When anglers can get out, ocean wrecks are holding some really nice tautogs. Blue crabs are hard to find right now so most are being caught using fresh clam.
Rick Wineman and Wally Veal (above) checked in with VBSF. They had a weather window to get out and do some tautog fishing on 1-13-22. They fished some of the offshore wrecks in 100+ feet and managed to find some nice ones. Had several double digit (15lb 14oz / 17lb 9 oz} specimens and a few other very respectable ones that were tagged and released. They used left over crabs from last year as bait. They also had some bluefish in the mix. If you run into them and decide to keep any just remember bluefish are 3 per person these days.
The Chesapeake Bay rockfish season has closed but you can still practice catch and release.
Speckled trout and puppy drum will be a possibility in the inlets all winter. Most are being caught on Mirr-O-Lures and soft plastics.
We’ve been spoiled the past few years with a February black sea bass season. Not this year. The fishery is managed jointly by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. At a recent meeting, it was determined that states would be required to reduce the recreational harvest in 2022 by 28% coastwide. Based upon the changes in the fisheries regulations, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission will be unable to open February for the species. At this time, it is unknown when the season will reopen.
Some good catches of yellowfin and giant bluefin tuna are occurring out of Oregon Inlet NC.
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