Big Rock Candy

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries requires anglers with May-October ocean-caught stripers report catches. Anglers may keep two ocean stripers per day of at least 28 inches total length. Before being off-loaded, stripers need a landing tag available at

Although ocean-run stripers arrive off OBX beaches by November, the big ones cruise south during January.

Striper fishing is the most popular winter sport at the Outer Banks. Swimmers, surfers and bikini-watchers crowd the beaches during warmer months. But after a busy fall fishing season, the sandy shores are quiet.

A few surf anglers bundle up and cast to the breakers for stripers, while eager boaters follow the striper fleet through Oregon Inlet.

On this January morning at dawn, the fleet followed Capt. Rick Caton, as he guided his charter boat, Free Agent. Caton and his mate, Chris Puma, found 59 stripers the previous day for happy clients.

Fishing news spreads fast at the Outer Banks. Caton slowed down so faster boats could pass him through the inlet. After they motored out of sight, Caton turned north and stayed less than a mile from the surf. He watched for tell-tale blips on his console’s depth-finder.

Mate Chris Puma rigged trolling rods with heavy line and bucktail jigs. Most days, Caton trolls until each angler catches his limit then switches to light spinning tackle.

He spotted a flock of gulls diving behind the breakers just off Nags Head. Caton ran the boat to the birds then cut the engine to drift over a school of feeding striped bass.

“I’m marking about an acre of fish in 10 feet of water,“ Caton said. “I’ve never seen them this thick.”

Puma handed out spinning rods, and the crew started casting. In less than 5 minutes, three anglers had hooked fish, and the mate stayed busy.

Keepers must be 28-inches long. At that time, anglers could keep two stripers per day, if they landed them within 3 miles of shore. The crew limited out, then caught and released more than 100 stripers during two hours.

The winter striper season starts slowly at Oregon Inlet. After the holiday season, anglers celebrate when schools of stripers migrate south to North Carolina.

“Back in November, we worked hard to catch 10 fish all day,” Caton said.

Caton and crew fished alone at first, but soon the word spread, as the fishing fleet converged and crowded the ocean. Eager anglers drove everything from 50-foot yachts to bass boats through the school of feeding stripers.

Fortunately a light western wind kept the sea smooth. The rising sun melted ice from the decks and rigging.

“People can get away with using small boats here when the weather is fair,” Caton said. “Trouble is, a fair day can turn rough in a hurry out here.

“I know my boat can handle bad weather, but there are still days when I don’t go out.”

If they go out during January, anglers should dress for winter weather. Best way is to wear layers of warm clothing. Peel off what you don’t need as the day warms. Always bring rain gear, even for clear days and expect plenty of ocean spray on calm days.

Everybody caught fish for a few minutes, but eventually the noise drove the school deep and the bites stopped.

“There must be 50 boats around me,” Caton said. “I can not stand amateurs crowding me like that.”

Caton told the crew to reel in and get ready for a boat ride. Then he steered north for the two-hour run to Corolla, about 40 miles north of the inlet.

“Stripers come south every winter,” Caton said. “Normally we start catching them around Thanksgiving. They were late this year.

“Most of these fish come from Chesapeake Bay. One year we caught a tagged fish from New Jersey. We’ll catch stripers until March.”

Caton’s clients set the boat record of 228 stripers Feb. 5, 2003. Bill Rogers from Walnut Cove, along with his brother and their four sons, made that catch. During the 2004 winter, the same crew returned to break the record.

Near the Currituck lighthouse, Caton found a flock of sea birds that covered miles of ocean. Again he slipped up on the school of feeding fish, being worked by a few boats from Virginia Beach.

There were enough fish to go around.

Within minutes, each angler on the Free Agent was hooked up with a striped bass. Bill Rogers struggled to land a 34-pounder for the lunker of the day.

“I’m 68, and that is the largest striper I ever caught,” he said. “This is a lot better than fishing for stripers at Badin Lake. At Badin I’m happy to catch a 10-pounder. These ocean stripers pull harder.”

Puma kept a running count. When the count reached 251, Caton told the crew to reel in for the 40-mile ride to Oregon Inlet. On the return trip, the captain bragged on the radio while Puma cleaned the boat.

The Free Agent’s anglers celebrated with cold beer and bologna sandwiches.

Once at the dock, the crew posed for pictures. Crews from other boats did the same thing. Everybody caught plenty of fish and made it back safely to port.

Every year more people hear about the winter striper boom at Oregon Inlet. Highway 12 gets crowded during winter weekends, as anglers trailer boats from across the state and beyond.

Inland striper anglers have years of experience at their favorite lakes. To survive they have to learn quickly the Atlantic Ocean isn’t a lake.

Most boaters can make it through Oregon Inlet to catch scores of large stripers, but the trip is always risky. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet keeps a rescue boat ready at all times because careless boaters keep them busy.

Boatswains mate Arnie Head is a surf-rescue specialist. At the time of Free Agent’s record catch last year, he’d made it through the winter without having to respond to accidents involving deaths or serious injuries.

“We had a few guys capsize,” Head said. “If they’re lucky, somebody will see them and help them out. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to fish close to other boats.”

Minutes matter during a cold-water capsize. Swamped anglers have a small survival window.

“Right now, in the middle of January, the water is about 40 degrees,” he said. “A boater who falls in the water might live for less than 30 minutes.”

Anglers can increase their odds if they can invest in survival suits that conserve heat and keep them afloat. Boaters also should make sure their boats are in good condition.

Out on the Atlantic, a minor engine problem can lead to a disabled boat washing up on the shoals. Boaters should always have required safety gear aboard.

Lake anglers should review the rules for ocean waters.

Coast Guardsmen and state Marine Patrol officers patrol these waters and will inspect boats and issue tickets for missing or broken safety gear.

Petty Officer Brian Beach said crews from the Oregon Inlet station respond to about 300 calls a year. Business picks up in the winter, he said.

“We see more boating accidents, starting in October,” Beach said. “A lot of out-of-town boaters come for the stripers. Some of them aren’t ready for conditions here, and they lack knowledge about the ocean.”

Weather and tide conditions can change in a hurry, he said. Boaters may enter the ocean when the wind is calm, then hit sudden gales. Some boaters never make it through the inlet.

“Oregon Inlet is one of the roughest, most dangerous inlets on the East Coast,” Beach said. “We can get 8 knots of current ripping under the bridge. That happens when the wind and tide move the same way. It’s best to run the inlet against the tide. The boat steers better.”

Stripers feed in the rough water at both sides of the inlet. Coast Guardsmen call these white water areas “the Spits.” and that’s where small-boat anglers often find trouble.

“An angler will hook a fish, then look away for a few seconds,” Beach said. “When a wave hits the beam or stern, they lose control and go aground.”

Once through the inlet, anglers must survive cold and wet conditions in the ocean. It may feel warm on shore, but those conditions are deceptive. No matter how warm it seems at the dock, always wear cold weather gear. Commercial fishermen and Coast Guardsmen wear survival suits. These suits will keep humans warm and alive for hours.

“Always figure that the air temperature will be 20 degrees lower on the water,” Beach said. “It may be 50 degrees on land. In the boat it could feel like 30 degrees because of the wind and water chill.”

Use marine radios when boating at the ocean or the sounds. Coast Guardsmen and other boaters listen to channel 16 for distress calls.

Although most anglers carry cellular telephones — and they’re fine, Beach said — they shouldn’t replace radios.

“Don’t depend on cellular phones for primary communication, only for backup,” Beach said. “They often lose their signals or discharge batteries. Radios are priced right and highly effective.”

In case the worse does happen, boaters should carry a good supply of required signal flares. To be safe, boaters can sign up for safety classes. The Coast Guard provides free pamphlets at marinas. Boaters can find more safety poop on the Internet.

Striper anglers should study weather forecasts for the Outer Banks. Stay home if it’s blowing a gale.

Anglers who choose the right weather can fish safely through the winter. Best days are when there is a light wind, below 10 knots.

“A west or southwest wind keeps the inlet calm,” Beach said. “Any wind from the north will bring larger swells.”

Anglers should bring enough boat for the job. Local guides do well with 20-footers for inshore work. Charter captains prefer larger vessels for offshore duty.

Besides proper boats, winter striper chasers should also bring the right attitudes.

“Safety is the first concern,” Beach said. “Catching a big striper isn’t worth losing your life.”

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