Welcome to the first Offseason Report of 2011-2012!

VIRGINIA

Chincoteague

Striped bass began to arrive off Ocean City, Maryland, a week or week-and-a-half ago, said Capt. Perry Romig from Topless Fishing Charters. That was within range, and two trips aboard caught the fish since then. The first trip bagged  the bass to 48 inches, including a few larger than 40 inches. The second trip decked stripers under 40 inches, lots of them 32 to 36 inches. Big blues 10 and 12 pounds were mixed in during both trips. No stripers yet swam within 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is open, off Chincoteague. But waters were warm for the angling, about 55 degrees within 3 miles. Stripers schooled 12 or 13 miles from shore off Chincoteague, and waters there were 57 degrees. The migration of lots of stripers can arrive any time now in legal waters off Chincoteague. Fishing for them can be world class, and how long the angling will last depends on factors including weather. When winters were mild for several years 6 or 7 years ago, the fishing lasted a while. During some mild winters, Topless has caught the rockfish into February. But last year a cold snap hit in December, and the fish departed south almost as soon as they arrived. The season this year was mild so far. But don’t waste time to get after the bass. Topless trolls the stripers on a rig that includes a 3-ounce bucktail with an Atomic plug trailing 24 inches behind. Nine-inch rubber shads on a spreader bar are also included on the rig. Call: 757-824-5580. Visit Web Site.

Virginia Beach

The season’s first offshore bottom-fishing, party-boat trip, running every Saturday, launched this weekend with Rudee Inlet Charters, Capt. Skip Feller said. But the trip sailed Sunday, because of rough weather Saturday. Sunday was a gorgeous day, and the catches were very good. Mostly sea bass to 5 pounds and tilefish to 17 pounds were crushed. A few 4- to 6-pound bluefish were mixed in. The trip fished at Norfolk Canyon. “We didn’t deep, deep drop,” Skip said, but instead fished in 300 feet at the deepest, didn’t fish “off to the edge,” he said. Waters at the canyon were 60 degrees, typical for the time of year. In other news, the migration of striped bass was yet to arrive at Virginia Beach. Waters were warm, and the season was early, but the rockfish could move in any time. A few stripers are always boated along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel this time of season. With Rudee Inlet Charters, 16-hour trips are sailing to Norfolk Canyon every Saturday from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. for catches including blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, sea bass, black belly rosefish and groupers, for only $170 per person. Call: 757-425-3400. Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Hatteras

Scattered bluefish, a few keeper summer flounder and quite a few speckled sea trout, but only a few keepers, swam the surf, said Dave Hissey from The Roost Bait & Tackle at Teach’s Lair Marina. Anglers waited for bigger specks and some puppy drum to arrive in the surf, and their lack of appearance was disappointing, but anglers still hoped for them to arrive before Christmas or before the season became too late. Bigger specks were beached farther north. Nothing much bit for inshore boaters. But offshore boaters fought king mackerel, blackfin tuna and scattered yellowfin tuna. The offshore anglers waited for bluefin tuna to show up, and trips searched for them as Dave gave this report over the phone today. The fish could move in any day. Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Islamorada

Lots of different fishing was happening, said Capt. Bruce Andersen from
Captain Easy Charters. Patch reef fishing, at the patches of reefs in 20-foot shallows inshore of the main reefs, was very good. Lots of good-sized mutton snappers bit. So did yellowtail snappers and some black and red groupers. Grouper season will close January 1. Cero mackerel swarmed around the patches. The wrecks gave up mutton snappers and black groupers. Sailfishing was fairly good, typically beginning for the season around now. The angling began t pick up two weeks ago. A healthy population of mahi mahi was around, and that was somewhat unusual. Mahi fishing is usually best in the warmer months, but some are always hooked as a by-catch. An unusually large number were around currently. Visit Web Site. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120.

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