen with the fishing this season. The water was 77 degrees, warm for this time of year, before Ron left to travel last week, and cool weather lately probably dropped the temps slightly. King mackerel fishing’s been slim pickings so far, and some Spanish mackerel were showing up close to shore, hitting small pilchards, live shrimp or on the troll. When rough weather keeps Ron from fishing the ocean, his charters sometimes fish the harbor and back waters, tangling with plenty of jack crevalle and barracudas on light tackle with live bait. The barracudas are starting to be larger, because the season is wearing on. Call: 954-423-8700. Visit Web Site.

Islamorada

Although the past week brought a break in the weather, with sunny skies and light winds, sailfishing picked up significantly, said an e-mail from Over Under Adventures. Usually weather fronts and rougher conditions improve the bite. Last Tuesday was Over Under’s best day of fishing, and the trip went 3 for 6 on sails, and some boats caught as many as 7, and one crew said they saw 20. Mackerel fishing was consistent, and a lack of current for a few days made bottom fishing difficult. A strong cold front was expected to arrive early this week, and the change in weather should bring cooler water temps and improved fishing. Over Under is competing in the Reef Cup Sailfish Tournament at the Ocean Reef Club much of this week, so the crew expects a good sailfishing report next week. Over Under is fishing from Islamorada in conjunction with <b>Pretty Work Charters</b>, and later this season the Pretty Works remains in the Keys, but the Over Under heads to the Bahamas to fish for the winter. In summer the Over Under fishes from Avalon, N.J., targeting big game at the canyons. Call: 866-OUA-TUNA. Visit Web Site. 

Reef fishing was very good for yellowtail snappers and groupers, and lots of king mackerel were also hitting there on live cigar minnows or other live baits, said Capt. Bruce Anderson of Captain Easy Charters. A few sailfish were biting just beyond the reef 3 to 5 miles from shore, and sailfishing was still not red hot, but it improved somewhat.  Charters often fly a kite with a hooked live blue runner, ballyhoo or cigar minnow underneath to draw the sails to strike. Tuna fishing for blackfins was yet to  turn on, but the blackfins should show up a dozen miles from shore any time. A charter with Ted and family from Maryland yesterday limited out on 16 king mackerel on live cigar minnows in 15 minutes, unbelievably good fishing, and they also reeled in yellowtail snappers and cero mackerel. On Thursday Bruce Sr. and Joe Scalise from Oak Beach, N.Y., put together a nice catch of kings and some yellowtails and ceros. John and LeeAnn from Arizona were aboard Wednesday and hauled in two groupers to 25 pounds, three mutton snappers, a 30-pound wahoo and a sailfish. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

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