# Fishing on the Oriskany



## jeepnsurf

We're heading out to the OriskanyWednesday to catch our limit on snapper. How has the fishing been there lately? What's being caught? Hopefully we can pull up some amberjack and maybe dolphin.


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## Clay-Doh

Hopefully you all can jig up a diver! I hate them pesky things...blowin bubbles everywhere!

Just kiddin...there are always sanpper and grouper there. Also besides AJ's you will find Almaco Jacks too...just as tasty.

Instead of trying to fish by the tower where you got underwater bouys tied off that can tangle you, and a bunch of divers, if you get to one end or the other of the ship yuo will be smooth sailing. 

Plus, since only tech divers go anywhere but the tower, it sees VERY little spearfishing, and you will pull up nicer size fish. Only problem I forsee is the cuda are insane there. Seen many a fisherman out there while diving pull up just a head.

Good luck!


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## jeepnsurf

cool thanks for the heads up....what is the best bait for amberjack? do they hit live pinfish pretty good? are they normally on the bottom?


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## Telum Pisces

> *jeepnsurf (5/29/2009)*cool thanks for the heads up....what is the best bait for amberjack? do they hit live pinfish pretty good? are they normally on the bottom?


The bigger the live bait the bigger the AJ.


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## FenderBender

Big live baits are great for big AJs. Pinfish, Hardtails, a palm sized white snapper with a circle hook in the nose works great. I'd use a 8 to 10 ft. 80 lb. leader with an egg weight above it... let them bow it over and hang on. Normally AJs are not on the bottom... I'd fish 30 or 40 ft. off bottom at least... move it around and see what works best. Crank down on the drag hard at the beggining and keep them out off the wreck or they will whip you everytime. Goodluck.


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## catchenbeatsfishen

Big live hard tail bloodied up a little with a J hook and extra long leader, like 5 or 6'


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## jeepnsurf

thanks for the advice...hopefully i'll have a lot of pictures to post wednesday night


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## TURTLE

> *catchenbeatsfishen (5/29/2009)*Big live hard tail bloodied up a little with a J hook and extra long leader, like 5 or 6'


Are amberjack not considered reef fish or are you trying to get him thrown in the Klink?


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## FenderBender

Yeah I actually never thought about the J hook thing, circles always have worked better for me.


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## chad403

Set you up a real nasty chum line across that thing and watch snapper and the divers come to the surface... lol. 

But watch out those pesky snapper will cut your anchor lineoke


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## Brandy

Report I heard from the Oriskany today was no snapper and undersized Ajs. No almacos either. Vis was 80ft.


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## Brant Peacher

Oriskany is covered in cudas right now. Its hard to even get a fish to the boat


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## FishinFL

I heard a report that the pete tide is covered up with AJ's....

And, its a lot closer in!



Good luck, Reese


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## Izzy

Went out there on Thursday. Got hot as soon as we arrived but the fish bite didn't last long. Caught some chicken dolphin, shark, and plenty of snapper. A lot of small fish on the way down so use a good weight if you are going to the bottom.


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## gtchris19

Cuda were everywhere out there the day after Memorial Day.


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## jeepnsurf

What is the difference between the "Greater Amberjack" and the "Lesser Amberjack (Almaco)"? I'm looking at regulations and Greater Amberjack have to be at least 30" to the fork and Lesser Amberjack have to be between 14" and 22". Is there a noticeable difference between the 2?


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## Telum Pisces

> *jeepnsurf (6/1/2009)*What is the difference between the "Greater Amberjack" and the "Lesser Amberjack (Almaco)"? I'm looking at regulations and Greater Amberjack have to be at least 30" to the fork and Lesser Amberjack have to be between 14" and 22". Is there a noticeable difference between the 2?


Greater AJ, Lesser AJ and Almaco Jack are three seperate and different fish. Lesser AJ is not an Almaco. You will hardly ever run into a Lesser AJ. I say hardly becuase there will be someone that says that they have seen one.:letsdrink


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## Clay-Doh

an Almoaco is much easier to recognize underwater than on top. They have more of a pompano shaped body, pumpkin see, if that makes any sence. Where as a AJ is longer, and rounder, like a bull redfish kinda.

The other big identifier under water is the tall trailing dorsal fin, more like an angel fishes, that tapers to a sharp point.

Almacoes have no size or bag limit either. However, I am not sure if the count towards any aggregate or anything like that.

The meat is much firmer than AJ's, but cooks up exactly the same...tasty!


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## WW2

Lessers are waaaay out there. I was about 50 miles offshore when I caught mine.


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