Overview

A busy week and weekend ahead for boaters and anglers. Though Hurricane Earl is causing some issues with boats being sent inland from coastal marinas, other anglers have indicated they still plan to fish the entire weekend regardless. As things are busy due to storm preparations for a storm that may or may not impact our area, our overview will be very short.

PLEASE NOTE: Freezers for the Marine Sportfish Collection Project at Rudee Inlet Station and Long Bay Pointe Marina have been secured and locked. The freezer at Virginia Beach Fishing Center has been removed temporarily, but will return in the next few days. As soon as possible, we will return the freezer to Virginia Beach Fishing Center, and reopen the freezers at Rudee Inlet and Long Bay. Also, for those donating flounder carcasses to the program for the short-term VIMS project (page 8), we have been informed that Virginia is providing the greatest number of flounder samples along the Atlantic coast for the project. Well, we always knew Virginia was the best and our anglers are proving it once again!

THE FISHING REPORT

Chincoteague


Donna, at Captain Bob’s, is battening down the hatches in Chincoteague. Despite the upcoming weather, anglers have been enjoying good fishing in the area. Flounder have actually been caught from the surf lately, along with pinhead croaker, spot, small black sea bass, striped bass, and sharks. Inshore, flounder catchers have been steadily picking up, while croaker and kingfish catches were decreasing. The Canal, Buoy 14, Buoy 19, the Southside of the Queen Sound Bridge, and the area in front of Capt. Bob’s Marina were just a few spots where keeper flounder have been caught. Offshore, dolphin were abundant and a yellowfin tuna was brought from the Lumpy Bottom. The wrecks were hot with nice-sized flounder.

Wachapreague -

According to staff at Captain Zed’s a red drum release citation (51 inches) was recorded last weekend from Buoy 42A. A citation-sized wahoo was also caught off of Wachapreague weighing over 37 pounds. Anglers continued to catch flounder, despite the slowing bite. Small croaker were also available, but few large ones have arrived.

Cape Charles -

Flounder fishing has been good, according to staff at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, and recent croaker catches have yielded large fish as well. Last week, croaker were still biting well in Oyster and around Buoy 262. This week, all eyes are on hurricane Earl, and the bait and tackle shop will close to prepare for the storm, if necessary.

According to staff at Cherrystone Bait and Tackle, campers were catching flounder right outside of the campground last week. Other catches included a few speckled trout and numerous croaker.

Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel

Flounder, very close to citation size, were reported from Salt Pond’s Marina this week. Staff also mentioned that cobia and croaker have been caught, along with a few spot.

Kathy, at Wallace’s Bait and Tackle, reported that a few more cobia were weighed in over the weekend. This week’s citations included two red drum release citations (47 and 50.5 inches) and a 7¬pound, 15-ounce flounder caught over the weekend. Cobia were spotted in good-sized groupings around the buoys, and anglers caught nice-sized flounder around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Spot and croaker were reported from the Back River area, as well as some nice puppy drum (juvenile red drum). Results from the Back River Slam last weekend can be viewed at: https://sites.google.com/site/chesapeakechallenge/

Spot have started to show up in the York River and croaker fishing has been pretty good, according to staff at the York River Fishing Center. Numerous cobia were caught by sight-casters, and large flounder were scattered across the Bay. Medium-sized spot were biting at the Gloucester point pier.

According to staff at Carrollton Fishing and Hunting Supply, it has been a quiet week. A few croaker and small spot were reported, and really great crabbing has been reported all summer.

Ken Neill, of the Peninsula Anglers Club and IGFA representative, contributed the following:

Often, a tropical system will really turn on the billfish bite. The billfish bite cannot get any better, can it? Hopefully, Earl will not mess things up because we have an epic bite going on. The latest hot area has been around the Washington Canyon where boats were releasing 20 to 50 white marlin in a single day. Billfish action has been good from the Washington Canyon on down to the Triple 0s area. There are plenty of dolphin out there, and wahoo catches are increasing. Tuna fishing has been tough all summer. Sea bass action is very good at the Triangle Wrecks. Amberjack are still hanging out at the Southern Towers. Amberjack and crevalle jack can be found at the Chesapeake Light Tower and over nearby wrecks. There are some impressive barracuda in this same area. Cobia fishing remains very good along the oceanfront and around the mouth of the bay. Sight-casters are finding fish on the buoys and podding up out in open water. Sheepshead action has been pretty good at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Flounder fishing has been very good. Earl will be a big factor with the flounder bite. If the bay gets stirred up, the bite will pretty much shut down until things clear up a little. Spanish mackerel are available in the lower bay. Cape Henry will be good this month. It is September which means that it is time to start getting serious about fishing for spot.

Dr. Julie Ball, IGFA International Representative for Virginia Beach, contributed the following:

The Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer fun for many, but not if you are an angler on the Mid Atlantic coast! This is a great time of year on the local fishing front. So, while keeping a watchful eye on hurricane Earl, anglers are scrambling to get in some fishing before the weather hits. The fish seem to be cooperating with this plan.

Cobia action is still on fire as the fish gather in droves near the mouth of the Bay and nearby coastal waters. Anglers are also finding more fish crowding around bridge pilings and buoys. Huge schools of cobia are cruising in open water as they prepare to head south, readily taking baits from sight casters. Action is also heating up along the Virginia Beach ocean front as more fish head in that direction.

Flounder action is still very good right now, but rain and wind from Earl could shut this down. Flatfish continue to assemble along channel edges, shoals, and structure as they prepare to exit the Bay. Drifting along the channel edges and near the Bay Bridge Tunnel is generating keeper-sized fish, with a few doormats mixed in. Anglers targeting flatfish with live bait and jigs are finding some big fish along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, with all four islands providing good action. Inshore and nearshore wrecks are also good places to try right now. According to the folks at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, the flounder bite inside the inlets eased up recently.

Spot are already thrilling local pier anglers as they fill coolers from lower Bay fishing piers. One couple ran out of bloodworms after filling two coolers with keeper-sized spot while fishing from the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier this week. According to the folks at The Virginia Beach Fishing Center, spot are also coming from both Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. This action should only improve over the next few weeks. Big croaker are hitting in the backwaters of Oyster right now, with many hardheads ranging to nearly two pounds.

Large red drum are still roaming the lower Bay shoals, the Eastern Shore barrier islands, and the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, where anglers are scoring with big fish on lures. Also look for red drum schooling off the ocean front. Puppy drum (juvenile red drum) are still around in local inlets, but the bite has slowed. Speckled trout are also showing promise, with some fish pushing over 9 pounds caught lately. The best places to try for specks are Lynnhaven, Rudee, and Little Creek Inlets, as well as the Poquoson flats and Hungar’s creek.

To sheepshead hunter’s delight, these fish are still going strong. Anglers are taking sheeps from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel structure on fiddler crabs and clam. Triggerfish are still staging in all the same locations, presenting an easy target. Some of these fish are over 3 pounds.

King mackerel have yet to take off, but a nice 36-pound smoker boated off Sandbridge this past weekend is encouraging. September and October are good months for kings, so anglers are still hopeful. Spanish mackerel are still providing action within the Bay and along the ocean front. On the Eastern Shore, tarpon are still active, but this could end with the pending weather from Earl. Big amberjack continue to take baits and jigs at the Southern Towers, while both crevalle jack and amberjack are a possibility at the Chesapeake Light Tower.

Deep dropping is going well with nice blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, blackbellied rosefish, and big sea bass, but most folks are now focusing on the hot marlin bite. Most offshore boats are heading north towards the Washington Canyon, where several boats released dozens of white marlin this week. Scattered blue marlin and sailfish are also around. A good number of nice wahoo and some large gaffer dolphin are also hitting spreads this week. Swordfish will become a target as the waters cool.



Virginia Middle Bay -

Heidi, with Jett’s Hardware, reports that a strong puppy drum bite has been keeping anglers attention this week. Numerous “puppies” have been caught around structure, like the jetties and lighthouse, by casting lures. Most of these drum have been a little larger than the slot limits allows, but people did catch some keepers. Other species of note included bluefish, Spanish mackerel, spot, croaker, and flounder.

Dan, with Smiths Point Marina, reports the red drum have been landed at their marina as well. The Spanish mackerel bite has picked up some, and there were plenty of bluefish as well. Small spot were available for those chasing the striped bass in Maryland, and the croaker were still biting last week.

Jerry Thrash, of Queen’s Creek Outfitters, contributed the following:

Flounder fishing picked up significantly this week. Although we saw no citations, several customers reported catching fair numbers of keeper-sized fish. Croaker were still available in the Rappahannock River and in the creeks, and puppy drum were making a showing as well. Spot were caught off of Gwynn Island, Butlers Hole, and the Spike. Red tides seem to have diminished. Spanish mackerel and bluefish were found from Windmill Point south to Wolftrap Light.


Virginia Beach -

According to staff at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, numerous large cobia were caught last week. Most were found right off of the beach. The largest so far has been 75 pounds. Offshore, the white marlin is HOT. Reports of boats catching over 30 (averaging about 15) have come in. There were also dolphin, nice wahoo, and plenty of amberjack near the A Tower. Tuna have slowed slightly, but boats were still seeing some skipjack and yellowfin around.

Paula, at Fisherman’s Wharf Marina, reported that the white marlin fishing has been outstanding at the Washington canyon. There was also good fishing at the Triple Zeros over the weekend. Cobia fishing was fantastic inshore, and some wahoo activity was reported as well.


Virginia Piers -

A mixed bag of small spot, numerous small flounder, a few croaker, and a few speckled trout was reported this week from the Oceanview Fishing Pier.

At the Virginia Beach Pier, slow fishing was reported this week. Catches included spot and sea mullet, with a few pompano and spadefish mixed in. There were also sporadic bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Staff reports that despite the slow fishing, crabbing has been very good.

Crabbing and fishing has slowed down this week, according to staff at the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier. Staff believes the weather could be the culprit.

At the Buckroe Fishing Pier, nice bluefish (over 20 inches) were reported, along with taylor bluefish, nice spot, a few keeper flounder, croaker, and puffers. The majority of the catch was bluefish and flounder.

Outer Banks, NC -

Offshore fishing out of Oregon Inlet has been affected by the large swells being generated by Hurricane Earl. However, after the storm passes and the seas subside, there is generally nice weather following a hurricane. Earlier in the week, tuna (yellowfin, blackfin, bigeye, and skipjack) were caught in good numbers. Dolphin, wahoo, king mackerel, and amberjack were caught with a little less regularity. Billfish catches were dominated by sailfish. King mackerel were working about eight miles offshore. Various snapper, grouper, blueline tilefish, and sea bass were caught by bottom fishermen in deeper waters. Around the shallower-water artificial reefs sea bass, tautog, and sheepshead were hooked. Nearshore boats, pier fishermen, and surf anglers found bluefish, Spanish mackerel, spot, croaker, pompano and puffers. Inside water anglers were targeting speckled trout and flounder.

South of Oregon Inlet, the Park Service has closed many of the beaches limiting angler opportunities. It is difficult to predict when these beaches will be reopened. Early in the week, bluefish were reported around the Point, and Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and puppy drum were spotted south of the Point.

Offshore fishing out of Hatteras Inlet has produced good numbers of dolphin catches, as well as wahoo and blackfin tuna. Rough seas have kept a lot of boats tied up at the dock, but inshore fishermen have seen puppy drum, speckled trout, and flounder.

If you have additional information or would like further details contact Joe Grist at (757) 247-2237.

Please credit the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's THE SALTWATER REVIEW as the source of the fishing information. Project is funded by NOAA and VMRC.


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