Article by Capt. Matt Abell
After the fireworks have subsided, the grills are put away and enjoyed your opening Chincoteague Fireman’s Carnival oyster fritter sandwich….. it’s time to get back to what we do best….fishing the ESVA! With warming temperatures and fair seas, our little piece of paradise is sure to produce bent rods and blistering drags that will last far beyond those fizzled out sparklers from the holiday!
The inshore bite on seaside has been fairly consistent. There is plenty of flourishing flounder fishing going on, not only in the inlets of the VA Barrier Islands but also the near shore wrecks and reefs just off the coast. In both cases numbers have been good, with improvement hoped for in regards to the size of fish coming over the gunwale. In the inlets, tide seems to be the key to finding success (the last of the flood and the very first of the ebb when the water is the cleanest and coolest). The reefs have given up fat flat fillets to anglers staying close to and right on top of the structure in which the odd looking monsters of the abyss call home . In both cases, Sea Hawk Flounder Rigs with Gulp and tipped with minnows or silversides have coerced many anglers main dish on to the plate.
In other inshore seaside haunts, sharks and Spanish mackerel have entertained anglers with good battles and bigger smiles. The sharking has been mainly inside the inlets of the ESVA and during a falling tide. Water clarity has little bearing on success, so don’t worry about the pristine conditions that are required by flounder. Some chum, and cut baits like mackerel or bunker, is all that is needed for an afternoon of toothy action that will leave a lasting bite mark in the memory of any young fisherman or lady. The Mac’s have been trolled up using Drone as well as Clarke spoons in the #00-#1 size in an array of colors including silver, gold, pink and chartreuse. Make sure you keep an eye out for an opportunity to dance with the man in the brown suit while you troll for your supercharged Spanish. As the water warms more of these coastal cobia we will make an appearance in the water and hopefully the cooler!
In regards to the Chesapeake, cobia continue to make lines sing from the central bay south to the CBBT. Bunker chunkers have had the most opportunities as they fight trophies at the end of a fishfinder rig. Sight fishermen are also getting their licks in with live eels luring these brown brawlers in to a battle royal.
The central and southern bay have been the scene of some spectacular sheepshead fishing on structure from the mid bay to the bridge-tunnel. Crab offered on bottom sweeper jigs and top & bottom rigs have herded the sheep into the corral or should I say cooler. The last and first of a tide seem to offer the best conditions to fish vertically on the fish laden structures.
The Tangier and Pocomoke sounds have had a slight skinny water rally even with the soaring temperatures. A few nice reds and specks have taken up residence around some shallower structures and even made the move up on the flats with the tide. Chunks of soft crab have done the trick with top water lures like the Rapala Skitterwalk and Mirrolure Popadog providing early morning eruptions that will leave you in awe! If the day is a little less productive and things just aren’t working out, remember that a nice grade of blues are still occupying areas like the Tangier targets and watts rocks. As speedy as they are a slow day doesn’t stand a chance!
Looks like the table is set and a fine fish dinner is being served. So say Grace, grab your fork, and dig in. That’s the only way to partake in the blessing of this wonderful place we call home! §
