Article by Julie Ball
Rainy weather kept many anglers off the water last week, and the wide-spread red tide is still threatening catches. But overall the fishing is still good along the Mid-Atlantic Coast.
The news creating the biggest stir is the re-emergence of larger cobia, with bigger fish once again on the rise in the lower Bay. Although not breaking any record numbers, both chummers and sightcasters are back in business with some respectable keepers averaging to over 30-pounds. Captain Jake Hiles, skipper of the “Matador” out of Rudee Inlet, claims that a few bruisers, pushing to over 50-pounds, are also scattered about with the pressure of cobia hunters in close pursuit. This pattern should improve over the next several weeks.
Everyone is still raving about the solid flounder action. Larger flatfish catches are way down this year, but the over abundance of nice-sized fish are keeping flounder pounders content. Fish are striking at jigs and live bait presented along varying bottom structures in the lower part of the Bay. The 1st and 2nd Islands of the CBBT and lower Bay wrecks are just a few of the best flounder hot-spots lately. Drifters are also having good luck with strip baits and minnows near Buoy 36A and the Thimble Shoal Channel near Cape Henry. Lower Bay inlets are also giving up some keeper fish, with scattered flatties ranging from 18 to 20-inches coming from both the Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets.
Sheepshead anglers still found good catches last week, with some fish ranging up to around 13-pounds. More sheepshead are now hitting on the tubes of the CBBT, along with scattered tautog and triggerfish. Spadefish are still biting around all the artificial islands of the Bay Bridge Tunnel as well as many nearshore wrecks, where they are joined by big triggers and nice flounder.
Schools of bull reds are still roaming the lower Bay, especially near the 3rd and 4th Islands of the Bridge Tunnel. Hoards of smallish puppy drum continue to dominate the local shallows and inlets, with a few nice speckled trout percolating in the same areas. According to the folks at Ocean’s East 2, some bigger pups, pushing to over 30-inches, were caught as a by-catch by speckled trout anglers in the Elizabeth River last week.
Nice sized Spanish mackerel are still providing good action from the lower Bay to Sandbridge, as long as you can find clean water free of the red tide. A few juvenile king mackerel are also taking trolled Spanish baits lately. Be sure to look closely to tell the difference, as the resemblance is very similar, and the minimum size limit on kings sits at 27-inches. Some impressive shark catches are also coming from this same area, with spinners and black tip sharks a big hit right now. Captain David Warren, Captain of the “Sea Witch” out of The Fishing Center, reported releasing a seven-foot tiger shark last week.
Small to medium sized croaker are available in the lower Bay inlets and deeper channels around the lower Bay, while medium to large hardheads are still responding inside Magothy Bay near Buoy 262 and in the backwaters of Oyster. Tarpon are still active in the backwaters of Oyster, but easterly winds could slow the bite this week.
Deep dropping is still good off Virginia. Boats continue to bring home content anglers toting a variety of nice tilefish, rosefish, barrelfish, grouper and seabass. Amberjack are still available at the South Tower and some offshore wrecks, and jack crevelle will make a showing at the Chesapeake Light Tower over the next few weeks.
Offshore, the hunt for billfish is still on. The bite varies from day to day off Virginia, but white marlin, along with scattered blue marlin, are the main event. Some good catches closer to the Cigar and triple zeros areas has many boats heading south. Good numbers of bailer dolphin and a rising number of wahoo are available in around 20 fathoms of water. Some yellowfin and bigeye tuna are also around, but they are scattered.
For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
