Virginia sea bass - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

torchee · #1 12-28-2018, 08:37 PM

Anyone ever do Virginia sea bass in February?
Apparently it’s open in February and a NS does weekend
12 he sea bass trips

Was wonder what that is like
Winter is way too long and i’m Thinking of breaking
It up with a road trip

Or should I just go cod fishing ?

Gremlin2009 · #2 12-29-2018, 07:29 AM

Look at how much the Virginia trip would be as compared to cod trip ? Virginia about 6 maybe 7 hour drive. Your one day trip turns into 3. One day to drive down and stay in motel nite before trip. Second day trip then sleep in hotel. Third day drive home. Cod trip one day. Plus all the fuel and tolls u would burn driving down there. My advice just do the cod trip. Unless you get a group and share all expenses

captnvinny · #3 12-29-2018, 08:12 AM

I tried this last year, what a joke! Boarding was pot luck (they draw from a hat who boards first), boat was super packed (elbow to elbow), guys had spinning rods with <6oz = tangle city, tight cabin & plan on sitting on floor, very slow ride out, and to top it off....we were greeted back by V. F&G (this was an easy offload b/c no one had close to a limit). Then the 7hr drive back.

You couldn't pay me to go back there... I guess you struck a nerve by mentioning this!

Stick to NJ, if no boats r sailing....go hang out in a tackle store for a few hours.

ESFISH · #4 12-29-2018, 08:30 AM

You could sail out of Chincoteage Island which is a 4 hour drive from central NJ.A N.S. charter boat from NJ is here from Jan-May doing tog and seabass trips,he was here last year and did good.Feel free to message me for info as I moved here from NJ four years ago.

torchee · #5 12-29-2018, 09:13 AM

Thank you Capt. Vinny!!!

I hate tourist BS and people who can't fish. As well as over crowded.

Best part of winter fishing here is that most know what to do.

Billfish715 · #6 12-29-2018, 09:36 AM

We "tried" to fish some of the reefs and wrecks around Va.Beach last summer. What no one told us about was the amount of current coming out of the Chesapeake Bay. There are any number of wrecks in the area but the current is definitely a factor. How far offshore the Virginia boats go during the winter is something I'm not sure of. You'll have to ask before you book. It's a 6-7 hour ride to the dock from N.J. A trip to Pt. Judith, R.I. is a better choice if you want to get away from home. Otherwise, save the money and time and stick closer to home in N.J.