Article by VMRC - Saltwater Review
Overview
The drum have arrived! Large black and red drum were reported from several locations this week, including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the surf on the islands of the Eastern Shore from Fisherman’s Island to the Assateague Beaches. Flounder action is hot out of Wachapreague and other seaside areas of the Eastern Shore. Croaker have arrived in the upper bay, and a few trophy striped bass have been picked up around the area as well.
Chincoteague
Donna, at Captain Bob’s, reports that fishing is doing really well around Chincoteague, despite the blustery weather. Flounder are doing especially well, with anglers catching their limits in the Queen’s Sound (on the North side of the bridge) and at the Four Mouths near Markers 5 and 6. They have also been biting in the Assateague Channel, but the throwback ratio is higher in that area. Flounder have also been caught in front of Captain Bob’s and Daisy’s Dockside. Nice black drum were caught in Queen’s Sound on squid and from the surf at Assateague Beach. Nice striped bass, 34 to 42 inches, were hooked from the surf at Assateague as well.
Wachapreague
Great flounder fishing was reported from the Wachapreague Marina this week. Anglers leaving Wachapreague are returning with limits of keeper flounder, and the largest fish this week was 26.5 inches. The hot spots have been in Drawing and Green Channels.
Staff at Captain Zed’s agrees that the flounder fishing has been excellent. Anglers are catching a lot of fish, with a throwback ratio of 1 keeper for every 10 undersized fish. Bulls Head is producing, as well as Green and Drawing Channels and Seal Creek. Anglers are also catching black drum in the surf off of Paramore Island. The largest so far has been 77 pounds.
Cape Charles
Staff at Chris’ Bait and Tackle reported red and black drum being hooked out of the surf on the Eastern Shore. Flounder are biting well on the seaside (near Oyster), and a trophy striped bass was caught at the High Rise of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel weighing over 40 pounds.
Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel
Anglers are still catching flounder at the mouth of Back River, according to staff at Wallace’s Bait and Tackle. There are a number of keepers reported from that area.
Staff at the York River Fishing Center report that croaker are running in their area. They have been caught throughout the area and at the Gloucester Point Pier.
Ken Neill, of the Peninsula Anglers Club and IGFA representative, contributed the following:
Bull reds are being pulled from the surf line along Fisherman's and Smith Island. Small to medium sized black drum are being caught in the same area and inside some of the seaside inlets.
Flounder have been hit and miss lately but enough fish are around to keep anglers fishing. The bite has been good in the Eastern Shore seaside inlets.
Croaker are biting in the rivers from the James to the Rappahannock with the occasional fish pushing the 3-pound mark. A few citation-sized speckled trout have been caught in the Mobjack Bay area. May 1 was the start of the two-week trophy striped bass season. You are allowed to keep one rockfish, at least 32 inches long, per person per day. Some nice fish are being caught at the CBBT around the rock islands and some larger rockfish have been encountered in the area of Fisherman’s and Smith Islands. Small bluefish are throughout the lower bay.
Tuna fishing continues to be very good out of Oregon Inlet. This past week, boats from Virginia got in on the action by running to the Triple 0s area.
Virginia Beach
Staff at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center reports catches of flounder, speckled trout, and puppy drum (juvenile red drum) in the inlet, and small bluefish from the beaches. At the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, anglers have seen good black and red drum fishing with a few trophy striped bass reported as well. Several flounder and speckled trout citations were reported this week.
Outer Banks, NC
Offshore fishing out of Nags head saw improved bluefish tuna landings compared to the last few weeks.
Yellowfin, bigeye and blackfin tuna catches were also reported. Other species chasing after trolled baits included dolphin and wahoo.
Deep bottom droppers were catching blueline tilefish, amberjack, and vermillion snapper.
Closer to shore, bottom fishing around the artificial reefs produced sheepshead, black drum and triggerfish. Pier and surf fishermen saw good numbers of bluefish, sea mullet, croaker and puffers.
In the sounds, seatrout and flounder were the mainstays. Look for the trout around the bridges and flounder in the shallows around some of the small islands.
South of Oregon Inlet, the drum fishing was still slow last week. Bluefish could be caught on metal and cut bait on the north beaches. Sea mullet, puffers, and some black drum were biting around Ramps 43 and 44.
Offshore fishing out of Hatteras Inlet produced good catches of king mackerel and yellowfin tuna when the wind allowed. Bottom fishing was good as well with black drum and tilefish. Inside the sound bluefish and puppy drum (juvenile red drum) were being caught.
