NEW YORK
Point Lookout
The party boat Captain Al is in the yard for maintenance for spring and will probably resume fishing during April’s first weekend, Capt. Tom said. Trips will fish for cod and ling, probably from Fridays through Sundays, until the trips begin to fish daily after a couple of weeks. Rumors said blackfishing might be opened in the beginning of April in New York, and if so, the boat will fish for them, too. See More Info. Call: 516-623-2248.
DELAWARE/MARYLAND
Three nor’easters in past weeks cooled coastal waters in this area, and another one of the storms was bearing down today. Still, a few boats from Maryland sailed for blackfish, found low water temperature, but managed some of the tautog that were sizable. The storms and windy weather between the storms prevented most trips. In Delaware, few boats were fishing yet for the year, and some will begin in early April. Water off Delaware in the ocean close to shore and in southern Delaware Bay was 40 degrees, and before the last nor’easter was 42. A large population of big bluefish tore into Delaware’s surf and the southern bay off the state the past couple of years beginning in the first half of April, and anglers hope for a repeat.
NORTH CAROLINA
Oregon Inlet
Bluefin tuna fishing lit up Saturday for boats from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, a report said on the marina’s website. Anglers on several commercial boats and quite a few private boats hauled in big ones. Three of the fish were docked that day, Kevin from the shop said in a phone call today: a 791-pounder, a 491-pounder and a 387-pounder. No yellowfin tuna were known to be caught, but fishing for them should take off later this season. After Saturday, rough weather kept trips from sailing, and probably will for the next days. Beginning at 11:30 p.m. Saturday, the trophy fishery for bluefins became closed from Great Egg Harbor Inlet, N.J., to farther south for recreational anglers. The trophy fishery had allowed anglers to bag one bluefin 73 inches or larger per boat, per year. But catch-and-release fishing for them and smaller bluefins remains legal, and recreationals can still bag one bluefin 27 inches to less than 73 inches per boat, per day. Visit Website.
Hatteras
Blackfin tuna kept biting for boaters from Teach’s Lair Marina, a report said on the marina’s website. Weather was improving, “(and) just got to pick your days,” it said. Visit Website.
FLORIDA
Islamorada
Trips frequently trolled live bait or fished live bait from kites just offshore of the reef this past week with Captain Easy Charters, Capt. Bruce Andersen said. That whipped king mackerel, some blackfin tuna, sometimes sailfish and, mixed in, mahi mahi. A few more mahi than before kept showing up. Also in that area, mutton snappers were nailed on live bait fished along bottom, mostly at wrecks. Along the reef, a few miles from port, some really big yellowtail snappers were hooked. Farther from shore than all of this, in deeper water, amberjacks were beaten at underwater mounds and wrecks. Trips also fished near bridges on Bruce’s smaller boat, a 27-foot Conch center console, tackling quite a few tarpon and some sharks. Call: 305-360-2120. Visit Website.