Article by Julie Ball
Anglers have been blessed with some decent weather conditions for most of the summer season, but rain and a stiff northeasterly wind kept keep many boats off the water last weekend.
Most of the inshore scene is dominated by cobia, which continue to make a strong showing for both chummers and topwater casters, with several fish pushing to over 60-pounds hitting the docks last week. Many cobia are displaying a late summer trend of circling buoys and cruising in pods on the surface in lower Bay and oceanfront waters.
Big red drum are still providing casting opportunities as they form into large schools around the lower Bay, offering a welcome alternative for casters.
Schools of jack crevelle are also streaking around the mouth of the Bay, which is common for this time of year. Hook-ups with these powerhouses provided some thrilling battles for a few anglers last week.
Flounder continued to please last week with decent-sized flatfish filling coolers. Some of the better hauls are still coming from nearshore and offshore wrecks, with the 3rd and 4th Islands of the CBBT also hosting some fat keepers for those working jigs and live bait. Local inlets and shallows are also producing some flounder up to around 20-inches on the Eastern Shore and the Southside.
Sheepshead are still a sure thing along the Bay Bridge Tunnel structure, with more fish beginning to respond over the tubes. Spadefish are available at the Chesapeake Light Tower, the Tower Reef, several inshore and offshore wrecks and the CBBT, but these fish have become more finicky lately. Triggerfish are hitting in these same areas, with some pushing to over 3-pounds. Triggers and sea bass are also feeding on some inshore and nearshore structures.
Small to medium-sized croaker are available in lower Bay inlets and deeper channels around the lower Bay, while medium to large hardheads are still responding inside Magothy Bay near Buoy 262, and in the backwaters of Oyster, along with some spot and sea mullet.
Tarpon are active in the backwaters of Oyster, but easterly winds slowed the bite last week.
Trollers are finding lots of accommodating Spanish mackerel along the oceanfront, from Cape Henry to Sandbridge. Tailor bluefish continue to supplement these catches, with quickly trolled small gold and silver spoons the best lures for these fish.
King mackerel continue to prowl the surflines and tidelines off Virginia Beach, along with plenty of toothy sharks. The recent interest in sharks is making this a popular option, although most are too small to keep lately. Be sure to review the regulations before targeting sharks.
Some bailer dolphin are still responding for boats near the Chesapeake Light Tower this week.
Deep dropping action is still good. Boats running out to investigate the Canyon edges are scoring with big blueline tilefish, barrelfish, grouper, blackbellied rosefish and nice sea bass. Amberjack are available on several wrecks and around the southern towers.
Offshore, billfish action could stand a jump-start, and the northeasterly blow last weekend could get the job done. Some white marlin, blue marlin and roundscale spearfish are showing up in spreads lately, and this action should improve over the upcoming weeks. A big white was all it took for local boat, the ‘Back Lash’ out of The Virginia Beach Fishing Center to take the lead in the White Marlin Open in Ocean City last week. The skipper, Capt. Steve Richardson and angler Cheryl McLeskey, both from Virginia Beach, took the big money with a stout 94-pounder. Scattered yellowfin tuna, and some nice bigeye tuna are also around, along with some really big dolphin. Wahoo are also becoming more common.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A Representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to drjball.com.
