Article by Julie Ball
Spring is here, and the local saltwater fishing scene is taking off a little behind the curve. With some challenging weather keeping many boats at the dock lately, anglers are ready to get out and test the waters. A promising short-term forecast should provide folks with that opportunity this weekend.
The tautog season went out with a bang. Just before the season closed on May 1st, anglers were loading up with respectable fish from structures all over the lower Bay. The best catches were coming from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel proper, where multiple limits were the norm. Now you will have to wait until the fall to get back in on the tog action. But in the meantime, anglers can look forward to the black sea bass season reopening on May 19th. These fish must measure at least 12.5-inches, and you can hold on to 15 fish per person this year. Sea bass can be found closer to shore, but the best selections will continue to come from near shore and deeper water wrecks.
Most attention seems to be oriented towards the emerging flounder bite. As is the usual trend, the action from the shallows and backwaters off the Eastern Shore is providing the leading edge of this fishery. Folks trying their luck out of Oyster and Wachapreague are finding willing takers, with some flatties pushing to around 5 to 7 lbs. last week. Drifted strip baits and gudgeons are still the mainstay bait combination for this popular species.
Speckled trout are still around for catch-and-release action in the Elizabeth River and inlets, but most are losing interest with the newly arriving line-up.
Inshore anglers are racking up on spunky puppy drum from most any protected water location off the lower Bay right now. Folks can keep up to three fish per person, stretching from 18 to 26-inches. Casting lures or presenting cut bait within Rudee, Little Creek or Lynnhaven Inlets has been effective lately. Anglers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the larger version of the puppy drum, the bull red drum. Once these aggressive hunters crash the Eastern Shore barrier islands, they will be hungry. Their close cousin, the black drum, is also making a quiet showing as they feather in along the Eastern Shore seaside inlets from Great Machipongo Inlet down to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
Pier anglers are content with a decent showing of croaker along the lower Bay shorelines, with a smattering of Tailor bluefish and nice sea mullet to add to their bounties. Anglers are catching dozens of hardheads on bloodworms and squid. The croaker bite is also heating up off Willoughby and the Buckroe Fishing Pier off Hampton. A few surprise catches of pollock in these areas are making things interesting.
The deep water off the Virginia coast is still the place to be if you are in the mood to crank up tilefish, black bellied rosefish and grouper from over 300 feet of water. Even if you beat the weather, plenty of dog fish are ready to compete for your bait right now, and black sea bass are still illegal to keep for now.
Offshore anglers are still enjoying the tuna bite off Carolina, with 40-pound class yellowfin, blackfin and scattered bluefin around, be sure to review the regulations before you go. Some of the Virginia fleet is also partaking in some of the action when they make the long run. Scattered wahoo, dolphin, mako sharks, and billfish are also providing some variety.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
