Article by Julie Ball
The stiff southerly winds over the past week have pushed the water temperatures up, but grounded most anglers to the inshore scene. Once anglers can get outside of the inlets, the fish should be waiting.
The most cooperative species last week was still tautog, and you don’t have to go far to catch them. Folks braving the seas are still finding limits of keeper fish along the Bay Bridge Tunnel structure and on inshore wrecks. A few tog are pushing to over 9 lbs., with many 6 and 7-pounders also around. Miguel Gonzalez of Virginia Beach boated a nice 9 lb. 4 oz. tog while offering crab along the CBBT recently. Fish are taking both fiddlers and quartered blue crabs this week. Don’t forget, tautog season closed on May 1st and reopens on June 25th. Ocean’s East 2 reports that one boat even caught a sheepshead while targeting tautog. When boats can get out to reach them, larger fish are holding on deeper water wrecks. Folks are also finding good numbers of cod on these structures, with clam the bait of choice for these northern natives.
The emerging drum bite is still intriguing most anglers. Although the bite started out with a bang last week, this past week has been a little disappointing. Anglers fishing along the breakers off Fishermans Inlet and Smith Island on the Eastern Shore are still boating a few nice reds, but the action slowed up. Once the wind turns, it could heat back up. One boat released 13 nice bulls using blue crabs during an outing over Easter weekend. Smallish black drum ranging to around 35 lbs. are becoming more active in the Eastern Shore seaside inlets and near Latimer Shoal on the Bayside. The larger fish will become more common in Bay waters soon.
Although tautog became off limits on May 1st, the Bay’s Spring Trophy Striped Bass season opened on the same day. Anglers can keep one fish per person at 32-inches or larger, which need to be reported.
The flounder bite is still hit and miss, with undersized fish frustrating anglers. Scattered keepers are rewarding those who put in their time. The folks at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle report that a few keepers stretching up to 23-inches are coming from both Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. A few bigger fish pushing to around 6 lbs. are also in the mix, with strip bait and gudgeons performing best.
The lower Bay rivers are still holding larger croaker, while the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and Ocean View are hosting good numbers of medium-sized hardheads. Shrimp and bloodworms are the ticket right now. The folks at the Ocean View Fishing Pier report that anglers are still filling coolers with croaker averaging around 12-inches. Several sea mullet ranging from 12 to 14-inches and inconsistent runs of spot, averaging to around 8-inches, are keeping pier anglers more than content.
Snapper and tailor bluefish are all over the oceanfront, with scattered catches also coming from Rudee Inlet lately.
The speckled trout in the Elizabeth River is barely worth mentioning now, but one angler landed two citation fish from the banks of the discharge at the Hot Ditch last week. But this run is pretty much over.
When boats can get out and show some interest, deep dropping species such as tilefish and grouper are still available in water over 50 fathoms near the Canyon. As the dogfish begin to move out this month, more boats will venture out to try their luck.
Offshore action is heading our way. Yellowfin tuna action, along with some wahoo and dolphin are giving the Carolina fleet some decent days.
For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
