Harker's in January

[titleguy]

Thinking about another trip to Harker's in Jan for tuna and stripers- Have heard that some years, the shoals are great for stripers and other years not.- Any experience out there?

[DMMSR2784]

Jan. is hit or miss..........March and April for albacore and bonita it's the balls.......also w/the weather so warm the spanish macks will be around.

[pschwart00]

How big is your boat? How much experience do you have? If you can run Oregon Inlet you'll have better shot of striper fishing. That's where they are.
http://www.oregon-inlet.com/journal/article.cfm?article_id=1495

[titleguy]

23 Parker Sport Cabin w/ twin 140 zuki 4 strokes- my brothers- he goes blue water all the time. Can't go in March or April as much as I would like to because of work sced. Thanks for the info.

[captgordon]

I don't know about next month but there were stripers at Cape Lookout Shoals last week a couple days. Trout are biting live minnows at the jetty. A few bluefin here and there offshore. You might run into an albie here or there. There are fish to be caught around in in january (NEVER spanish macks though) but it can be hit or miss. You could go out to the shoals and get into a school of 40 lb stripers in 4 ft of water....or not. Striper fishing is more consistent around Oregon Inlet as stated before.

[HudsonYakRat]

Hi guys. Posting from Westchester, NY.

Just got my birthday present! 4 days fishing and I have always wondered about Harkers.

Here in NY the only reliable action for Albies is Montauk in the fall and that can be a bit crazy. Also, just to short a window with weather, timing, nuts on the water, etc.

That being said I undertstand fishing can be pretty damn good, as another poster mentioned, in the spring down there.

Can someone give me the low down? Prime time? Condiitons? What to expect?
Tips? Captains and how early to book (is it too late for this year already?) Any help would be appreciated.

Have fly fished for several years and am told (captains and other fisherman) that I can handle myself well. No worries about conditions and situations.

Love the tuna on the fly! Don't get enough chances, and still looking for Bonita #1!

30 pound BFT on 10 weight with Capt Jim White off of RI last year has turned me into a tuna junkie.

Thanks, and looking forward to hearing from you.

[titleguy]

HudsonYak- I've fished down there in October, November and June and had some good times and bad times. I'm headed down for a week in mid-Jan to try for stripers, reds, tuna, whatever. Hear the king bite is very good right now and some wahoo as well. Check out ncwatermandot com or outbanksflyfishingdot come for guide info for any time of year.

[HudsonYakRat]

Thanks. Will do.

Haved stayed at the Sanderling Inn at Duck several times in the summer, so I have fished the June, early July periods. Nothing really doing.

That was vacation, this is pure fishing, so I am looking for prime time.

Thanks again.

[captgordon]

If you want bonito you need to be here the last two weeks of April. You will be staying in Morehead City, Beaufort or Atlantic Beach rather than Harker's Island as that is waaaay out of the way at that time of year and nobody will be out there. Read the article I wrote a couple years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/capt_gordon/bonito.html

contact me via email and I will put you in touch with the right people around here.