Article by Julie Ball
The saltwater fishing scene is almost as hot as the weather right now. The Independence Day week was a success, with cobia and flounder drawing the most interest.
Since the flounder bite escalated last week, folks are finding good hauls of flatfish most anywhere in lower Bay waters. Many are also having good luck with nice fish hitting on nearshore structures. Anglers working the Bay Bridge Tunnel with jigs and live bait are finding the biggest fish, averaging up to around 5 and 6-pounds. The 1st Island area and the 3rd Island tubes produced best last week. Drifters are having good luck in seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore, and the south side of both Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets are giving up some good numbers of keeper flatfish during the outgoing tide.
The cobia action was on fire last week, with sightcasters reporting that plenty of fish are around, making easy targets in lower Bay waters. Most fish are ranging to around 30 to 45-pounds, with scattered 60 and 70-pounders also in the mix. Steady action also kept chummers on their toes last week with some decent fish to show. Red drum are providing very good topwater action as they school around the mouth of the Bay, especially near the Baltimore Channel.
Spanish mackerel continue to provide excellent action for trollers from Cape Henry to Sandbridge. The best luck is occurring in about 20 to 25-feet of water, with planers holding down small spoons. Most of these fish are a nice class, with a few fish over 3 and 4 pounds hitting the docks lately. Tailor bluefish are always around these areas and some sizable sharks are also taking baits off the oceanfront.
Spadefish are very popular this year, with a larger class of fish attracting a lot of attention. Spades are still available at the Chesapeake Light Tower, but more boats are having good success targeting these fish near inshore wrecks and at the CBBT.
Big sheepshead are still biting along the tubes, islands and pilings of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, with some fish topping 10-pounds caught last week. The bait of choice is either fiddler crabs or clams. Triggerfish are also hitting in most of these same locations.
Some large croaker are lurking around the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and the Cell, while the hardhead run in Oyster kicked off last week, with fish ranging to around a pound filling coolers.
Speckled trout and some puppy drum are available in many shallow water locations, but this action is sporadic.
Tarpon hunters are still sneaking off to the backwaters of Oyster, but recent wind, thunder storms and stifling heat is making this feat a challenge.
Amberjack are available at the Southern Towers, but not many are interested with the good tuna bite going on lately. Few are bothering with deep dropping lately either, although the fish are there. Blueline tilefish, grouper, golden tilefish, black bellied rosefish and scattered sea bass are awaiting offerings along the floor at the Norfolk Canyon.
The deep sea scene off Virginia is offering a good variety. Most anglers are still looking for tuna, and finding them. Yellowfin tuna are still around, with a few bigeye tuna also in the vicinity. A nice class of gaffer mahi are providing good catches, with scattered wahoo also making a showing. More and more billfish encounters are occurring and this action will continue to improve over the next month.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. Representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to drjball.com.