I don't leave RI much - I was wondering, how long does viable fishing usually hold up along LI and NJ?

Well, in the past, there have been fish in Rhody right up through Dec 1. Don't know if that holds anymore.

Long Island is good through December, but it varies. I could have been hallucinating, but I saw fish and birds off the beach on the mid-south shore last *February*.

(not talking about power plant holdovers).

Jersey is viable in December.

I've fished further south in DE/VA in January. I think I remember fishing a VA beach tourney in January a few years back!

And the OBX has stripers in Feb/Mar and other fish year-round.

Originally posted by fishweewee


And the OBX has stripers in Feb/Mar and other fish year-round.

tell me, what other fish?? The old lady wants us to go down there this march and she has no idea that there is fishing:devil:

Joe-

Not sure about Jersey but I can tell you that in years past Montauk has yielded some nice fish Thanksgiving weekend. I've fished up to the end of the season there the past 4 years, and done ok. At that time of year you need to be in the right place at the right time, as the fish are moving through, not holding. If you do find fish though, you can follow them right down the south shore. Look for the gannetts.

Hope that helps-

George

Eben, I'm not an expert on the surf scene down in the OBX. I fish it whenever and however I can.

Needless to say, it's a sand sissy heaven, and there is a LOT of beach (miles and miles and miles!) you can sink your teeth into.

An easy way to fish the beach there is around the famous inlets (Oregon, Ocracoke). Given the short amount of time and the long drive down, that's a pretty good place to start.

Stripers and drum are the quarry.

Naturally, your chances at getting a moose of a striper are better on an inshore charter boat (since migrating bass tend to winter about 10 miles offshore). Most of the famous and colorful charter captains are booked two seasons ahead of time, though.

There is a year-round offshore fishery for yellowfin and bluefin tunas as well as wahoo and ... my favorite, mahi-mahi. Some months are better than others - so check with the skippers.

I also have to recommend without reservation a nice headboat - The Miss Hatteras (Oden's Dock in Hatteras Village). This is an offshore party boat that targets bottom critters - sea bass, trigger fish, and snapper as well as the occasional grouper. Capt. Spurgeon Stowe knows his stuff and I just have a silly time bailing fish. I don't know what it is but most of the fares on that boat are tourists or spend a lot of time w8 and bait on the shore and don't have a lot of experience bottom fishing, so the odds are stacked in your favor if you are good at it. Also, on the way in and out of the offshore grounds, you can do a high speed troll for wahoo. The last two times I was out on this boat, I had a thresher shark jump out of the water and nearly bean me on the head while we were anchored up. It chewed one of my seabass in half. :err:

OBX is a blast. The place haunts me, as it has fish on our off season up here.

You could ask Thumb Buner for more details when he's up in Rhody this weekend - he's from NC.

-WW

Joe,

Long Island has fish into December, some years better than others. The best years I had in December were mild falls and good supply of sand eels. Jersey through x-mas and then further south. It all depends on how cold it gets during Nov and Dec.

hopefully they will be slaying them at M thanksgiving week. i'll be out there then. :)

When I kept my boat in Montauk I never pulled it until after thanksgiving. The friday after thanksgiving was always a good fishing day. From what I've heard from other out there the fish are often around well into December.

Thank you!

I've seen and heard of fish taken into mid December. By then, my fingers are ready to fall off.

dec and early jan are good for small fish all to yourself. just gotta dress for it.

We are about a week or so later in NJ on our run. The fish came in a couple days ago. Waiting for the wind to stop.

:doh:

Hey Joe, I usually quit Dec. 15. Come on down! I'll keep ya posted. btw, may have something for you.