Article by Julie Ball
The weather is heating up, and the influx of the warmer water species into the area is showing promise of a good season.
The red and black drum scene continues to draw anglers to the Eastern Shore side of the Bay. With weather being the biggest influence on catches, reports can be hit or miss. When anglers can get out, folks are finding very good drum fishing off Fisherman’s Island. Although the breakers within the inlet are hosting good numbers of big reds, it’s not necessary to sit in white water to get in on the action. The fish are now dispersing to other areas of the lower Bay, and commingling with some big black drum in the same areas. The best luck is coming from near Buoys 13 and 16 off Cape Charles, and around Buoys 8 and 10 off Fisherman’s Island. Offering a mixture of both clams and crabs in your spread will give you a good chance at both drum varieties. By-catches of an assortment of trash fish will also keep you hopping, so the folks at Chris‘ Bait and Tackle recommend taking along extra bait in anticipation. Nice trophy striped bass are also patrolling these same areas, taking bait intended for drum.
Anglers are still finding good striped bass action along the CBBT, where a variety of topwater lures thrown along the spines at all four islands is getting the job done, especially at first light and at dusk. Nice stripers took live bait presented over the tubes last week, with some fish pushing to over 38-inches. The current Bay guidelines allow anglers to keep two fish per person ranging from 18 to 28-inches, with one of those fish allowed to measure over 32-inches. But read the regulations, since you must report the larger fish.
Folks are talking about the big bluefish invading the lower Bay and inlets. For a few weeks, schools of both snapper and chopper-sized fish are surprising anglers who are targeting other species. Hoards of blues in the 24 to 26-inch range, with many pushing to 34 and 38-inches, fish are shredding baits and lures within Rudee, Lynnhaven and Little Creek Inlets. Striper anglers fishing the lower Bay crossings are also encountering huge bluefish, with several measuring over 38-inches last week. Remember, you can only keep ten bluefish per person.
The Bay flounder bite is still not on fire, but the action continues to improve. Nice sized flatfish are starting to respond to offerings of live bait and jigs presented around the structure of the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Keeper-sized flounder were also available within the Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, as well as the seaside inlets and backwaters of the Eastern Shore last week. Speckled trout anglers are also excited with catches of nice keeper fish within several of these same backwater locations, especially Rudee Inlet. Puppy drum are still dominating lower Bay inlets and shallows, with plenty of hungry pups pushing to over 30-inches competing for lures intended for trout. Some folks are targeting pups within the Elizabeth River with good success.
Nice-sized croaker, small spot, decent sea mullet and even a smattering of smallish red hake are making local fishing piers very popular lately. A few keeper sized grey trout are also rounding out catches, but check these regulations carefully as you can only keep one fish at 12-inches.
Sea bass season reopens on the 19th of this month, which could revive some interest in offshore wreck fishing, with the Triangle wreck area and the Chesapeake Light Tower Reef areas good ones to try. Anglers can keep 20 fish per person at 12.5-inches long. Spadefish have also been spotted at the Chesapeake Light Tower, but the water is still too chilly and dirty to entice any bites as of yet.
Deep dropping is still a good bet, with blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, blackbellied rosefish, wreck fish and a variety of grouper still on the menu for those willing to make the run. With black sea bass season reopening this month, anticipate an increase in deep dropping interest.
The Carolina blue water bite is still going on with yellowfin tuna, bull dolphin and good numbers of nice wahoo dominating the scene. A few billfish are also still a possibility.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A. representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For information, go to www.drjball.com.
