Article by Julie Ball
Since Hampton Roads was spared from Hurricane Arthur, anglers were able to salvage the later part of the Independence Day weekend. And with a variety of species available, many anglers made the most of the blessing.
The emerging summer flounder scene continues to draw a lot of attention, with nice doormats weighing up to 10-pounds hitting the scales lately. Anglers working structure with jigs adorned with artificial baits such as Gulp! Jerk Shads and live bait are scoring along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) pilings and tubes. The 3rd and 1st island areas of the CBBT and Back River Reef are the best flattie hot spots this week. A few keepers are also responding within both Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, while the Eastern Shore seaside inlets continue to hold their own lately, with several reported limits of keepers last week.
Cobia action is still good, but the folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that the larger fish are harder to come by lately. Some days are better than others, but most of the fish are averaging under 35-pounds. A few bruisers are still making it back to the dock, with scattered 70 and 80-pounders thrilling a few lucky anglers last week. Sightcasters are finding fish cruising in open waters around the lower Bay, from the Baltimore Channel to the 3rd Island area. Bluefish Rock, Latimer Shoals and the Nine-Foot Shoal area are still decent locations for chummers, but anglers are complaining that sharks are relentless right now.
Big red drum continue to provide mid-summer action as they school around lower Bay shoals and along the oceanfront. While not drawing much interest lately, black drum are also still hitting for casters around the 3rd and 4th Islands of the CBBT on Storm lures and grubs.
The excellent Spanish mackerel bite happening in lower Bay waters and along the oceanfront was a crowd pleaser last week. Captain Neal Taylor aboard the “Catherine Anne” out of Rudee Inlet reports that he is catching easy limits of big mackerel averaging 21 to 22-inches, and larger. The best action is happening on small silver and gold spoons trolled way far back.
Spadefish are still available at the Chesapeake Light Tower, inshore wrecks and at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The 1st and 3rd Islands, as well as the high rise area are still the top spade producing locations at the CBBT. The size of the fish this year seems to be an improvement over recent years, with anglers reporting fish ranging 6 to 8-pounds recently. Plenty of aggressive triggerfish are intervening spadefish efforts in these same areas.
Sheepshead action is still very good along the CBBT, with both fiddlers and clams getting the job done. The Seagull Fishing Pier is seeing some exceptional action lately, with another possible state leader tipping the scale at 17 lbs. 14 oz. caught off the pier last week. Several sheeps weighing up to around 14-pounds were also landed off the pier.
Spot and good numbers of puppy drum are still hitting inside Rudee, Little Creek and Lynnhaven Inlets, along with some speckled trout.
Croaker pushing to over 3/4 pounds are lurking around the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, the Cell and off the Concrete Ships. Decent sized hardhead are also providing anglers with good catches in the deeper holes and channels in the backwater areas of Oyster.
Tarpon made their debut on the Eastern Shore, with sightings of silver kings motivating tarpon hunters to head for the shallows of Oyster. Most reported big sharks and other trash fish last week.
Amberjack are peaking some curiosity since the Virginia offshore scene is struggling, but many folks don’t want to pay the fuel bill to make the run. For deep droppers, blueline tilefish, grouper, golden tilefish, black bellied rosefish and scattered jumbo sea bass are available along the floor at the Norfolk Canyon.
The offshore bite off Virginia is still awaiting an awakening. Trollers are still targeting yellowfin tuna with few takers, but bailer dolphin and a few big bulls are rounding out catches. Folks running to the north and south are finding better luck with some yellowfin, scattered bigeyes and bluefin tuna also available. Billfish releases are becoming more common, and mako sharks are also around.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
