Howdy I'm new to offshore fishing and tring to get started. I would like to know how far out I need to go, and how far i should go in a 25’ Starcraft Expedition Cuddy Cabin Walk Around inboard/out or a 23’ Key West 2300 WA inboard/out.
Also what kind of gear I will need. I have a penn70 and a igf 6.5ft rod and two Tica Taurus TP6000 with 12 ft rods. Any help would be great. Also any locations.

Thanks everybody
Cole

YOU HAVE A LONG RIDE IN A SINGLE ENGINE BOAT. 50-75 MILES. I WOULD CHECK YOUR RANGE FIRST BEFORE YOU EVEN CONSIDER IT. EVERYONE WAS NEW AT SOME TIME. MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO CHARTER A BOAT FIRST

LOTS OF LUCK

[quote=BOBBYW,Jun 14 2005, 06:52 PM][quote=cole_4,Jun 13 2005, 05:17 PM]Howdy I'm new to offshore fishing and tring to get started. I would like to know how far out I need to go, and how far i should go in a 25’ Starcraft Expedition Cuddy Cabin Walk Around inboard/out or a 23’ Key West 2300 WA inboard/out.
Also what kind of gear I will need. I have a penn70 and a igf 6.5ft rod and two Tica Taurus TP6000 with 12 ft rods. Any help would be great. Also any locations.

Thanks everybody
Cole
[/quote]

YOU HAVE A LONG RIDE IN A SINGLE ENGINE BOAT. 50-75 MILES. I WOULD CHECK YOUR RANGE FIRST BEFORE YOU EVEN CONSIDER IT. EVERYONE WAS NEW AT SOME TIME. MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO CHARTER A BOAT FIRST

If you want to try offshore Friday out of HI call me must pitch in for expences. Should be good marlin fishing. I will be heading down Thursday, 757-287-4477
LOTS OF LUCK

[/quote]

I agree with you, BOBBYW

Maby I am a little confused I have to go 50 miles out to be "off shore".
That is a long way I was thinking about 15-20 miles. Can I get a tuna that close, or am I out of my bounds?

Cole,

I fish with Rockin' Robin in a 22' Pursuit. We've fished offshore out of Rudee, but we've picked our days, plus we have a 15 hpwr kicker to help with range and added insurance. You have to be confident in you equipment.

As far as 50 miles to offshore... the Fingers are 39 naut miles from Rudee and you can get tuna there when temps are right (mid summer). If you want a shorter run, trailer down to Oregon Inlet or Hatteras. The Gulf can come in pretty close down there. We fished out of Hatteras Memorial Day weekend and were fishing in and hours time.

Good luck to you...hope this helps!

--Don

Out of Va Beach the run is about 30-40 miles out if the winds blow the stream in. Out of OI it can be only 20 miles, but usually 30 miles. The point is an underwater obstruction that causes the cold nutrient rich water to rise up. Same with the rock pile. Plankton love this water, small fish love plankton, tuna/mahi mahi love small fish. Poor water quality won't hold fish no matter where it is. The rock pile is about a 20 mile run out of Hatteras. The point is a 37 mile run from the OI, but your running south east. It is really only about 25 miles from shore. But its a long way to a gas station. Dont forget the one third run.

I caught Mahi as close as 4 miles off shore. Heard reports of Marlin 5 miles off shore. A sail was caught once on the Avalon Pier. Go for Mahi, cobia and Kings, they come closer to shore.

Try the Fish Hook, Bluefish Alley, Hot Dog or Boomerang. Should be some school Bluefin around soon (25-30 miles south east of Rudee).

Fingers are best bet for Yellowfin, Dolphin. Keep up with temps and reports.

Be careful in the aluminum hulled starcraft,I was in one off Islemarada Key and the hull cracked and we started taking on water.Its a good thing we were only a few miles out.You should check the Keel and stringers to see if there are any fractures aluminum gets metal fatigue after a while.

ITS ALUMINUM? My first boat was aluminum. Salt water pits the aluminum. I never went farther than 1 mile from shore. After 3 seasons it split. I got it welded and sold it. The metal shop showed me all the pits. You could see the hull flex when running. The boat was great for skinny water, not big water.

I am a member of a boat club and that is where I get the boats. I will check and find out how often they check the hull. So can I get some info about where Fish Hook, Bluefish Alley, Hot Dog, Boomerang, and Fingers. I am getting a good gps this weekend. I would like to in put them in to it. I'm told the boat can about a 200 mile on a tank of gas about 88 gals.

15-20 miles around here is considered inshore

This is why all the CLT and wrecks are contained in the Bay reports and forum.

15-20 miles will get you into offshore fishing out of OI or HI.

Offshore fishing is 50 miles from VA Beach, maybe 15-20 off of North Carolina.

Got a trailer?

This is the way I understand it

200 hundred miles may seen like alot but its not
50 miles from rudee out(plus whatever distance you have extra) 6times 2=100-140 plus 8 hours trollin at 5 knots -40-50 miles

so a 200 mile trip is that far out of the question
and runnin out of fuel aint no fun
BELIEVE ME

you can take an extra fuel tank or a collapsable fuel dromedary for an extra 20 or 30 gallons. It takes up room on the boat but it is nice for the insurance. burn fuel running out, replace what you burned with the dromedary, and then stow the dromedary. I will go offshore on calm days out of oregon inlet in my 21 but have never really had any desire to go "offshore" out of rudee. It is just too far in a boat that small.

Good advice all but I think you're missing the bigger point. I don't mean for this to sound like I'm a smart##s but if you have to ask the questions regarding offshore/inshore and whether or not your boat can make it, then you should stay close to home. You will be better off (and much safer) chartering a few trips or going with some experienced friends who know what to look for as far as ocean and weather patterns.

The truth is that virtually any craft can work given the right conditions. It is knowing what to do and how your boat will handle given that the conditions turn ugly. 50 miles doesn't sound far until the afternoon seabreeze kicks in or a late day thunderstorm stands between you and the inlet. Weather forecasters very seldom predict those afternoon blow-ups offshore.

You said that you are going to purchase a GPS. You should definitely practice using it before heading offshore. Also you have to know how to read a chart and a compass in the event that you loose the power to the gps.

Once you feel confident with your boat, your equipment, and your knowledge of offshore waters, then you can consider venturing off. I'd still recommend having a buddy boat to run with just in case something goes wrong.

I don't mean to sound preachy or condescending (I'm not trying to be). I would just prefer not having to read about someone being lost doing something that should be enjoyed.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I dont think I will be going off shore any time soon. I think I will stay around the CLT.

I caught a 90 pound yellowfin at the 21 mile hill out of watchapreague on a 19' seapro. Pick your days and you can find tuna at in shore lumps.

just take your time and test your limits slowly. I have a new boat (21 foot) and this weekend we ran out of OI, down south to around buxton and out a little ways (10 miles) and just monitored the fuel, and more importantly the weather. Knowing your limits before you have to test them is a good thing.