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Offseason Fishing Report 1-24-17

NEW YORK

Point Lookout

The most recent trip fished Saturday,  and pushed a little farther from shore than previous trips, to wrecks 20 to 30 miles off, in 100 to 125 feet of water, said Capt. Tom Weiss from the party boat Captain Al. The anglers copped a few cod, nothing great, but a few. A few blackfish, out-of-season in New York, but good-sized were released. Pout and dogfish also bit. A few other trips also sailed aboard in the past week, between rough weather. A few cod and ling were cranked in. Trips were weathered out in the storm at the beginning of this week, including today. The ocean will take a moment to settle, and the boat will probably next fish beginning Thursday or so. The boat is this website’s only that fishes for cod daily this season. If cod are in, the trips target them.  Otherwise, the trips fish wrecks for cod, pollock, ling or whatever will bite. The cod fishing can be best this time of year, so don’t delay going. The water temperature, 42 degrees, was still warm enough. During some years, cold water from snow melt chills the ocean quicker. But weather’s been mild this winter so far. See More Info. Call: 516-623-2248.

DELAWARE/MARYLAND

Good blackfishing, including limits of the tautog to 12 pounds, were boated from the ocean off Delaware, online reports said. The water off Maryland was 44 degrees, and blackfish catches were also reported from there. A 15-pounder was reported docked last week at Maryland, but from Reef 11 on the ocean off Delaware.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach

“We keep getting optimistic anglers checking in on the Rockfish bite,” a report said on <b>Virginia Beach Fishing Center</b>’s website. But this year’s fishing for rockfish or striped bass seemed likely to end up similar to recent years. None was boated or even sighted on the ocean within 3 miles from shore, where fishing for them is legal. “We will be sure to let everyone know if this changes,” the report said, but things didn’t look promising. Speckled sea trout fishing was hit and miss at Rudee Inlet, giving up some keepers. The angling was better until a recent storm. Since then, mostly puppy drum were reeled from the inlet. For the specks, MirrOlures, Gulp shrimp or other Gulps on lightweight jigheads were popular. For the drum, cut finger mullet or filleted mullet, fished slightly off bottom, worked. Deep-drop trips offshore to Norfolk Canyon might’ve been the best hope for anglers who wanted meat. Those trips could fish for blueline tilefish, golden tiles, black belly rosefish and groupers. Dogfish were a nuisance on the outings recently, captains said. Visit Website.

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

Oh my goodness! a report said Friday on <b>Oregon Inlet Fishing Center</b>’s website. A couple of boats docked yellowfin tuna that day at the marina “and (had) a sad story about the blue-fin that got away!” it said. On Saturday three boats returned to the marina after some great fishing for yellowfins that day. “We also hear tales of the blue-fin lurking around again today,” the report said that day. Fishing for bluefin tuna usually begins at the marina on March 1, lasting through that month. Visit Website.

Morehead City

Bluefin tuna fishing was up and down in the past month, online reports said. The fishing near Morehead City slowed last week, but picked up an hour or two farther south, toward Carolina Beach Inlet and Bald Head Island. A 106-inch, 677-pounder was boated there.

FLORIDA

Islamorada

Fishing’s been good aboard, said Capt. Bruce Andersen from <b>Captain Easy Charters</b>. That included sailfishing this past week, and a trip Saturday landed four sails and saw a few others. A mix of slow-trolling live bait and kite-fishing with live bait hooked the sails on trips. That trip also limited out on king mackerel, and lots of kings swarmed around during the week. Bottom-fishing was also good throughout the week, including for lots of yellowtail snappers and a few mutton snappers. Fishing for the kings and sails took place just offshore of the reef, a few miles from port. The bottom-fishing was done at the reef. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Website.

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