Article by Julie Ball
The summer fishing trend is in full swing, with good catches happening most everywhere inshore. On the other hand, the bluewater action could use some improvement. The offshore fleet is working hard for their catches lately, but this trend should improve when the billfish become more plentiful in a few weeks.
Inshore, limits of respectable cobia continue to keep anglers content. These fish are certainly easy to come by as they are spotted cruising in lower Bay waters. Most cobia are ranging around 30 to 45-pounds, with scattered 60 to 70-pounders in the mix.
Steady action is keeping chummers on their toes, but this activity is still hindered by trash fish and bothersome sharks. The best locations for chumming are the seaside areas of Fisherman’s Island, the Nine Foot Shoal, and Latimer Shoal. Red drum are also providing top water action as they school around the mouth of the Bay, especially near the Baltimore Channel.
The flounder scene experienced an upswing in the abundance of fish last week. Many boats are limiting out with nice sized flatties, with many averaging around 4-pounds or more.
Anglers dropping live bait and jigs on lower Bay structures and inshore wrecks are finding responsive fish, especially around the 1st, 3rd and 4th Islands at the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Within the Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, flounder enthusiasts are finding good catches measuring up to around 20-inches recently.
Sheepshead action is still very good, with fish ranging between 10 and 13-pounds taking fiddler crabs presented along the Bridge Tunnel complex, with few sheep coming from the Seagull Pier last week. Plenty of greedy triggerfish are still available in these same areas, with some fish weighing over 2-pounds.
Spadefish are schooling at the Chesapeake Light Tower, on nearshore wrecks and along much of the span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Most of these fish are weighing between 3 and 5-pounds. Inshore wrecks are also harboring some nice sea bass and flounder.
Spanish mackerel continue to hit very well off the Virginia Beach oceanfront, from Rudee Inlet to Sandbridge. Captain Jake Hiles, skipper of the “Matador” from Rudee Inlet, reports the fish are holding in anywhere from 15 to 30-feet of water lately. Plenty of tailor bluefish are also mixed in with the Spanish. Some king mackerel are available in the same areas, with scattered rumors of hook-ups. Shark fishing is still very good in this vicinity, with some big sharks common lately.
Bottom bouncers are having a good season, with croaker hitting most everywhere in lower Bay waters and inlets. Small to medium-sized spot are also making a showing along the oceanfront and Rudee Inlet, with sea mullet rounding out catches, especially on the Eastern Shore side of the Bay near the High Rise section of the CBBT and the Concrete Ships.
The tarpon scene on the Eastern Shore continues to develop, but not many are talking about it. Sliver kings have been sighted, with some hook-ups and jump-offs reported recently.
Deep droppers are still pulling in good numbers of tilefish, rosefish, wreckfish and grouper, along with a smattering of sea bass near the Norfolk Canyon edges. Amberjack are ready for action on several ocean wrecks and at the South Tower. Jigs and live bait work well for these powerful fighters.
On the offshore scene, some wahoo, yellowfin tuna and nice bigeye tuna are around, but huge sharks are making it difficult to get the tuna to the boat. Some decent mahi are also hitting, with a few gaffers weighing in at over 25-pounds caught last week. Some boats are catching mahi along weed lines around 20-miles off the coast, and false albacore made a good showing near the Fingers and other inshore sea mounts last week. Some billfish are showing up, but the bite is still happening for mostly live-baiters.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A Representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to drjball.com.
