Fishing report

Fishing report

Date published: 9/2/2010

OVERVIEW: The summer is winding down, but we continue to experience hot weather. The days are getting shorter and the water temperatures are beginning to fall, so expect fishing to get better each week.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: Bass fishing has been very good. The water in the river is ideal right now. Most anglers report success using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics. With the water temperatures beginning to fall, the bass should be more active. The river is full of bait right now. Lots of small shad and herring are in the river, along with white perch. Plan to catch these baits and use them fresh if you want to score on a big catfish.

POTOMAC RIVER: Reel Bass Adventures reports that water temperatures are 10 degrees cooler than two weeks ago but the bass fishing hasn't improved significantly. Start the mornings by fishing grass frogs or popping frogs over flooded grasses. Work the frogs or poppers to the edge of an opening in the grass and pause, some strikes occur when the bait is resting. Try working the outside edges of the grass with a lipless rattle bait or a shallow diving crank bait. A spinner bait may draw a strike when slow-rolled around isolated clumps of vegetation or wood. The most productive baits have been a light-colored stick worm rigged wacky style without any weight and fished along the outside edges of the grasses along creek channels. Loads of white perch that like small beetle spins or -ounce traps, can be caught along shallow shorelines where no grass is present. An occasional keeper striper or catfish will take the same offering.

LAKE ANNA: No reports.

LAKE ORANGE: Darrell Kennedy of Angler's Landing (540/672-3997) reports that the water temperatures are beginning to cool to around 80 degrees. Largemouth bass are schooling on bait fish on the upper end of the lake. Live bait and shad-like lures are the bait of choice for the bass bite. Catfishing remains strong throughout the lake with live bait and chicken liver. Crappie fishing is starting to pick up with small minnows in 8-10 feet of water around the fishing pier and brush piles.
MOTTS RESERVOIR: The boathouse reports slow going for anglers out on boats but plenty of action from the piers and shoreline for the kids and anglers fishing for panfish and channel catfish, especially in the early mornings. The water temperature was holding at 86 degrees and crystal clear. Several anglers landed 5 or more largemouth bass in the 3-5-pound range and 20- 24 inches long. Mark Obie's largest was 4.72 pounds, Dickie Musselman's 4.55, Gary Johnson's 4.35 and Jerry Logan weighed his in at 3.89 pounds. Rory Kish from Fredericksburg landed the only citation (by length) this week (22 inches, 5.10 pounds). He was fishing for catfish from the handicapped pier when this lunker tasted the liver. Most of the bass caught were from the structures in the Mine Run Cove. Bassers report the best working lures have been plastics and large shiners, for the pan fish and channel catfish, night crawlers, red wigglers and chicken liver.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/ATLANTIC OCEAN: As temperatures ease into the 80s, the late-summer fishing trend is right on track, according to Julie Ball. Many summer species are preparing to migrate out of the area, while the fall visitors are making an entrance. This mixed bag can make it tough to choose which species to target. Most anglers are opting for either flounder or cobia as both species gather in the lower bay. Nice flatfish are coming from most anywhere, but the most productive areas are along deep channels, dropoffs, and most any lower Bay structure. Good reports are coming from all along the Bay Bridge Tunnel, Back River Reef, and Buoy 42. Live bait, jigs, and fresh strip bait are all working well right now. Flatfish will begin moving to inshore and offshore wrecks soon. Nice keeper-sized seabass are also providing good action on many offshore structures. Cobia action is still a sure thing, with pods of fish appearing on the surface as they prepare to exit bay waters. These fish are making easy targets as they present in open waters, with many pushing to well over 50 pounds. According to the folks at Ocean's East 2, live bait and eels are outfishing bucktails this week. Reports indicate good numbers of cruising fish outside Little Creek Inlet, along the entire Baltimore Channel, near York Spit, and along the Virginia Beach coastline this week. Schools of bull reds are still roaming the lower bay shoals. Some spot are showing in Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlet, and scattered around the lower bay. The local piers are also reporting good spot action. Croaker up to 1.5 pounds are hitting inside Magothy bay near buoy 262, while the biggest hardheads are coming from Oyster, where some fish are pushing to near 2.5 pounds. The folks at Chris' Bait and Tackle report that shrimp and squid are the best croaker baits this week. Sea mullet are also taking shrimp and clam near buoy 262 and along Latimer Shoal off the Eastern Shore Bayside. Tarpon are still active in the backwaters of Oyster, but not for long. Bill Perron of Virginia Beach took the lead in the state with a nice 4.5-pound trigger he caught near the first island this week. Gary Joeger of Virginia Beach scored with an 11-pound, 7-ounce sheepshead near the High Rise section of the CBBT. Spadefish are also lingering in these same areas. Nice sized Spanish mackerel are still providing good action from the middle Bay on out to the Chesapeake Light Tower. Offshore, billfish are still at the top of the list. Very good numbers of white marlin, along with scattered blue marlin, and a few sailfish are thrilling trollers right now. A few big wahoo and bailer and gaffer dolphin are rounding out catches, but tuna are very scattered.

--Compiled by Michael O'Malley


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