Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 2.23.11 – Sun is back, but feels like February.

Posted on February 23, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.23.11 - Pretty but windy at Avalon Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Wednesday, February, 23, 2011.

Wow, the last week in February; 2011 is already flying by. Good news is that means spring will be here before we know it.

This video was shot just north of the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at the “Sea Haven” at 8:30 AM.

The sun has returned, but it feels like February. The spring-like weather from earlier this week is gone, but hopefully it will return soon. For now, we have seasonable weather with temps in the low 50′s and a stiff wind out of the northeast. Should warm up as we get closer to the weekend.

We have some swell in the water, but unfortunately, the northeast blow isn’t helping. Judging by the forecasts, it doesn’t look like we’ll have surf for a few days, but I’ll keep an eye on it.

Fishing is still hot. Stripers are biting, and the reports from our friends at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) have catches in the 30 – 50 pound range. Big rock fish in the area! We are also getting reports of large schools of bluefin tuna offshore…even a catch over 300 pounds last weekend.

Enjoy!

Extreme Angler Makes Big Catch on the Outer Banks

Posted on March 26, 2010

Recently a 166 pound Bluefin Tuna was caught by Matt Shepard, a Virginia Beach native, while visiting the Outer Banks. That sure is a big catch, but not extreme for the Outer Banks. However, the interesting aspect of this catch is the fact that Shepard reeled this monster in on his kayak!

Bluefin tuna are basically football-shaped bodies of muscle. Often topping 100 pounds and capable of incredible speed and quick bursts. They are a difficult fight even on huge tackle from the fighting chair of a large boat.

Shepard has fished from his kayak for a number of different prizes from cobia to amberjack. It is safe to say that the seasoned angler met a formidable opponent during his struggle with this bluefin. 90 minutes after hooking this tuna, Shepard finally pulled in the catch.

“We here hollering like crazy most of the time, but when we saw how big it was, we went crazy,” Shepard said. “It was as big as me and almost as long as the kayak.”

Back at Teach’s Lair, the fish tipped the scale at 166 pounds. Here is a shot of the moster tuna:

Outer Banks Tuna Caught in Kayak!

Outer Banks Fishing Report – 3.26.10

Posted on March 26, 2010

Spring is in full swing on the Outer Banks; the landscape is decorated in brilliant spring colors from the fresh flowers and trees, businesses closed for winter are opening their doors, and the air is warming up (a great time for an Outer Banks fishing trip!). While the air is getting warm, the fishing continues it’s hot streak.

There continues to be outstanding fishing in the warm waters off of the Outer Banks, with a mix of bluefin and yellowfin tuna being caught.
- A catch report from Hatteras Harbor Marina has a bluefin weighing 430 pounds!
- Boats running out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center also landed a few trophy-class tuna during the past week, including a 333-pound bluefin!
Shore/surf fishing:
- Hatteras Island reports some cattered puppy drum in the surf near Hatteras Village.
- Ocracoke Island reports increasing numbers of puppy drum in the surf

Here’s an example from The Outer Banks Fishing Report of their bluefin catch from yesterday:

The Outer Banks Fishing Report - Bulefin Catch

Here’s an example of one of the largest trout we’ve set our eyes on…also from yesterday:

Huge Outer Banks Trout

Outer Banks Fishing Report – 3.12.10

Posted on March 12, 2010

Spring is in the air, and the fish are biting on the Outer Banks.

Boats out of Oregon Inlet continue to pull big numbers of Bluefin tuna and striped bass.
- There are reports of one party out of Oregon Inlet on Monday catching and releasing approximately 125 stripers in the 25-pound range.
- Catch reports from boaters fishing the warm water of the Gulf Stream off the OBX are showing bluefin averaging between 150 and 175 pounds, with fish up to 225 pounds reported by the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
- Boats offshore raked in up to 12 bluefins (keeping the limit of one per boat), with the average size scaling about 160 pounds.
Waters off Hatteras are seeing quite a few bluefin with charters reporting some great catches.
Puppy drum in the Ocracoke Island surf on lures.