January Giants

[FRED driver]

Epic couple days jigging big water (20 miles each day) this week. At one point Wednesday surrounded by 2 to 3 thousand birds. Given the PA14 38” width, I estimated 44, 43, 40, and 35 on the top 4. Best winter I’ve seen here.
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[WetBrownie]

Nice!!!

[lonellr]

Awesome work!! I'm trying to get out again myself. I've only gone out on the Potomac once on 12/31. One hit on the live eel. Gotta figure out the next outing.

[Pamlico]

That's awesome. There are huge stripers around the bay in numbers I haven't heard of in 20 years. Oddly enough, it's also the first time in 20 years there are bluefin tuna within a mile or two of the beach down in Virginia Beach. Pure speculation, but those are both fish that prefer cold water. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't end up with a long, cold winter.

[FRED driver]

One final send today. Still unreal. Landed 4 and broke off 3 (check your leaders)

[Jigsup]

The tuna isn’t speculation. They are there if you can catch a good weather window with good water clarity. I was out in Virginia Beach the Saturday of Christmas weekend and saw lots of big striper on the meter right at the mouth of the bay. I wouldn’t say tuna are 1-2 miles out but we were 10-12 miles out. Stripers weren’t our target but there were plenty boats around us that caught and released them while trolling. The water was stained that day which dampened our tuna chances as they have been confirmed caught prior to us being out there.

Anyways, lots of big stripers are in the bay. Should be good for the catch and release guys till the closure. I’m anticipating a lot of good reports and striper population debates. Be safe!

[Slobber Bob]

One final send today. Still unreal. Landed 4 and broke off 3 (check your leaders)

Awesome stuff! I hope you can keep on them!

[Pamlico]

I wouldn’t say tuna are 1-2 miles out but we were 10-12 miles out. Stripers weren’t our target but there were plenty boats around us that caught and released them while trolling. The water was stained that day which dampened our tuna chances as they have been confirmed caught prior to us being out there.

Anyways, lots of big stripers are in the bay. Should be good for the catch and release guys till the closure. I’m anticipating a lot of good reports and striper population debates. Be safe!

The bluefins moved out further in the last few weeks (around the Light Tower last I heard), but I know someone who got one just outside the green can near Rudee when they first showed up. But definitely not a repeat of the early aughts, when they were literally a few hundred yards off Sandbridge. It was nuts--guys trolling for stripers and big blues just outside the bar were getting their reels dumped when huge tuna grabbed them. One guy even caught one in a cast net off Little Island Pier.

But yeah, fantastic year for stripers so far all up and down the bay. Almost looks like the good old days.

[Jigsup]

The bluefins moved out further in the last few weeks (around the Light Tower last I heard), but I know someone who got one just outside the green can near Rudee when they first showed up. But definitely not a repeat of the early aughts, when they were literally a few hundred yards off Sandbridge. It was nuts--guys trolling for stripers and big blues just outside the bar were getting their reels dumped when huge tuna grabbed them. One guy even caught one in a cast net off Little Island Pier.

But yeah, fantastic year for stripers so far all up and down the bay. Almost looks like the good old days.

Wow. Sounds exciting! Wish I could have gotten in on the action.