Article by Julie Ball
Fishing has been explosive and this positive trend should continue with flounder leading the way.
The flatfish action really picked up last week, with limits of keepers becoming common. Several fish are pushing to over 7-pounds, with a few going to over 10-pounds. The big doormats are falling for live bait presented near structure, while 2-ounce jig heads adorned with plastics or Gulps! are a good choice for jigging around the pilings. Strip baits are also producing some decent fish on the outgoing tide. Lynnhaven Inlet is producing catches up to 24-inches, especially for anglers wading near the Lesner Bridge. Don at Ocean’s East 2 recommends a tandem style rig with strip bait or plastics. According to the folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, the action around Buoy 36 and the Cell is consistent recently, with keepers the norm.
The cobia bite is on again, off again. Although a few days of decent activity showed promise, it is not where it has been in recent years. Folks are beginning to speculate about the menhaden boats which have been working the lower Bay area for about two months. The thought is that the lack of bait could be affecting the fish’s food chain. Sightcasters are still working hard for their fish, while chummers are having better luck, but the fish are ranging on the smaller side. The Inner Middle Grounds and Latimer Shoal areas are providing the best results on live and cut bait.
The Spanish mackerel scene is a hot topic right now. Folks trolling the Virginia Beach shorelines are finding good limits of big Spanish and a smattering of tailor bluefish. Small silver and gold spoons weighted with in-line sinkers or small planers will do the trick. Spanish are hitting off Cape Henry and near the islands of the CBBT. Tailor blues along with a few flounder and croaker are available within Rudee Inlet.
Tautog are back in the picture and showing with a bang. Tog are available along the structure of the CBBT and on most inshore wrecks. Sheepshead action is still going strong, with boats finding dozens of willing fish. Clam and fiddler crabs work well for both tog and sheepshead, but one of my sources advises “don’t have a heart attack if you can’t get fiddlers!” Many folks are scoring with other offerings such as sea clams, mussels and hard crabs for sheeps and tog. Joe Hudgins of Chesapeake took the lead in the state for this year with a huge 14-pound sheepshead he caught while fishing at the CBBT last week.
Spadefish are pretty much everywhere. The Chesapeake Light Tower and the 3rd and 4th Islands of the CBBT are giving up some fish, with most averaging around 4 to 5-pounds. A few fish over 7-pounds were also boated last week.
Although red drum are becoming more elusive, a few big reds are still taking baits intended for cobia near the CBBT. Black drum continue to bite grubs around the artificial islands of the Bridge Tunnel.
Croaker are an easy target throughout the lower Bay, with some fish pushing 1.5 pounds near the Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Cell. The flurry of anglers rushing into Oyster is an indication that the hardheads made their debut in their back waters. A few rumored tarpon hook-ups are also encouraging anglers to frequent their secret tarpon holes off Oyster last week. Nice bluefish ranging to 30-inches continue to take offerings of live bait tossed near the Little Creek jetties.
Amberjack are a good bet at the southern towers and several offshore wrecks. Live bait is working well, while jigs are also a good alternative. Deep droppers are still finding plenty of tilefish, wreckfish and blackbelly rosefish. Sea bass are available on the near shore wrecks as well as structures to around 30-miles out.
The offshore season is really taking off. Billfish are making a good showing, but the tuna action is claiming most of the attention. Plenty of yellowfin from 60 to 80-pounds are making a good presentation, along with big gaffer dolphin ranging to over 25-pounds. Good numbers of bluefin tuna are also adding to the menu, with fish up to 100-pounds hitting spreads, especially near the Fingers lately. A few bigeye tuna and mako sharks are also in the mix. One bigeye hit the deck last week at an impressive 228-pounds after a 2.5-hour battle. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
Dr. Julie Ball is the I.G.F.A representative for Virginia Beach, VA. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
