Northern Beaches Winter 2012-2013
Jake Worthington (age 14), of Camden, NC, with a striped bass that bit a live eel off Cape Charles, VA, whilel he was fishing with his father on the “Sea Donkey.”
Carey, of TW’s Tackle, reports that surf casters are hooking primarily skates and dogfish locally, but a few puppy drum have been in the mix as well.
A handful of speckled trout have been joining in on the action to the south.
Offshore trollers are connecting with decent numbers of yellowfin tuna and some large bluefish while trolling ballyhoo and skirted lures.
The striped bass bite in the sound is turning on, and the best action lately has been for anglers trolling around the Currituck and Manns Harbor bridges. Diving plugs like Rebels and Stretch 15’s are producing most of the action.
The ocean temperature is still around 52 degrees and will need to drop substantially for anglers to see good action with striped bass in the ocean off Oregon Inlet this winter.
The offshore fleet is eagerly anticipating the arrival of bluefin tuna off the inlet, and if temperatures stay high enough to keep the striped bass bite slow, the bluefins may hang around within range all winter.
Scott Garris, of Whalebone Tackle, with a 24″ speckled trout that bit a Gulp bait on a 1/4 oz. jighead in the Elizabeth River while he was fishing with Capt. Marc Kerns of Rock On Charters.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that boats are having some difficulty getting out Oregon Inlet due to a combination of shoaling and missing buoys in the channel. When they’ve been able to run the inlet, boats are reporting a scattered yellowfin tuna bite for boats dragging ballyhoo and skirted lures offshore of Oregon Inlet. No bluefins have shown up yet, but anglers are hoping to see them sometime before the New Year.
Along the northern beaches, anglers are finding some action with speckled trout and puppy drum when the water’s clean and calm. Gulp baits are producing most of the action with both.
The ocean water temperatures are around 50 degrees, and anglers will need to see them creep into the lower 40’s for the big schools of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay striped bass to make their way to the area this year.
Deborah, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the offshore bite continues to be solid off the inlet, with good numbers of yellowfin tuna falling for trolled baits and lures. Some wahoo and dolphin are still in the mix with the tuna, and they’re taking an interest in the same baits. In addition, a mako shark was landed by a trolling boat last week.
Tom Agree, of Colington Harbour, NC, with a keeper puppy drum he hooked in the surf at ramp 4 near Oregon Inlet. Photo courtesy of TW’s Tackle.
Bottom fishing offshore has been producing some action with tilefish and plenty of black sea bass, which must be released as their season is closed.
Marc, of Rock On Charters, reports that not much has been going on locally, but anglers looking for some action can head up the road to the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, VA, to get on some fat speckled trout.
More of the fish are holding in deep water (30’), and finding bait is key to success. Both live baits and artificials like Gulp swimming mullet are effective on the Elizabeth River specks. Good numbers of puppy drum are also feeding in the river, and they’re falling for the same baits and lures.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some dogfish and skate while bottom fishing from the pier with a variety of baits.
