Point Lookout

Thirty-five cod and a bunch of ling were slung aboard Friday on the party boat Captain Al, Capt. Tom Weiss said. Weather was good, and was rough most of last week. But weather turned nasty in easterly winds on Saturday. A trip sailed that day, but fishing was no good. Sunday’s trip was cancelled because of weather, and Monday’s trip sailed. Weather had calmed, but an ocean swell had begun, apparently because of the coming storm. Water temperature had dropped a degree since Friday, and only a handful of cod and ling were caught. Cod were clammed on the trips, and none was jigged, though herring schooled, and fish spit up herring. If cod are going to hit jigs, they usually do when baitfish like herring school. Cod were all landed in deeper waters or 100 to 120 feet, and fishing for them in shallows was finished for the year. That’s typical, and cod each year usually show up in shallows first then deeper later. The Captain Al is this site's closest boat to New Jersey sailing for cod daily. Trips run 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. See More Info. Call: 516-623-2248.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach

Wind caused the weekly party boat trip to be cancelled to Norfolk Canyon this weekend with Rudee Inlet Charters, Capt. Skip Feller said. Previously, the trips cranked in lots of sea bass, plenty of blueline tilefish and sometimes wreckfish, barrelfish, black belly rosefish, golden tilefish and groupers. Sea bass season will be closed on Friday, so the trips will no longer fish for them. But that just means trips will jump on the bluelines and other fish. The bluelines are caught in shallower waters, and so are sea bass. Once trips clean up on enough fish in the shallows, they push deeper, clocking the other fish, when possible, or when enough time remains, and seas are reasonably calm. 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. Call: 757-422-5700 or 757-425-3400. Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

One boat from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center was run offshore Sunday, and the anglers landed a 75-inch 350-pound bluefin tuna and four yellowfin tuna, Denise MacNamara said. A trip was supposed to fish today but was rescheduled because of weather, and weather kept boats in port on all other days lately. Wind is supposed to blow, and seas are supposed to be large, through Thursday. Today was raining. Visit Web Site.

Hatteras

None of the boats fished from the docks last week, a report said on the Web site from The Roost Bait & Tackle at Teach’s Lair Marina. Surf fishing was slow, but if anglers worked hard, they might’ve beached puppy drum. A 27-inch pup was dragged in. “If you’re dying for some pullage,” the report said, dog sharks littered the surf. “Won’t be too long,” it said, “spring is right around the corner.” Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Islamorada

Some of the traveling charters from Islamorada fished this weekend with
Jersey Cape Guide Service from Sea Isle City, N.J., Capt. Joe Hughes said. The trips each winter fish from the Florida Keys, usually on weekends. The angler, Mike Roth, fly fished – “upped the challenge level,” Joe said – reeling in jacks, barracudas and speckled sea trout through the days. The trips spent a lot of time fishing for tarpon, and tarpon were seen, but refused to bite. Tarpon fishing’s been good aboard this winter. For the jacks, ‘cudas and specks, Clouser Minnow and shrimp flys were fished. For the tarpon, a Toad Fly was tossed. Weather was beautiful Sunday and windy, “but okay,” Joe said, the rest of the weekend. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and be back to work on Monday. Call: 609-827-3442. Visit Web Site.

The party boat Miss Islamorada would probably be anchored at a patch reef to fish for yellowtail snappers today, Capt. Ben Loy said in a phone call aboard this morning as he motored the day’s trip out from port. Winter’s been mild in the Florida Keys, keeping waters warm, so yellowtail fishing’s been good. The patch reef would be a piece of coral underwater in 25- or 30-foot depths, located near the main reef, several miles from shore. Bags of chum would be hung in the waters, and baits like chunks of shrimp would be free-lined into the slick to nab the yellowtails. Weather was 85 degrees when Ben spoke, though winds kicked up seas to 4 and 5 feet. “We’re just going to try to hang on,” he said, and catch snappers. Visit Web Site.

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