Article by Julie Ball
The Independence Day weekend should have offered some explosive fishing. The weather forecast was good, and the fish were biting.
Cobia catches are constant this week, with fish to over 60-pounds boated. Many cobia are free-swimming on the surface, where sight casters are having good luck. Boats chumming on the shoals are also faring well. The Inner Middle grounds and Latimer Shoal are providing good catches of live croakers, eels, and cut bait.
The flounder action is looking up with limits of keeper fish becoming more common. Anglers are pounding the Bay Bridge Tunnel and other lower bay structures, mostly with live bait and jigs. Live spot is working well near structure, while 2-ounce jig heads adorned with shad-style plastics are a good choice for jigging around the piling bases. Strip baits are also producing some decent fish. Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets are also giving up some catches of keeper flatfish lately. Andrew Reid of Virginia Beach scored with an 8 lb., 10 oz. doormat near the CBBT on a live spot this week.
The Spanish mackerel scene is a hot topic right now. Folks trolling the Virginia Beach shorelines are finding good limits of Spanish mackerel and a smattering of Tailor bluefish. Small silver and gold spoons weighted with in-line sinkers will do the trick in anywhere from 18 to 30 feet of water. King mackerel are next. Anglers continue to report sightings of kings skying and crashing on bait.
Spadefish are pretty much everywhere right now. The Chesapeake Light Tower and the CBBT are giving up good numbers of decent fish, with a few exceeding 9-pounds. The Cell area is still the best area for the largest fish.
Tautog are also back in the picture, with anglers beginning to show some interest. Tog are available along the structure of the CBBT, and on most inshore and nearshore wrecks. According to the folks at Ocean’s East 2, the best tog bite is at the High Rise lately.
Sheepshead anglers know that fish are hitting in select areas along the CBBT right now. Lots of patience is the secret to a successful sheep trip. Some boats are finding dozens of willing fish, with most topping the 10-pound minimum size requirement for a state citation. Clam and fiddler crabs work well for both tog and sheepshead this time of year. A good showing of trigger fish in the same areas are also keeping things interesting.
Although red drum are becoming more elusive, a few big reds are still taking baits intended for cobia on the Nine Foot Shoal area. Black drum continue to bite around the artificial islands of the CBBT, where anglers are hooking an occasional fish while casting grubs and shads.
Puppy drum are active in the lower Bay inlets and along the HRBT. The Fishing Center reports that spot showed up inside Rudee Inlet. Croaker are an easy target throughout the Lower Bay, with some fish pushing 1.5 pounds near the Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Cell. The flurry of anglers rushing into Oyster is an indication that hardheads made their debut in their back waters, where tarpon sightings should also come soon.
Amberjack are a good bet at the Southern Towers and some offshore wrecks such as the Triangles, and the Ricks and Hanks wrecks. Live bait is working well, while jigs are also a good alternative bait. Most reports indicate the jacks are on the smallish size, with a smattering of larger fish around.
Deep droppers are still finding plenty of nice tilefish, wreckfish, and blackbelly rosefish. The new pending state record blueline tilefish was caught this last week by Kenny Bowe, while deep dropping with his son Lance and his buddy, Mike Atkins, near the Canyon edge. The fish was weighed in at Chris’ Bait and Tackle at a whopping 20 lbs. 10 oz.
Plenty of nice sea bass are available on the nearshore wrecks as well as structures to around 30-miles out.
The offshore season is offering some good options. Billfish are starting to show, but the yellowfin tuna action is claiming the most attention. Plenty of yellowfin ranging up to 65-pounds are making a good presentation near the 300-line along the 100 fathom curve. Bluefin tuna are also adding to the menu, with fish ranging to over 100 pounds biting near the south east Lumps and the Fingers. A few big eye tuna, gaffer dolphin, wahoo, and mako sharks are also in the mix.
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.