Article by VMRC - Saltwater Review
Wachapreague
Staff at the Wachapreague Marina report that 20 dolphin, a few bluefin tuna, and the occasional yellowfin tuna were caught last week. Inshore, the flounder bite has slowed, but there are still keepers being caught.
At Captain Zed’s, local anglers caught flounder last week. One citation was reported (7 pounds, 6 ounces) around Drawing Channel. Croaker were also in the area, and most were caught around Cedar Island Cove (north and east of the inlet). A few have also been found in the Green Channel (near the north end of the island).
Cape Charles
Chris’ Bait and Tackle reports that croaker fishing was doing well near Oyster and around the Concrete Ships at Kiptopeke this week. Sea mullet were found around Buoy 13 and Oyster with a few croaker mixed in. Flounder were hooked around Buoy 42, the High Rise, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Good catches of cobia were reported at Buoy 16, and spadefish were hooked around the 3rd and 4th islands.
Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel
Staff at the Sunset Boating Center reported nice catches of flounder in the area. Headboats did really well last week with small croaker.
No citations were reported from Salt Ponds Marina last week. However, everyone seemed to find keepers at last weekend’s flounder tournament, even if there weren’t any whoppers. The tournament winning fish was 6 pounds, 5 ounces.
Kathy, at Wallace’s Marina, saw a few more cobia come in last week. She also reported keeper flounder at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, along with nice-sized spot and croaker catches. Spadefish were trickling in from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and speckled trout were reported from the river.
At the York River Fishing Center, staff reported that the croaker began getting bigger last week in the York River. As the temperatures heated up, so did the flounder fishing, especially around the York Spit Reef. Cobia were also caught last week around York Spit.
Virginia Beach
Dr. Julie Ball, IGFA International Representative for Virginia Beach, contributed the following:
It’s hot! But the summer fishing trend along the mid-Atlantic is going strong. Luck paired with good weather could mean a promising weekend for anglers, with the main interest still centered on flounder and cobia.
Cobia action picked up a little last week. Both Latimer Shoals and the Nine Foot Shoals were producing for those anchored and chumming, while the Baltimore Channel area and the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel were producing for top water casters. Some sight-casters were hooking up to a dozen fish in an outing. Many of these fish were beginning to group into pods as they collected at the mouth of the Bay.
With the water in the Bay clearing last week, the flounder action is picking up. Many folks reported modest catches but quality fish. Many flatfish ranging from 3 to 7 pounds were caught, with the best results coming from offering live bait along the bridge pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, especially north of the 4th Island and along the High Rise area. The Cell also turned on last week, with anglers reporting limits of nice keepers. Both peanut bunker and small spot or croaker are good choices for bait. Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets had plenty of shorts to pick through, with a smattering of keepers mixed in.
Drum are still on the loose in the lower Bay, with red drum enthusiasts chasing large schools swimming on the surface along the Eastern Shore shoals lately. Pods of black drum are roaming the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, but the dirty water made it difficult to find the fish last week.
Spanish mackerel are still dominating the trolling scene along the oceanfront. The best catches are coming in 40 to 45 feet of water, about two to three miles off of Rudee Inlet. Quickly trolled small spoons on small planers will do the trick. Most of the fish are ranging from 16 to 21 inches, with a surplus of tailor bluefish in the mix. Puppy drum (juvenile red drum) measuring up to 23 inches were beginning to respond within Lynnhaven this week.
Croaker are everywhere from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The area off Kiptopeke State Park is also a favorite location lately, where nice sized sea mullet are also mixed in. Good catches of small hardheads are also coming from the Small Boat Channel near the 1st Island. Anglers heading to Oyster are finding good croaker action, with most fish in the medium size range, and a few larger fish are also starting to show. Spot are also biting along the oceanfront and the southern shores of the lower Bay, as well as near the Bay Bridge Tunnel. A few keeper-sized spot are also hitting within Lynnhaven Inlet.
Spadefish are still available at the Chesapeake Light Tower, the Tower Reef, nearshore and inshore wrecks, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Cell, and Plantation Light. The fish are biting well near the High Rise area, but most fish are still ranging around 3 pounds.
Some large sheepshead are taking bait around the Bay Bridge Tunnel structure this week. Both clam and fiddlers, dangled in range of these feisty fighters, are working well. Plenty of triggerfish are also biting at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, as well as on several inshore wrecks.
The folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle reported a few tarpon hook-ups and jump-offs on the Eastern Shore last week. A nice 51-inch silver king gave one angler a run for his money recently. The mighty fish was released after the angler skillfully subdued the fish on a fly rod. Deep-dropping is still a good choice, with decent blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, blackbelly rosefish, and nice grouper on the menu. Black sea bass are also available on many inshore wrecks and deepwater structures. Amberjack are still taking most any live bait offered on several offshore wrecks and at the South Tower. Take plenty of bait, and plan for a hot day.
Offshore, the billfish bite is still scattered. A few white marlin and a smattering of blues and sailfish are making things interesting near the Cigar recently. Some big dolphin are showing here and there, with surprise mako sharks still a possibility. School-sized bluefin tuna are still available on the inshore lumps, with king mackerel a possibility in these same areas.
Outer Banks, NC
Offshore fishing out of Nags Head continued to produce limits of dolphin. Tuna have been continuing their good show with yellowfin, blackfin, and skipjack tuna. Wahoo and king mackerel were around but not in very good numbers. Billfishermen saw most of their catches comprised of blue marlin with a few white marlin and sailfish in the mix.
Bottom-droppers caught blueline tilefish, grouper (snowy, gag, and yellowedge), vermillion snapper, red snapper, sea bass, and triggerfish. Eight to ten miles offshore, anglers hooked striped bass, red drum, and cobia.
Near shore, surf and pier fishermen had good luck with Spanish mackerel and bluefish, but the runs could be brief.
Bottom fishermen in the nearshore zone were catching spot, croaker, pompano, puffers, sea mullet, and rays. In the sounds and inlet, numerous flounder were being caught, but a large number of them were throwbacks. Speckled trout could be caught around the Washington Baum Bridge and Melvin Daniels Bridge but only in the early morning and late evening. Sheepshead, spadefish, and black drum were around the Oregon Inlet Bridge.
South of Oregon Inlet, the surf fishing has been good with spot, croaker, and sea mullet being caught in copious quantities. Ramps 43 and 44 were hotspots for the sea mullet, but you better have fresh bloodworms on your hooks. Avon had bluefish and sea mullet in the area. The National Park Service has opened up a corridor on the beach, east of Ramp 44, to ORV traffic for people to access the Point. People making that trek found bluefish and puppy drum (juvenile red drum).
For those offshore fishing out of Hatteras Inlet, dolphin were being caught along with blackfin tuna, a few wahoo, amberjack, and a lone sailfish. Inside the inlet, speckled trout, grey trout, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel were caught.
