DELAWARE

Indian River

Blackfishing on the Bandit was much improved on trips Friday and Saturday, Capt. Scotty said. The boat fished in 80 to 100 feet, and strong currents from the new moon apparently slowed down the bite at noon each day. But one customer nailed a 17-pounder, a 13-1/2-pounder, a 10-1/2-pounder and an 8-1/2-pounder, and probably 45 to 50 keepers per trip were hooked. Jerry the mate said in an e-mail that the fishing was okay the first day, and customers picked and plucked, but some good-sized blacks came up, and the high hook scored eight keepers. He said the second day’s fishing was slower, but some bruisers were boated, and the big fish on both days preferred white crabs. Scotty said the water was 45 to 46 ½ degrees, a decent temp for blackfishing, and the tog will bite down to 39 degrees. If the water becomes colder, the boat will fish farther offshore. The Bandit, sailing from Belmar, N.J., from spring through fall, is targeting tog from Delaware through March for the second year in a row. Delaware’s blackfish grounds receive less fishing pressure than in Jersey, and the water is somewhat warmer, keeping the fish biting later in the season, and the bag limit is 10 blacks through March, unlike the current four-fish limit for tog in Jersey. The boat is accepting individual-reservations, usually from two or more groups of anglers, for tog trips from Fridays through Sundays, but a single person can also book a spot. However, no walk-ons are accepted. Charters for the blackfish from single groups are accepted Mondays through Thursdays.  A discount is available at a local hotel for patrons from the boat. Call: 732-692-9521. Visit Web Site.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach

Tons of striped bass were boated in the ocean, and not only was there no let up, but the number of fish actually seemed to increase, said John Crowley from Virginia Beach Fishing Center. Catches were so good that boats today returned with limits after only 45 minutes, and charters on weekends were completely booked. The fish, including 25- to 55-pounders, were thick right outside the inlet. The marina’s party boats, sailing on offshore bottom-fishing trips on Saturdays, came back this weekend with plenty of big sea bass and even snowy groupers to 43 pounds.  Virginia Beach Fishing Center features a marina, a tackle shop, charter boats and party boats and is located near the beach, boardwalk, hotels, ocean and Chesapeake Bay, near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  Visit Web Site.

NORTH CAROLINA

Oregon Inlet

Striped bass fishing dropped off last week for boaters fishing from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, Jenny Lippincott said. The anglers had been finding the fish to the north, but that fishing was probably finished for the season now. One boater last week headed offshore for bluefin tuna and reeled in one. So things were slowing down for the winter. But offshore bottom fishing was probably good for sea bass, and tilefish were pulled up from the offshore depths on Friday, and that fishing will probably go strong while anglers wait for other fishing this spring. Visit Web Site.

LOUISIANA

Venice

After a slow day of fishing at the Midnight Lump on Thursday, catches turned on the next two days, the report on Paradise Outfitters’ web site said. One trip on Friday decided to target yellowfin tuna and went 3 for 5, and next the anglers chose to look for amberjacks and fought a few. Another group that day bagged six blackfin tuna, and another went 4 for 12 on wahoos and a few big jacks. Another charter that day searched for ‘hoos, found none, and caught jacks before coming home with “tail tucked,” the report said. On Saturday one charter focused on tuna, connecting with two yellowfins and three blacks. Another scored three yellows, including a 100-pounder, and six blacks, and yet another targeted wahoos, tackled eight, and limited out on amberjacks. Another fished the Lump that day for a mix of six blackfins, two wahoos, some jacks, 13 beeliners and a pompano. Quite a bit of fish that day. Fishing at the Midnight Lump in the Gulf of Mexico turns on in winter for big game, including triple-digit yellowfin tuna, that gather to eat bait attracted to upwellings. Paradise fishes offshore in the Gulf for big game and also targets the Gulf’s rigs and wrecks for snappers, cobia, groupers, amberjacks and such. Call: 985-845-8006. Visit Web Site.

FLORIDA

Clearwater/Tampa/Tarpon Springs

Lots of speckled sea trout schooled the shoreline flats, and a trip with Bill Norvell slammed a mess of the fish from 3 or 4 pounds to a 7-pound whopper, said Capt. Rich Knox from Absolute Flats Fishing in an e-mail. Bigger redfish, some more than 28 inches, were also hunting down lures and live shrimp or pinfish. Snook season opened this month, and a big one grabbed a line and jumped five times before breaking a light leader. The snook and the bigger redfish seemed a sign of warmer water, and after cold weather the past several weeks, the water was 68 degrees, and the spring thaw might’ve been looming on the horizon. Charters are being booked for spring slams of trout, reds and snook. Trips are also being booked for giant tarpon in May and June in world famous Boca Grande. Call 727-376-8809 or 800-890-9373 or Visit Web Site.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton

A northern, cool front pushed in a few king mackerel in the past days, Capt. Ron Mallet from the Just Add Water said. The kings had been scarce so far, and still no great numbers were around, but his charters picked up a few in 160 to 180 feet in the ocean close to shore on live pilchards. Sailfish were still scarce this winter, and anglers were hoping for something like northerly winds and cooler weather that lasts at least a week to trigger a better migration of sails from up north. But that was yet to happen this season, and the water was unusually warm and 73 degrees. Even the cool front lately was supposed to give way to southerly winds today or tomorrow. Mahi mahi were hooked farther from shore, but the dolphin weren’t moving closer in the warm water. However, one great thing was fishing for jack crevalles and barracudas in the harbor. Plenty were fought on live bait, good action on light tackle for Ron’s charters. One of the advantages of Just One More is the harbor fishing, an option when the ocean’s rough or when charters, such as anglers with children, prefer the calm water. So when the weather’s rough and ocean trips are forced to be cancelled, harbor fishing will produce. Call: 954-423-8700. Visit Web Site.

Islamorada

Charters were swimming live ballyhoos and sometimes catching sailfish 6 miles from shore, said Capt. John Oughton Over Under Adventures and the Pretty Work. King mackerel were more difficult to find, but bottom fishing for yellowtail snappers was good. Over Under’s boat That’s Right, licensed for 15 passengers, is also offering multiple-day trips to the Dry Tortugas from Key West, and a 30-hour trip this past week produced a two-day limit of yellowtails and a 1-1/2-day limit of groupers. Call: 866-OUA-TUNA. Visit Web Site. 

Key West

A private, two-day charter fished the Dry Tortugas on the Yankee Capts this past week, Capt. Greg Mercurio said.  The fishing was the best of the year so far, and a load of mutton snappers were bagged, and a handful of groupers bit. Both the fishing and the weather have been good, with daytimes in the mid 80s and nights in the mid 70s. Trips this week will include a two-day, open-boat trip tomorrow and a three-day open trip Friday, both targeting waters at the Dry Tortugas. The 90-foot party boat fishes the Tortugas, a 60-mile sail from the dock at Key West, on one-, two-, three- and four-day, open-boat trips in addition to charters. On the open trips, as many as 48 passengers live, sleep and eat onboard. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages can be purchased. Yankee Capts has been fishing from the Keys for 30 years and currently offers the Tortugas trips through May. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the boat fishes for cod from Gloucester, Massachusetts, and in September and October it targets tuna from New Bedford, before returning to the Keys. Call: 888-88-CAPTS or 305-923-2926. Visit Web Site.

BAHAMAS

Over Under Adventures’ boat the Low Profile arrived in the Bahamas after fishing from Morehead City, N.C., for giant bluefin tuna earlier this season, and the first trips in the Bahamas began about a week ago, a report on Over Under’s web site said. The vessel sailed 500 miles to Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas and then another 200 down to its home port in San Salvador in the islands. The crew took the first trip and quickly scored good action with wahoos. The first two were 50 pounders, and then a double header of much bigger ones attacked. One weighed 114 pounds, the biggest landed with Over Under in the last couple of years, and was gaffed just as a white tip shark was about to pounce on it. The ‘hoos smacked trolled Yozuri bonito plugs behind weights. The first charter of the season then fished a few hours and went 3 for 6 on 50- to 60-pound wahoos, losing two to sharks. Free-diving for lobsters was also great. The Low Profile fishes from the Bahamas through spring and then sails to Avalon, N.J., to target big game in summer and fall. Call: 866-OUA-TUNA. Visit Web Site. 

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