Article by Julie Ball
With stiff breezes continuing last week, the spring Mid-Atlantic fishing scene is a little off since anglers are finding it difficult to reach the fishing grounds.
When boats can get out, many are taking advantage of the Spring Trophy Striped Bass season which kicked in last week. Stripers are providing a good alternative for those looking for some variety. Anglers working topwater lures along the rocks at the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel are content with hits from fish exceeding the 32-inch minimum size requirement. Storm Lures cast around the pilings of the CBBT and the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel are also working well. Anglers can keep one fish per person over 32-inches right now.
The biggest interest is still in the developing drum scene, and with the super-full moon at hand, a boost in the action seems eminent. Red drum are still providing some action among the shoals and breakers near Smith and Fisherman’s Island. The best action is still happening in the surf lines where kayakers and surf anglers are taking advantage of this trend. Peeler crabs, blue crabs and bunker fished on the Eastern Shore shoals and in the surf of the barrier islands will put you in the zone. These fish are fierce fighters and can weigh upwards of 50 lbs. Big stripers are also taking these same baits within the surf, with some rockfish pushing to around 40 lbs.
Larger black drum are becoming more active in the Eastern Shore seaside inlets and should begin moving onto the Latimer Shoal and the Cabbage Patch areas in larger numbers soon. This action will heat up over the next few weeks and the larger fish will become more common.
The flounder scene is still inconsistent within Chesapeake Bay waters and around the CBBT, but some folks are finding luck around the 1st and 2nd Islands this week. The best numbers of keeper fish are coming from the Eastern Shore seaside inlets and back waters of Oyster where most fish are ranging to around 20-inches. The folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle report that flatfish anglers are also catching a surprisingly high number of nice sea mullet in these same areas. Both Rudee Inlet and Lynnhaven River are providing some good fish, with a few flatfish ranging up to 5 lbs.
Speckled trout are also showing some activity within the Eastern Shore seaside inlets and the back waters of Oyster, with some topping 4 lbs. lately. Folks working the Elizabeth River are also still finding a few keeper specks along with healthy puppy drum. Speckled trout are faring well inside Rudee Inlet where anglers are experiencing good catches of healthy keeper-sized specks averaging to around 21-inches. According to The Fishing Center, anglers are also finding bluefish pushing to 4 lbs. within the Inlet and along the oceanfront, along with a few grey trout and croaker.
Croaker are scattered around the lower Bay, but the best hauls are still coming from the James and York Rivers where squid and crab are doing the trick. Decent fish in the 17 to 18-inch range are biting from near the Coleman Bridge, York River State Park and the James River Bridge. Anglers fishing from the Ocean View Fishing Pier are still filling coolers with nice croaker and big sea mullet ranging to over half a pound. Bloodworms are the key for everything right now, with the night-time bite the best.
Blueline tilefish ranging up to 18 lbs., wreckfish and other deepwater species are still available in water over 300-feet when the weather allows boats to reach them.
The upcoming opening of seabass season on May 19th has many anglers excited about making the run.
For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
