Article by VMRC - Saltwater Review
Chincoteague
Captain Bob’s saw keeper ratios of 25-to-1 for flounder with Queens Sound being the angler’s choice. Kingfish are being reported around the inlets of seaside bays, along with some croaker. Several sharks are being caught as well.
Wachapreague
Last weekend was a great fishing weekend, according to staff at the Wachapreague Marina. Bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, white marlin, cobia, king mackerel—the kitchen sink were hooked! All the usual locations were productive, including the 26-Mile Hill, Norfolk and Washington Canyons, and the Lumpy Bottom. Flounder are still holding as well. Even though number of larger fish has diminished, there are still some keeper flounder to be had in the area.
Staff at Captain Zed’s reports that flounder fishing has been good out of Wachapreague, but there has been a lot of throwbacks. Anglers are hooking flounder around Sandy Point (near Marker 6), the north side of the inlet (in front of Cedar Island), Millstone Creek, and Bradfords, Green, and Drawing channels. Most of the larger fish have been caught in the deeper water. Sand mullet have been biting in the area as well.
Offshore, anglers hooked bluefin and yellowfin tuna, citation-sized king mackerel, and white marlin.
Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel
Two citation flounder were reported last week at Cobb’s Marina. The first was 11 pounds, 15 ounces, and 29.5 inches long and was caught off of the Concrete Ships. The second was 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and 26.75 inches long and was caught near the fourth island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Staff at Sunset Boating Center reports that local anglers are catching coolers full of croaker. Flounder have also been reported, but there is a high throwback ratio.
Salt Ponds Marina staff also reported two flounder citations last week (7 pounds, 9 ounces and 7 pounds, 2 ounces). Both fish were caught using bucktail at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. According to staff, fishing has been improving in the last few weeks, and anglers are hooking up a little bit of everything.
Wallace’s Bait and Tackle staff reports several citations for red drum and cobia over the last week. Hot spots for red drum have been the Highrise of the CBBT, Grandview, and Horseshoe Shoal. Cobia are being caught in the Baltimore Channel, along the CBBT, and the Hump. The largest flounder last week came from the CBBT at 9 pounds, 2 ounces (28.5 inches).
The York River area has a mixed bag with croaker, flounder, cobia, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel, according to staff at the York River Fishing Center. The Gloucester Point Pier has also reported croaker and flounder with a few spot mixed in.
Cape Charles
Chris and Mark at Chris’ Bait and Tackle report plenty of action around the lower Eastern Shore. Spadefish are hitting around Plantation Light and the CBBT-High Rise Bridge. Cobia are still providing plenty of action around Buoys 13 and 16, with a 60 pounder hitting the scales last week. Sea mullet have shown up in the vicinity of the little bridge onto Fisherman’s Island, and flounder are still hitting at the Cell. Chris also made note that big red drum are still being found in the surf of the barrier islands and Fisherman’s Island.
Virginia Beach
Dr. Julie Ball, IGFA International Representative for Virginia Beach, contributed the following:
The good fishing trend should continue its momentum with flounder on most anglers’ minds. Although not on fire, the flatfish bite is more consistent with the usual summer pattern lately, which is good.
With limits of keeper flounder becoming more common, anglers are pounding the Bay Bridge Tunnel and other lower bay structures, mostly with live bait and jigs. Many fish ranging over 22 inches, with a few doormat-sized trophies pushing over 7 pounds, are biting lately. Live spot is working well near structure, while 2-ounce jig heads adorned with plastics are a good choice for jigging around the piling bases. Strip baits are also producing some decent fish for drifters. The edges of the Baltimore Channel and Buoy 36 are the best places to try this week. Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets are also giving up some good catches of keeper flatfish.
The Spanish mackerel scene is another hot topic. Folks trolling the lower bay, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and the ocean shorelines are finding limits of Spanish mackerel ranging up to 22 inches with plenty of Taylor bluefish. The largest fish are coming from off Cape Henry, near the pound nets. Small silver and gold spoons weighted with in-line sinkers will do the trick in anywhere from 18 to 30 feet of water. King mackerel are next. Anglers continue to report sightings of kings skying and crashing on bait inshore, while small kings are biting trolled baits on the inshore lumps.
Tautog are back in the picture, with anglers beginning to show some interest. Most fish caught near the Bridge Tunnel are ranging around 3 to 4 pounds. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel structure is also providing decent catches of sheepshead, with clams and fiddlers working well. Pier anglers are finding fish pushing over 11 pounds off the Sea Gull Fishing Pier at the 1st island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Triggerfish are also in the same areas.
Cobia catches slid a little last week, but some nice fish are still responding for both chummers and sight-casters. The really big fish should make another showing within a week or so as they migrate out of the rivers. The Inner Middle grounds and Latimer Shoal are providing the best results on cut bait. A few red drum are also taking these baits intended for cobia.
Black drum continue to hit around the artificial islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, where anglers are hooking an occasional fish while casting grubs and shads.
Spadefish are pretty much everywhere right now. The Chesapeake Light Tower and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel are giving up good numbers of fish, with most averaging around 4 to 5 pounds lately. The Cell area is still the best area for the largest fish.
Puppy drum (juvenile red drum) are becoming more active within Lynnhaven Inlet, with reports of some fish measuring up to 30 inches.
According to the folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, although the croaker have not yet arrived in Oyster, tarpon are making a stealthy showing, but there is no word of any hook-ups yet.
Nice sea mullet are hitting in the southern small boat channel at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the inlet to Magothy Bay.
Amberjack are a good bet at the Southern Towers and some offshore wrecks, such as the Triangles, and the Ricks, and Hanks Wrecks. Live bait is working well, while jigs are also good alternative bait.
Deep droppers are still finding nice blueline and golden tilefish, wreckfish, and blackbelly rosefish. Some nice black sea bass are available on the nearshore wrecks as well as structures around 30 miles out. Black sea bass are also scattered among catches of blueline tilefish in deeper water.
The offshore scene is offering some good options. Billfish are starting to show, with a good blue marlin presence lately. The yellowfin tuna action is still slow, with only scattered fish boated so far. Bluefin tuna are the main draw right now, with school-sized fish ranging from 70 to 90 pounds taking trolled baits on the inshore sea mounds, from 26-Mile Hill to the Cigar. A few blackfin tuna and gaffer dolphin are also in the mix.
Outer Banks, NC
Offshore fishing out of Nags Head continues to be headlined by dolphin with most boats going out coming back with their limits. Other species being caught include tuna (yellowfin, blackfin, and bigeye), wahoos, king mackerel, bonito, and amberjacks. The billfishing is producing a few blue and white marlin as well as sailfish, but the fishing is not as good as one might hope for.
Bottom fishing results have been a mixed bag with blackbelly rosefish, vermillion and red snapper, snow and yellowedge grouper, and black sea bass.
There are still striped bass eight miles offshore, but it is illegal to target or keep them from federal waters (greater than three miles offshore).
Nearshore artificial reefs were holding triggerfish, tautog, black drum, and sheepshead. Nearshore, surf and pier anglers found good bites of bluefish and Spanish mackerel on artificial lures. Sea mullet, spot, croaker, puffers, pompano, spadefish, flounder, and other summer denizens were being caught on cut bait and blood worms.
The sounds and inlet continue to see flounder and speckled trout being the main targets. Flounder can be found on the dropoffs next to sand bars in the inlet, and the trout will be working around sea grass beds and bridges in the sound. Cobia are still being caught in the night time hours.
The fishing south of Oregon Inlet has been slow due to the strong southwest winds. Some bluefish and Spanish mackerel were around the Avon Pier, with plugs being the main weapon. Small flounder, sea mullet, and bluefish were reported in the area of Ramp 49.
Strong southwest winds kept most boats in port the past few days. When boats did go out, dolphin and blackfin tuna were being caught. The inlet was producing bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Puppy drum (juvenile red drum), could be found in the channels and around the oyster beds adjoining salt marshes.
