Article by Julie Ball
Inshore species are providing some good action, but most people are watching the developing offshore bite. The incredible run of bigeye tuna is drawing anglers out to the blue water in hopes of tangling with one of the hardest fighting fish in the deep.
Cobia got the inshore nod last week. The larger fish finally made an entrance. Several big fish, ranging from 65 to 80-pounds, have hit the scales, with reports of schools of big cobia spotted throughout the lower Bay. Sightcasters are having the best luck with the larger fish right now, with most any offering working. Chummers are still scoring with keeper- sized fish using chunks of bunker, live eels and live croaker fished on the bottom. The best locations for chumming lately are the seaside areas of Fisherman’s Island, the Nine Foot Shoal and Latimer shoal, but the trash fish and sharks continue to harass anglers to no end. Some of these sharks are reaching gigantic sizes of over 8-feet long.
Red drum are still schooling around the mouth of the Bay and off Cape Henry, with several catches of bulls over 48-inches keeping sightcasters content. Schools of jack crevelle have also been spotted in the same areas.
To most flounder pounder’s dismay, the flatfish action is still not materializing in the usual summer fashion. The bite continues to lag for the season, although some scattered trophies are still around for the taking. Most of the bigger fish are coming from around structure on jigs or live bait, especially near the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) and along the High Rise span area. Many of these flatfish are averaging around 4-pounds, with a few pushing to over 8-pounds. Boats drifting with strip baits and minnows are finding some decent fish near the Cell, the Hampton Bar and along the Thimble Shoal Channel. Inside Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, flounder enthusiasts are finding some keepers measuring up to 20-inches.
Sheepshead action is still very good, with fish weighing up to 14-pounds taking fiddler crabs or clam presented along the Bridge Tunnel complex. Plenty of big triggerfish are also available in these same areas. Spadefish are still schooling around nearshore wrecks, the span of the CBBT as well as the High Rise area. Most spades are weighing around 3 to 5-pounds, but the interest is low.
Spanish mackerel action took a breather last week, with the predominant westerly winds pushing the action further off the coast up to 10-miles out. A nice class of fish have been available this season, with many fish pushing to over 2-pounds. Tailor bluefish are also mixed in with the Spanish. Rumors of king mackerel sightings continue to trickle in.
Decent sized spot are still around, with Lynnhaven Inlet and Little Creek providing the best action last week. Croaker are everywhere from the HRBT to the CBBT, but the best hauls are coming from the backwaters of Oyster. Big sea mullet are still hanging around the High Rise span of the CBBT and off the Concrete Ships, with a few pushing to well over a pound.
In keeping with tradition, tarpon and speckled trout anglers are hush-hush about their catches, but rumors of a few tarpon hook-ups and releases are circulating. Specks are coming from both the seaside and Bayside creeks on the Eastern Shore, as well as the Poquoson Flats and lower Bay inlets. Puppy drum are also very active in many of these same areas.
Amberjack are a no-brainer at the South Tower and several offshore wrecks, but boats are running past these areas to get to the bluewater action offshore. Deep-drop species were also a little safer last week due to the same scenario.
Offshore boats are prepping, rigging and loading up with their heaviest trolling gear to battle the uncommon, powerful bigeye tuna. This season’s surprise bigeye bite is one of the best that anyone can remember, with explosive runs and multiple hook-ups with tuna exceeding 200-pounds. Big yellowfin tuna, nice wahoo and plenty of bailer and gaffer mahi are also filling boxes. If that’s not enough, billfish have joined in the scene. Several white and blue marlin were released last week, and with the recent cold snap, this action could become even hotter. Now is the time to plan your offshore trip.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
