Article by Julie Ball
While keeping a watchful eye on hurricane threats to the southeast, anglers were scrambling to get in some fishing before any inclement weather moves in.
Cobia action has been outstanding so far this year, and last week was no different. Their late summer trend of favoring buoys and bridge pilings is gaining momentum. More fish are also cruising along the surface, making promising targets for sight casters. This pattern will only improve over the next several weeks. Cobia chummers are still scoring with decent fish within Bay waters, with Bluefish Rock and Latimer Shoal favorite cobia spots lately.
With the recent rain and easterly winds, the incredible flounder activity from a couple of weeks ago has eased up. Although not on fire, some nice fish are still available for those putting in the time. Larger fish are responding to live bait along the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Drifters are finding keepers in the lower bay inlets, the small boat channel south of the 1st Island, the Baltimore Channel passing near Cape Henry, the Thimble Shoal Channel, Buoy 42, and Back River Reef. Fresh strip bait is working well right now for drifters. Glenn Plomchok of Midlothian boated a nice 8 pound, 12-ounce doormat while working live bait near the CBBT.
The sheepshead were alert last week, with nice fish taking fiddler crabs, crab, and clam. The entire span of the Bay Bridge tunnel, as well as all the tubes of the artificial islands, are holding fish. Justin Hurst of Suffolk found several willing sheepshead while working the CBBT structure with fiddler crabs, with his largest going to just over 11-pounds. The trigger fish action is still a go, with bigger fish starting to show. With no limits on triggers, anglers are loading up on these fish from the CBBT structure.
Spanish mackerel are available off Cape Henry, the Ocean Front, over the tubes of the CBBT, and along tide rips in the lower and middle Bay areas. These fish will chase small spoons trolled at a quick clip. King mackerel are beginning to show promise off the coast line from Virginia Beach to the Carolina line, where mostly smaller kings are hitting trolled baits and spoons lately. Captain Jake Hiles aboard the “Matador” out of Rudee Inlet had a few snake sized kings take his trolled offerings several miles off the beach last week.
Red drum are on a late-season roll, with good action around the 3rd and 4th islands of the CBBT, the Nine Foot Shoal, and Latimer Shoal. Black drum are still schooled at the 3rd and 4th islands, but not for long.
Decent croaker are available near the MMBT and the CBBT, with the 2nd island a good place to try lately. Areas off Kiptopeke and Cherrystone on the Eastern Shore are also holding big hardheads. The croaker bite in Oyster slowed a little last week, but should pick back up with warming temperatures. Nice spot are also making a showing near the 1st island, and within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets. Puppy drum are still a good bet in both Rudee and Lynnhaven, with cut bait working well.
Virginia’s tarpon action is down once again. According to Chris at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, the recent cool-down dropped the water temperature to 77-degrees on the seaside of Oyster. Tarpon thrive in tropical waters, so a few hot days could rekindle the bite. Before the water temperatures dropped, Ryan Walten of Mechanicsville released a huge 76-inch silver king on live bait while fishing on the Eastern Shore.
Big amberjack will take any offering at the South A Tower right now. Several boats are detouring to the Tower after a slow offshore bite. Jack Crevelle will settle in at the Chesapeake Light Tower later this month. We spotted a school cruising up the Baltimore Channel at the mouth of the Bay last week.
Offshore, the billfish bite is heating up, and should continue to improve through the month. Blue and white marlin are possibilities, with a good number of sailfish in the mix this year. The “Backlash”, skippered by Captain Steve Richardson out of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, released two white marlin and a blue while fishing at the Canyon last week.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. Representative for Virginia Beach, VA. You can find Dr. Julie’s reports at www.drjball.com.