Article by Julie Ball
The saltwater fishing scene off Virginia continues to improve with each passing day, and with another beautiful weekend on the horizon, many anglers will surely have a good window to get their dads out to try their luck on the water.
Although cobia are peaking many angler’s interest, the bite seems to be on the slower side compared to the past few years. Those who are chumming are finding the best results. Areas off Hampton, from north of the Rockpile to Buckroe Beach are producing a few decent fish, while Latimer Shoal is also giving up scattered fish in the 60-pound range. Although folks are reporting sightings of cobia on the surface in the lower Bay and near the Bay Bridge Tunnel, the fish have been slow to respond to casters. Although working hard for their catches, most sightcasters are finding that eels are their best bet.
The flounder scene held steady within the lower Bay last week. Keepers are coming from Oyster, off Kiptopeke and near the four islands of the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Anglers are finding luck working jigs and live bait around the pilings and the tubes of the CBBT, as well as drifting strip baits and minnows along drop-offs and channels. The 4th Island was particularly productive last week. The lower Bay inlets are also producing some keeper flatties. Both drifters and waders are scoring with more consistent catches near the Lesner Bridge in Lynnhaven.
The red drum interest is now mostly overshadowed by other species. The folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle tell that the red drum are still available on the Nine-foot Shoal and along Fisherman’s Island, although most are measuring under 40-inches lately. A few nicer fish are still coming from around the CBBT and large schools of bulls were still cruising on the surface along the coast from Sandbridge to False Cape last week. A few black drum are coming from the four artificial islands of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, where casters are picking away at fish on bucktails as well as crabs, peelers, and sea clams.
Spadefish have been a disappointment for the last few years; so many folks don’t even bother fishing for them anymore. Although slow, a few spades were boated at Light Tower last week. Fish weighing up to around 5-pounds are still being caught on clams from the 3rd and 4th Islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Sheepshead action is on the rise, with nice fish taking offerings all along the bridge’s structure and on lower Bay wrecks. Bill Knapp of Virginia Beach and his crew boated a limit of fish up to 12-pounds, 12-ounces while fishing at the CBBT last week.
Spanish mackerel made a good showing along the Virginia Beach coastline last week, with some fish pushing to around 20-inches. Trolled, small Drone and Clark spoons will do the trick on mackerel, along with a mixed bag of tailor bluefish. Small bluefish, croaker and spot are available in both the Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. Small croaker and tailor bluefish are hitting at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, while croaker and sea mullet are also biting off Ocean View and around the CBBT. The folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that several boats are scoring with big bluefish pushing to over 30-inches just outside of the Little Creek jetties lately.
Nice sea bass are hitting on a few wrecks and structures about 30-miles offshore. Deep droppers working the Canyon edges are also finding some sea bass, along with decent numbers of deep water species, such as blueline tilefish, grouper and barrelfish. Catches of golden tilefish and black bellied rosefish are coming from water deeper than 50-fathoms. Those willing to make the run can find amberjack beginning to school around offshore wrecks and the South Tower.
A few boats made the run offshore to the warmer water near the Triple 0’s last week. The “Top Notch”, skippered by Captain Russ Kostinas out of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, had a good day with two white marlin releases, a blue marlin release and a smattering of gaffer dolphin. Most of his action came in 50-fathoms of water. Other boats testing out this water also encountered several billfish. An occasional yellowfin tuna or mako shark is also a possibility.
For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
