Welcome to the first Offseason Report of 2013-14!

The report covers out-of-state saltwater fishing during New Jersey's off season.

NEW YORK

Point Lookout

The party boat Captain Al was supposed to begin sailing for cod and ling Monday, but the trip was weathered out, Capt. Tom Weiss said. A few cod that were caught were heard about, and the fishing began to peak at the beginning of January the past couple of years. At first, the fish usually school the 50-foot shallows, 3 or 4 miles off the inlet. They eventually swim deeper, depending on water temperature. One strong storm could push them out to 100 feet, 8 or 10 miles off the inlet. But if the winter is mild, cod could move offshore slowly, and fishing for them aboard could last longer, into February. The boat previously blackfished daily, until New York’s blackfishing season was closed Sunday. The boat limited out on blackfish on the final trip for them Saturday. Before blackfishing, the vessel sailed for sea bass and ling, and the sea bass fishing was good. Before then, the boat fluke fished, and that was good in late fall. “We had a good run,” Tom said. The Captain Al is this site's closest Long Island cod boat to New Jersey. Trips are fishing for cod and ling 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. If cod are in, the trips go after them. Otherwise trips wreck-fish for ling and other bottom-fish. See More Info. Call: 516-623-2248.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach

Party boat trips with Rudee Inlet Charters are fishing for sea bass, and were weathered out during the past week, Capt. Skip Feller said. But the angling’s been good for sea bass and blueline tilefish. The fish were cranked from 300-foot depths, 60 or 65 miles from shore, almost to Norfolk Canyon. Those trips will continue until sea bass season is closed on January 1. Then annual, weekly trips will kick off that sail for blueline tiles and a variety of catches at the canyon. The catches can include black-belly rosefish, wreckfish, barrelfish, golden tilefish, groupers and more. The unique trips, running 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Saturday, sail to Norfolk Canyon, 4 to 4 ½ hours from port, each winter. Sometimes when weather is predicted for a Saturday, anglers will be offered to sail on that Sunday or Monday, if weather looks better then. In other news, striped bass season will be opened January 1 in the ocean at Virginia. Stripers there are big, mature ones that winter off the coast, after migrating from north in fall. Currently, striper fishing was open in Chesapeake Bay. A few of the fish, not many, were landed from there. A few large ones were eeled along the Eastern Shore. Telephone Rudee Inlet Charters at 757-422-5700 or 757-425-3400. Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Islamorada

Sailfishing got off to a good start, said Capt. Bruce Andersen from Captain Easy Charters. Sails can be hooked all year from the Keys, but December and January can be the peak. The boat was dry-docked and prepped for the winter fishing season, and splashed back in the waters in early November. Lots of sails were already tackled aboard then. That could mean fishing for them will be excellent. Trips either slow-troll live ballyhoos for them or pitch live bait to the sails when possible. Sometimes sailfish shower bait along the surface. Then the livelined bait can be pitched to them. Sails swim along the offshore edge of the reef, a few miles from port. Bait was abundant there this season. Water becomes deep close to shore off the Keys, holding big game like sails. Mahi mahi, blackfin tuna, mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers and king mackerel were also fought aboard recently. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

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