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I want to plan a trip south (probably NC) for the winter bluefin bite and I have a couple of questions for those from the area:
Are there locations that hold small mediums/mediums close to shore? I have a 25' CC with radar, 2 vhf, 2 gps, epirb, liferaft, etc. and normally fish between 45 and 75 miles offshore here in NJ when the weather cooperates.
Are the weather windows small, or if it looks like a decent week ahead can I hope to get 2 days fishing out of 4 or 5?
I have a flexible schedule and can wait around for a good day if need be, I'm just interested in finding out if any of you natives fish similarly or feel it's possible or safe to do so.
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Most fising is done 12-20 miles offshore. Weather gets pretty nasty in the winter but you can usally find one day a week thats manageable at the worst. The fish in the middle of winter are usualy giants, 73" plus.
The Blue Fin run out of SouthPort can occur from Dec - Feb. Sometimes it does not happen. Last year it was around the Raritan and out. Plan on running 30-45 miles. Weater that time of year varies GREATLY.
A good site to watch reports and sea conditions is Frying Pan Tower dot Com. You should also watch reports from Oregon Inlet, Hatteras, and Morehead. The hot bite can show up any where in these areas during the winter bite.
Some folks will tell you that a 25' boat is not capable of such trips... I disagree. It is your seamanship that matters. If you are skilled / competent, you should have no problems and know what seas you & your boat can handle.
also check with oceanislefishing center. they are helpful when it comes to bluefin. depends on where you leave out of but the trip could be as little as 15-20 miles or closer depending on where the fish are or if they even show up
Make sure you've got all the required safety gear for commercial fishing too. USCG approved liferaft, all the flares, everything up-to-date, all that sort of stuff.
I agree with checking on the safety gear.. But PLEASE check with the Coast Guard. I heard from everyone all about the immersions suits, Lift raft, etc... You will not need either one of them. NOT to say they are not smart to have.. but a 26 and under commercial fishing south of Va needs less than you will hear.
Lumberman, have to disagree with you on the raft part. You do need a USCG approved raft of some sort for BFT fishing. Length of vessel and how far out you fish may determine exactly what USCG approved device you need, but you do need one.
But who knows, maybe the regs have changed and I'm wrong. Won't be the first time. So I do agree with you on checking with USCG for the final word. That's always good advice. But my boat is 26' and I've been through several courtesy commercial inspections over the past few years in preperation for the BFT season. So unless USCG is giving me bad information (Barry and his crew are pretty good at their job though), I have a decent idea of what is required.
After I got my commercial license, I started hearing all sorts of things. I really started to sell the license bacause of how expensive it was going to be. Length of vessel and how far out you fish, and where you fish, determine everything. 26' and under inside 12 miles, south of Va needs no raft or immersion suits unless it has changed from last year. Barry is also the one who told me I didn't need one. BUT, again like you said.. everyone should find out for themselves and not even pay attention to everything the hear from folks. Me included.. Barry and his guys are great. I had a courtesy inspection at Angler's Marine in Supply last year. The guy doing the inspection was great but he said I needed strobe lights attached to the life vest. After some discussion with Wes there at Anglers who has comm fished since he was a kid, we looked it up and they are not needed either. NOT saying they aren't smart.. but not required. Everyone wants to do it right and a lot of folks chime in with info that may not be exactly right.
Thanks for the tips, guys. As far as the liferaft controversy goes, I have an angling permit, not a general category. Therefore, the commercial rules don't apply;I don't need a liferaft (though I do carry one). I can take one 73" and greater fish per year, and the over/under 47" rule applies to anything else I catch.
NJVector,
If you want to get into 100-200 lb fish try Hatteras last winter was awesome for that size fish. Saw quite a few boats out jigging for them last year...Mark
Fished Hatteras Sunday on a friends Hydra-Vector great boat TwinZuks whos,kings jacks, 300+lbs brown shark and whites in the spread great day fishing.........
Length of vessel and how far out you fish, and where you fish, determine everything. 26' and under inside 12 miles, south of Va needs no raft or immersion suits unless it has changed from last year. Barry is also the one who told me I didn't need one. BUT, again like you said.. everyone should find out for themselves and not even pay attention to everything the hear from folks. Me included.. Barry and his guys are great. I had a courtesy inspection at Angler's Marine in Supply last year. The guy doing the inspection was great but he said I needed strobe lights attached to the life vest. After some discussion with Wes there at Anglers who has comm fished since he was a kid, we looked it up and they are not needed either. NOT saying they aren't smart.. but not required. Everyone wants to do it right and a lot of folks chime in with info that may not be exactly right.
Someone gave you the wrong info!!!!
For life rafts, if you fish more than 20 miles offshore you need one, and you DO need strobes on each lift jacket, If you fish more than 12 miles offshore you need an EPIRB....the differences in most of these rules have to do with if your vessel is state registered or documented. Acceptability Requirements:
Must be stowed readily accessible for use. When operating beyond the boundary line, equipped with one approved PFD light (160.012) on each suit or PFD
Minimum of 31 square inches of retroflective material on front and back.
Marked with name of vessel, Name of PFD Owner or name of person assigned to wear PFD.
Didn't know you were talking recreational fishing. A whole different story there.
Lumberman is actually correct on the raft thing. IF you're state registered, and IF you have no more than 3 POB and IF you stay withing 12 miles of land. If you're documented, that's not the case. And don't know what you'll do if three buddies want to go. Or if the hot bite is 15 miles out. Cross your fingers and go, I guess, like alot of guys do out there anyway.
You do need the strobes on the life jackets. And as far as immersion suits, that also is dependent on documented vs state registered. And the cut-off point is Cape Hatteras, not the Virginia line. So you go north out of Cape Hatteras you have to have them, but you go south and you don't.
As far as commercial BFT goes, my impression is that if they think you've made a reasonable attempt to meet all the regulations, they won't ticket you. Maybe end your fishing day and send you home to get everything up to par, but no fines. They climb on board and it's obvious your boat is junky and you don't have 10 different items that are required, you very well may end up with a fine. And an end to your fishing day as well.
Again, the 3 people, 12 miles only applies to commercial fishing vessels, not recreational.
Commercial fishing vessels are required to carry Coast Guard approved survival craft of sufficient capacity to accommdate every person on board.
EXCEPTIONS:
Vessel less than 36 feet operating within 12 miles of the coastline with three or less people on board are not required to carry a survival craft.
Vessels 36 feet or greater operating within 12 miles of the coastline with three or less people on board may substitute a Coast Guard approved Buoyant Apparatus for the required survival craft.
The website I refer to gives the cutoff point for life rafts at 20 miles and 12 for EPIRBS. Its this right or wrong??? Survival Craft for Undocumented vessels with not more than 16 individuals on board.
Operating AreaVesselsCraft RequiredBeyond 20 miles of coast lineAllInflatable buoyant apparatus
Beyond the Boundary line but within 20 miles of the coast line in Cold WaterAllInflatable buoyant apparatus
Beyond the Boundary line but within 20 miles of the coast line in warm water.AllLife Float
Inside the Boundary line or on lakes, bays, sounds or rivers in Cold Water36 feet or moreBuoyant Apparatus
Inside the Boundary line or on lakes, bays, sounds or rivers in Cold Water Less than 36 feetNone Required
Inside the Boundary line or on lakes, bays, sounds or rivers in Warm WatersAllNone Required
Quote:
Originally Posted by JB2C
Didn't know you were talking recreational fishing. A whole different story there.
Lumberman is actually correct on the raft thing. IF you're state registered, and IF you have no more than 3 POB and IF you stay withing 12 miles of land. If you're documented, that's not the case. And don't know what you'll do if three buddies want to go. Or if the hot bite is 15 miles out. Cross your fingers and go, I guess, like alot of guys do out there anyway.
You do need the strobes on the life jackets. And as far as immersion suits, that also is dependent on documented vs state registered. And the cut-off point is Cape Hatteras, not the Virginia line. So you go north out of Cape Hatteras you have to have them, but you go south and you don't.
As far as commercial BFT goes, my impression is that if they think you've made a reasonable attempt to meet all the regulations, they won't ticket you. Maybe end your fishing day and send you home to get everything up to par, but no fines. They climb on board and it's obvious your boat is junky and you don't have 10 different items that are required, you very well may end up with a fine. And an end to your fishing day as well.
Bluefin help
