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Julie Ball brings us this Report:
It is difficult to decide what to fish for right now since so much is available. Inshore, the summer flounder scene is still worth the effort. Folks are catching fish, but finding keepers is more difficult lately. The best luck is still coming from live bait offerings and jigs tipped with strip bait near the high rise section of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, and the usual haunts near the 3rd and 4th islands. Drifters are faring a little better near the Cell, Buoy 42, and Back River Reef, but the inlets are tougher this week. The folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that the best bite is coming an hour before high tide lately.
According to the folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, there are plenty of 1 to 3-pound spadefish along the high rise and islands of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Cell, and Plantation Light, but the action is slow. The Chesapeake Light Tower spade show slowed up with the jelly fish moving through right now.
Sheepshead are faring well, with most of these structure-oriented fish coming from the Bay Bridge Tunnel proper, but many of these fish are on the smaller side. Clams and fiddler crabs are working well. A few sheepshead hovering around the 9-pound mark were landed this week at the Seagull Fishing Pier at the 1st island of the CBBT. Tautog are also available in these same areas, along with lots of aggressive triggerfish. Many anglers are also finding puppy drum to over 30-inches around the islands of the Bridge Tunnel lately.
The cobia are still around in lower Bay waters, but more fish are hanging around the Ocean Front and the mouth of the Bay this week. Chummers are finding decent action on the Latimer and the Nine-Foot Shoal areas. Folks are also hooking red drum in these same areas, as well as off Fisherman’s Island. Harry Hindmarsh of Norfolk released four reds measuring over 46-inches while fishing with crab near Fisherman’s Island this week. Black drum are continuing to offer results to casters targeting these massive fish around all four islands of the CBBT, but this bite has slowed.
Croaker are biting around the CBBT, the HRBT, the Hampton Bar, and the Cell. The croaker bite out of Oyster was picking up, but it slowed this week. Nice spot finally made a showing in local waters. These popular fish are hitting well off lower Bay piers, the oceanfront piers, the Small Boat Channel near the 1st island, as well as Rudee Inlet.
The Spanish mackerel scene is hit and miss right now off Cape Henry down to Rudee Inlet, but many of the fish are nice sized. Captain Jake Hiles aboard the Matador out of Rudee Inlet reports that he is finding scattered Spanish averaging up to 2 and 3-pounds mixed in with Taylor bluefish. Reports are still trickling in of king mackerel sightings, but no landed fish are reported as of yet.
Virginia tarpon made another showing this week on the Eastern Shore, with reports indicating that several fish were jumped off, and a few released.
Deep droppers are still pulling in tilefish, rosefish and grouper, along with a smattering of seabass and hake. Amberjack are ready for action on the local wrecks and at the South Tower. Jigs and live bait work well for these powerful fighters.
Offshore, the bite is still good. A few large yellowfin tuna to 70-pounds are now showing up at the docks, but the main catch is still revolving around nice bluefin tuna ranging to close to 100-pounds. Most boats are also encountering big gaffer dolphin, king mackerel, as well as some Wahoo. Action is scattered from the Norfolk Canyon to the Cigar in anywhere from 100 to 500 fathoms. A few billfish are also available.
Ken Neil Reports:
Flounder are the most sought after fish in the bay right now. According to the NMFS, we are having a banner year. According to local flounder experts, fishing has not been great. The best catches were made during the Flounder Bowl. Since then, the bite at the CBBT has slowed up but the bite up near the Cell and buoy 42 has really picked up. Cobia fishing remains good. Sight-fishing is weather dependent. Chummers continue to pick away at the fish. Buoy 18, York Spit, and the Inner Middle Grounds have been good areas. Spanish mackerel are available along the ocean front and in the bay up to Windmill Point. York Spit to Back River Reef has been a good area lately. Spadefish are available at the Chesapeake Light Tower and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It has been the slowest spadefish year since they have become popular. Sheepshead and triggerfish are being caught at the CBBT. Amberjack are thick at the southern towers. Some are around the Chesapeake Light Tower. Offshore, billfish and dolphin action has been very good. A few yellowfin tuna and wahoo are being caught. The inshore hills are producing dolphin, bluefin tuna, king mackerel and false albacore.
Jerry Thrash Reports:
No citations registered this week. Flounder have finally arrived in the Buoy 42 and Cell areas. From Tuesday of last week on through the weekend, fihermen caught good numbers of keeper fish. The Gloucester Boys and Girls Club Tournament 1st and second place fish came from that area as did good catches of less spectacular fish. There are a lot of small spadefish at the Cell and at Wolftrap. There may be large fish showing as well but the little ones are stealing the bait. The croaker bite in the Rappahanock continues and is moving into the bay. Good numbers of #2 spot are being caught around Cherry Point, Butlers Hole and the Spike. Schools of small tailor blues are everywhere in open waters and can be trolled up at 3-5 knots. Spanish Maceral have arrived and can be caught trolling Clark spoons or small Drone spoons at 6-8 Kts vicinity of Windmill Point bar south to Wolftrap Light. Cobia continue to be caught around New Point Light and on York Spit. Shallow water fishermen continue to catch a mixed bag of spot, croaker, sea mullet and small flounder. Catch of the week goes to Dwayne Smith and his wife, Lynn of Ladysmith, VA, who caught seven nice flounder on Thursday near Buoy 42 jigging 7" Gulp shad.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission Reports:
Chincoteague - Donna, at Captain Bobs, reports that flounder fishing slowed somewhat last week. Hot spots for keepers include the Chincoteague Channel from Captain Bob’s to Buoy 35. There were also reports of 5-foot bull sharks in the Chincoteague Channel and on the beaches. Croaker have not shown up in the back bay waters yet, but anglers found success with kingfish, a few croaker, and spot near Buoys 14 to 10. Crabbing has been excellent in the Queen’s Sound. From the surf, anglers caught spot, croaker, and kingfish. Offshore waters are HOT with bluefin tuna from north of the Parking Lot to 26-Mile Hill (around 70 to 90 feet). Yellowfin tuna were also found further out (near the Washington Canyon). Mahi mahi are around as well. Wreck fishermen reported mahi mahi in the upper waters and cod in the cool water on the bottom. Spadefish, black sea bass, and tautog were hooked at the wrecks.
Wachapreague - A large bluefin tuna (53 pounds) was weighed in at Captain Zed’s last week, along with several dolphin. The largest dolphin were around 21 pounds. According to staff, offshore fishing has been doing well in recent weeks.
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