Article by Julie Ball
The summertime fishing trend is still on the rise, with cobia as the main attraction this week.
Catches are improving each day, and so are the sizes. The folks at Bayside Bait and Tackle report that cobia are popping up everywhere, and some of these fish are big, with several weighing from 60 to 100 lbs. this week. Fish are taking bait from both chummers and top water casters. Bottom anglers are finding action off of Back River, Grand View, and Buckroe, as well as the Latimer and the Nine Foot Shoal areas. Keith Cole of Virginia Beach took the lead in the state when he tricked a 105 lb. monster with bunker while chumming this week.
Casters are also pulling brown-suited brutes from the Bay Bridge Tunnel, where Keith Legrande of Virginia Beach subdued a nice 77 pounder on an eel.
Although still available, red drum are losing popularity as more species debut in the Bay. Bulls are still active off Fisherman’s Island and near Buoy 10, where the best action is occurring after dark. Daren Abreu of Virginia Beach found this to be true when he released a 49-inch red using crab in this same area.
Black drum are on the downside of their early season bite, but fish are still hitting near Buoy 10, mixed in with red drum.
On other fronts, spadefish are schooled around most near-shore and Bay structures. The most popular spot is still the Chesapeake Light Tower, although reports indicate that divers are beginning to interrupt much of the action. Most fish are ranging around 6 lbs.
Nice trigger fish are beginning to take residence on most any inshore structure, as well as along the CBBT.
Sheepshead are yet to really transpire, but hopefully this will change soon.
If Spanish mackerel is your pleasure, these fish are making a great introduction along the oceanfront and on up to the Middle Bay areas. Cape Henry is the hot spot this week. Plenty of keeper-sized Spanish mackerel are chasing small Clark spoons in 30 to 50 feet of water. Gold is reported as the best color recently. These fish offer good, fast action. Watch for their close cousin, the king mackerel, to make its debut soon.
The flounder scene could use a boost. Boats are finding steady action with undersized fish, but keepers are still not the norm. Those working hard for their fish are finding a few doormats coming from the Bay Bridge structure, Oyster, and the Cell areas. Live bait is working best for the bigger flatfish.
Reports of puppy drum are still coming from within Rudee, Lynnhaven Inlets, and the Elizabeth River, with an outgoing tide offering the best results. According to Steve at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, cut mullet is the best bait.
Decent croaker and 3 to 8 lb. bluefish are available near the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, while smallish croaker are also biting off Ocean View, and around the CBBT. Rich at Ocean’s East 2 tells of hand-sized spot available off of Sewell’s Point and Little Creek Inlet lately.
Nice black seabass are hitting on many mid-range and near-shore structures and wrecks. Jigs and squid will work well for these tasty fish.
Several varieties of deep water bottomfish are active in water ranging from 300 to 800-feet. Grouper, blueline tilefish, black belly rosefish and the much coveted golden tilefish are possibilities. Captain Skip Feller led myself and crew to the edge of the Norfolk Canyon in search of deep dropping species recently. The crew returned to the dock with 16 golden tilefish, which is an amazing catch for this fishery. Six fish were over 40 lbs., and four fish weighed in at 50 lbs.
Things are beginning to look up for the offshore season. One boat from the Fishing Center returned from trolling the Canyon with 13 yellowfin tuna weighing up to 40 lbs., and several gaffer dolphin this week.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. Representative for Virginia Beach, VA. You can find Dr. Julie’s reports at www.drjball.com.
