Article by Julie Ball
Summer has officially started and it looks like the cobia finally got the word. Although the bite is still not great, it is improving each day. Those who are offering chum and cut bunker are still having the best luck. The bite off Hampton slowed, but several fish are coming from the Eastern Shore side of the Bay this week. According to Chris at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, chummers sitting on Latimer Shoals and the Inner Middle Grounds have weighed in fish to over 70-pounds. Most of these boats are toting in two to three fish, mostly in the 25 to 45-pound range. Sightcasters are also seeing an improvement in the top water cobia action, with several fish falling to eels and bucktails this week.
With the clearer water lately, flounder action is picking up. The biggest surge is coming from the Cell this week. At the Bay Bridge Tunnel, the 4th Island and the bend at the 3rd Island is producing for drifters, while those working structure with jigs and live bait are finding good numbers of nice keepers. Anglers fishing in the Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlet are still having good luck with the flatfish, but shorts are defiantly dominating catches.
The Virginia Beach Fishing Center reports that the Spanish mackerel bite along the Virginia Beach oceanfront is still steady. Boats are filling their limits with nice fish ranging from 16 to 24-inches. Small Clark and Drone spoons trolled at 5 to 6 knots is enticing the best response, along with an abundance of tailor bluefish.
Spadefish are still skittish at the Chesapeake Light Tower and near shore wrecks, but folks are enticing a few takers. The best luck on spades is coming from Plantation Light, the Cell and around the islands of the CBBT where fish are averaging around 4-pounds.
Sheepshead action turned on over the past week, with several fish over 10-pounds boated from the CBBT complex. If you happen to catch a tautog while fishing these same areas, you are in luck since the season reopened last week. Triggerfish should also start biting in these same areas soon.
Black drum are schooled around the artificial islands of the Bridge Tunnel. Several blacks have been caught by anglers targeting spadefish. Remember that black drum require extra time while reviving them in order to increase their survival rate. A few red drum are still taking baits along the Eastern Shore shoals, especially the Nine Foot Shoals.
Larger croaker are lurking around the James River Bridge, the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel and off Ocean View. The Oyster croaker run also started up this week. One boat caught 40 hardheads in the medium to large range while fishing this area. Croaker are also up for grabs within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlet, along with spot, scattered puppy drum, and speckled trout.
Amberjack are enticing a few anglers to make the long run to the Southern Towers lately where many pups are willing to take your bait along with a few big fish also testing a few backs.
Deep droppers are still doing well, but the escalating offshore trolling scene is shifting interest to more bluewater species. For those still dropping a line to the bottom, some tilefish, wreckfish, grouper, rosefish, and nice sea bass are good possibilities.
The offshore scene continues to heat up, with quite the mixed bag available. Some yellowfin tuna are around, with a few hogs pushing to over 100-pounds thrilling a few crews. The bluefin tuna action is good, with most fish ranging in the 50-pound school sized class. Most catches of bluefin tuna are coming from the Fingers area and 26-mile Hill, with scattered king mackerel, wahoo, and dolphin in the mix. A few gaffers are pushing to over 20-pounds. Billfish are also available, with several whites and a few blues checking out spreads this week. Scattered mako sharks are also making it back to the docks lately. For more information, go to ww.drjball.com.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
