Article by Julie Ball
The recent coldfront brought some mild relief from the heat last week, and when boats can get out, inshore species are providing good action, while the offshore bite is once again showing promise.
The flounder scene is at the top of the list right now, and with good reason. Anglers continue to experience very good results with solid catches of respectable flatfish. Live bait and jigs worked on lower Bay structures and along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) are attracting strikes from flatties ranging to around 4-pounds, with several fish pushing to over 7-pounds lately. The 1st and 3rd Islands, as well as the High Rise areas were the most productive spots along the CBBT last week. Within the basins in Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, flounder enthusiasts are finding takers ranging up to about 22-inches. Folks also continue to find consistent results near the Cell, Buoys 36 and 38, the Back River Reef as well as the backwaters on the Eastern Shore.
Cobia action is still noteworthy, with anglers reporting up to a dozen or more hook-ups on outings. Plenty of rats ranging up to around 30-pounds are responding well to offerings from sightcasters in lower Bay waters, and along the oceanfront lately. A few larger fish are also cruising about; with some fish pushing to over 50-pounds boated last week. Chummers are scoring with fish using bunker, live eels and live croaker fished on the bottom. The best locations for chumming lately are the seaside areas of Fisherman’s Island, the Nine foot Shoal, and Latimer Shoals.
Boats targeting sharks are having very good luck with a variety of toothy species ranging to around 4-feet or more, especially off the oceanfront area.
Red drum are still schooling around the mouth of the Bay and off the Virginia Beach oceanfront, especially off Sandbridge. Black drum are available around the islands of the CBBT, but the interest is low with other species to target right now.
Spanish mackerel continue to hit well along the Virginia Beach oceanfront, with nice fish taking trolled spoons in 15 to 30-feet of water. Most mackerel are ranging from 20 to 24-inches this season, taking small silver and gold spoons trolled on planers and in-line sinkers. Tailor bluefish and small false albacore are also mixed in with the Spanish.
Sheepshead are still active, with some days better than others. Fish ranging from around 10 to14-pounds are taking fiddler crabs and clam presented along the Bay Bridge Tunnel complex. Plenty of greedy triggerfish are also available in these same areas, as well as on most inshore wrecks and reefs.
Nice-sized spadefish are still providing good catches on near-shore wrecks and along the entire span of the CBBT. Most spades are a nicer class of fish lately, ranging to around 6-pounds or more.
Puppy drum and spot are still providing solid action within most lower Bay inlets and shallows, along with speckled trout for release action.
Speckled trout will become available to keep again at the end of this month, but check the regulations carefully.
Croaker continue to bite squid and shrimp most everywhere in lower Bay waters, as well as the backwaters of Oyster, with most hardheads averaging up to around a pound.
Tarpon anglers targeting silver kings out of Oyster on the Eastern Shore were put off last week with easterly winds, but the hunt will resume as the winds calm. Plenty of big sharks and huge pesky rays are also taking offerings in the same area.
Amberjack are biting at the Southern Towers, where anglers are finding good numbers of pups, with a few bruisers in the mix.
Deep droppers will focus more on the bottom if the offshore trolling does not continue to pick up. Nice blueline tilefish, scattered golden tilefish and big black-bellied rosefish are hitting near the Canyon edges.
The bluewater action has been slow, but things started to look up last week. Several boats encountered big yellowfin tuna ranging to around 70-pounds, and a few bigeye tuna pushing to over 150-pounds off Virginia last week. Decent numbers of mahi and mako sharks are also available, with frequent white marlin releases rounding out catches.
Hopefully the bite will continue on this trend for boats fishing the Virginia Beach Invitational Marlin Tournament this weekend.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
