Virginia Saltwater Fishing News
A big congratulations goes out to the Swordfish for winning this year’s Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament. The tournament results are listed below:
Top 5 Boats
Swordfish
420 points (on time)
Triflin
420 points
Sea Toy
280 points (on time)
Waterman
280 points (on time)
Maggie
280 points (on time)

Top Dolphin
Sea Note
angler Gary Deal
37.2 lbs.

Top Tuna (Bigeye)
Skirt Chaser
angler Shane Moore
147.7 lbs.

Top Wahoo
Gannet
angler Scott Willis
43.4 lbs.

New All Tackle World Record Darwin’s Slimehead
I am pleased to announce that I had the honor of assisting with the processing of a new Pending IGFA All Tackle World Record Darwin’s Slimehead. This is one of the strangest looking fish I have ever seen. The official weight at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle is a whopping 7lb 8oz. This more than doubles the weight of some recent catches, under 4 pounds. The angler is Ron Vankirk of Williamsburg, VA. He was fishing in the Norfolk Canyon aboard the recreational vessel the “Crystal Clear D” skippered by Sean Doran of South Miles, NC.

The IGFA has accepted the fish for consideration as an All Tackle World Record.

Congrats to the captain, crew and angler!
Dr. Julie Ball

Virginia Fishing Report: Covering the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Inshore and Virginia Offshore Fishing by Tidal Fish Correspondent Julie Ball
The Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer fun for lots of folks, but not if you are an angler on the Mid Atlantic coast! The summer species are preparing to migrate out of the area, and the fall residents are making their debut, so choosing which fish to target is can be tough. Most are choosing cobia and flounder as they both group in the lower bay, making very easy targets. As soon as the winds subside, expect this trend to be back on track.

Cobia is a sure deal as they crowd along bridge pilings and lower bay buoys.
Pods of fish are also appearing on the surface as they exit bay waters.
Flounder is also a good bet as anglers continue to entice big flatfish from deep channels, and lower bay structures. The High Rise, the bend at the 3rd island, and the buoy 42 and Cell area are producing big fish lately. Richard Lane of Virginia Beach weighed in a 7-pound, 6-ounce doormat he tricked while fishing the High Rise on a strip of squid. If you prefer not to fight the crowds, decent flatfish are hitting drifted strips of cut bait over offshore wrecks. Nice seabass are also providing good action on many offshore structures.

Keeper spot are showing within lower bay inlets, and scattered around the lower bay. The best hauls are coming from Rudee Inlet lately. This action will only improve over the next few weeks. Croaker are hitting near the four islands of the CBBT, as well as in Oyster near the #1 buoy in about 35 feet of water.

Speckled trout and puppy drum are becoming more active in the shallows. The best locations are Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, the Poquoson flats, and Hungar’s Creek. Backwater casters are reporting good numbers of nice sized pups up to 30-inches. CAPT Steve Wray at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle claims that Gulp Swimming Mullets and Red Fish Magic Spinner baits are working well right now.

Trigger fish are gaining even more momentum, while diehard sheepshead angers are sneaking by with a few scattered catches. Triggerfish are hitting fiddlers and squid dangled along the structure of the CBBT.

Bull reds are still roaming the lower bay shoals, as well as the 3rd and 4th islands of the Bridge Tunnel. Also look for red drum schooling off the Virginia Beach ocean front. It’s almost time for the much anticipated debut of the bull reds off the Sandbridge fishing pier. Black drum action is slowing around the islands of the CBBT as they prepare to migrate out of the bay.

Along the ocean front, anglers are scoring with some decent king mackerel from Cape Henry down to False Cape. Spanish mackerel are still providing limits of good sized fish in these same areas. Surf and Pier action will escalate this month with decent hauls spot, croaker, taylor blues, puppy drum, pompano, and flounder.

Tarpon action slowed a little this week with the easterly winds, but Art Greason of Virginia Beach experienced the catch of a lifetime when he landed a tarpon on a fly while fishing Oyster on the Eastern Shore.

Virginia deep droppers are busy lately with three new pending all-tackle world record submissions within one week. Ron Van kirk of Williamsburg submitted an odd catch, a huge Darwin’s Slimehead he caught in the deep.
Jere Humphries of Norfolk submitted a pending 68-pound snowy grouper from the same area, and Marcus Jones III of Elizabeth City, NC submitted an application for a nice barrelfish all-tackle world record.

Amberjack are still available at the South tower and offshore wrecks, and Jack Crevelle catches should become more common within the next few weeks.

Most offshore reports are nil since most boats are docked due to the recent winds. But once the winds subside, billfish action should pick back up.
Dolphin catches are very good, with limits of bailer and gaffer mahi keeping trollers content. A possible wahoo is a good consolation prize. Scattered bigeye tuna are around, and yellowfin tuna are hit and miss, but the yellowfin action is good off Carolina right now.
Until next week, good luck fishing!

Julie
Dr. Julie Ball
IGFA Representative,

Luckily we have some reports from the Virginia Saltwater Review covering this region.
Chincoteague -  According to Donna at Captain Bob’s, while fishing has slowed in the area, anglers can still find croaker. Those seeking safe harbor from the winds by moving to the Assateague Channel were rewarded with flounder. Offshore, the run seems to be over; however, last week at the wrecks, nice-sized flounder and a few spadefish were landed.

Wachapreague – At the Wachapreague Marina, numerous dolphin and several wahoo (one was 68 pounds) were taken this week. A few billfish were landed as well, but no tuna were biting. Inshore, flounder were still hanging on with a few keepers, and croaker began to pick up. Spot are showing, but anglers were left looking for trout. A few sand mullet were caught outside of the inlet in the surf this week.

Really great weekend fishing was reported from Captain Zeds. Rental boats had great success with croaker and flounder. Although there were plenty of throwbacks, Drawing Channel, Green Channel, and the area across from the Coast Guard Station were all very productive. Cedar Island Cove around Marker 4 and Bradford Channel were hot spots for croaker. For kingfish, the point of the beach at Ced

Virginia’s Middle Bay Fishing Report
by Jerry Thrash From Patriot Charters and Queens Creek Outfitters
Jerry writes: “We saw two more cobias Monday.  Patrick Winter of Gloucester took his two young children cobia fishing off York Spit on the 18th and hooked three fish.  One which his 6 year old daughter Farren fought was lost at boatside but Farren and her 8 year old brother Willy managed to catch two others.  Patrick provided an assist in boating the fish and the kids were justifiably proud of their catch.  The fish hit live spot. Pan sized keeper Gray Trout have made a showing in the Piankitank, biting on bloodworms.. Spanish  are still available  in lower Fleets Bay, along the drop off at Windmill Bar.  Lots of blues are in the same areas.  The spanish will likely disappear with the first major weather system. Good size Spot continue to be caught at Cherry Point, off Gwynn Island in 25-30 feet of water and at  the Spike (#3 Rappahannock marker) and at Butlers Hole.  White perch, a few gray trout and croaker are mixed in.  Small specks and puppy drum can be caught in the creeks and from docks along with spot and croaker. The croaker will also be departing soon. Not much news on Flounder fishing  this week but we did have one citation  fish caught by the jigging method I described last week.

Citations:
Flounder:
27″,7 lbs, 4 oz  caught 8/23 at Buoy 42 on a jigged Berkley Gulp Jerk Shad by Tyler Shewmake of Midlothian.
Croaker:
19″, 3 lbs., 1 oz caught on shrimp 8/23 from a private pier in the Piankitank River by Timothy D. Walden of Gloucester.
Speckled Trout:
28″, 5lbs., 9 oz caught on a casting lure 8/19 near Gwynn’s Island by George R. Newsome of Cobbs Creek.

River Herring in Trouble
North Carolina increased its budget on River Herring recovery efforts this year to over $250,000 appropriated just for the herring studies. Each week, our state’s biologists set out trawl nets to take samples of the River Herring, as of mid-August the biologists have yet to even see a herring. Collecting these fish in the the summer time show whether or not the spawning was successful. Considering that the biologist have yet to catch a single fish all summer, the spawn could not have been successful. One of the main culprits of this depleted fishery is the development of our coastal lands; many of the spawning grounds from the 1970s and 1980s have been drained and commercialized. Earlier this year a moratorium was placed on the harvest of these fish, which is one step towards the rebuilding of the stock. Studies are currently underway to determine if the temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, as well as the plankton (a main food source for River Herring) levels within the Albemarle Sound. One study from 2005 suggested that the stock could be rebuilt, but that it would take nearly 20 years–since 2005 the stock has depleted even farther. Hopefully our Division of Marine Fisheries will come up with a plan to properly manage this species and bring it back to life.

(Pictured above is a sailfish caught aboard TidalFish member HIT N RUN, check the report here.)

North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Reports

Bill from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center reported: ”
August 28, 2008 Fishing Report
Weather wise we got some showers and a SSE wind. Only a few boats went offshore. The boats that went offshore caught good size yellowfin tunas and dolphin. One of the dolphin weighed 43 pounds. A blue marlin was caught and released. It was the tenth blue marlin for this boat this year. None of the inshore boats or open boats fished.

August 27, 2008 Fishing Report
Offshore good dolphin fishing and some nice yellowfin tunas. Five sailfish, a white marlin and a blue marlin were caught and released. Inshore a good run of ideal size bluefish and spanish mackerel. An open boat caught to cobias a flunder and a sheepshead. The larger cobia weighed 40 pounds. A much bigger cobia was faught for a long time but won the battle. A second open boat caught big speckled trout a third caught speckled trout and bluefish. Miss Oregon Inlet caught sea mullet, croakers and grey trout in the morning, croakers and sea mullet in the afternoon.

August 26, 2008 Fishing Reports

Offshore all the boats limited in dolphin. Two boats caught and released sailfish. The sailfish were present in good numbers but reluctant biters. Two boats also had two yellowfin tunas each. Inshore lots of spanish mackerel and bluefish. An all day trip had good false albacore fishing . An open boat had real good speckled trout fishing in the morning, caught and released sharks in the afternoon. Two young ladies caught most of the trout. Miss Oregon Inlet caught croakers and sea mullet.”

TW’s Bait and Tackle reported: ”
August 28, 2008 Fishing Report
In Summary: The open shoreline is open from ramp 4 south for 2.1 miles to Oregon Inlet and Ramp 4 north for 2.1 miles. Nighttime driving is prohibited from 10 pm to 6 am. Sea turtles will be nesting until November. Closures are smaller.
Surf Fishing Report: Slow. Rough water.
Sound Fishing Report: The Little Bridge anglers are catching a few Puppy Drum.
Pier Fishing Report:
Avalon: Slow.
Nags Head: Few small Blues
Outer Banks: Few small Blues and Croaker.
Inshore Boats Report: Trolling boats caught Blues and Spanish. Open boats caught nice Cobia, Flounder, Trout and Sheepshead on Wednesday.
Offshore Boats Report: Dolphin and Yellowfin Tuna

August 27, 2008 Fishing Report
In Summary: Rough seas this morning. Water temp is 77 degrees. Wind straight out the east at 18 kts reported by Army corps of Engineers Research Pier in Duck.
Surf Fishing Report: A few bottom fish and Blues.
Sound Fishing Report: Little Bridge is slow. Anglers are catching a few Spot and Flounder.
Pier Fishing Report:
Avalon: Bluefish.
Nags Head: Blues and Spot.
Outer Banks: Double header Spot this morning, Blues and Flounder.
Inshore Boats Report: Open boat had a good Trout bite yesterday. Inshore boaters also caught Spanish, Blues and false Albacore.
Offshore Boats Report: The offshore boats caught their limits of Dolphin on Tuesday. A few Yellowfin Tuna was also caught.

August 26, 2008 Fishing Reports
In Summary: It is rumored, beach access at ramp 4 will be opened all the way to the bridge this week. I will let you know. I fished south of ramp 4 on Monday. Not much luck but much grass.
Surf Fishing Report: Bottom fish and Blues.
Sound Fishing Report: The Little Bridge reported Specks and Flounder.
Pier Fishing Report:
Avalon: Blues and Spanish. Caught a 65 lb Cobia early this morning.
Nags Head: Blues and Spanish
Outer Banks: Blues, Spanish and Spot.
Inshore Boats Report: Spanish and Bluefish caught by trolling boats. Triggerfish, False Albacore, King Mackerel and Cobia.
Offshore Boats Report: Good Dolphin fishing. Lots of Billfish caught on Monday.”

NORTH CAROLINA FISHING REPORTS COVERING THE ENTIRE NORTH CAROLINA COAST

Reported from North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

From Knotts Island to Ocracoke:
Ocean: Offshore anglers had very high success rates, with the exception of tuna catches, which were slow.  Plenty of dolphin, greater amberjack, wahoo, blueline tilefish, black seabass, triggerfish, barracuda, and vermilion snapper were caught this week.  Billfish anglers caught sailfish and both blue and white marlin on a fairly regular basis.  Midrange catches took a downward trend. Fishing was slower, with the exception of a few isolated catches of striped bass and a few triggerfish and sheepshead on the artificial reefs. Inshore anglers had very good success rates with Spanish mackerel and bluefish for some short term yet high-volume action.
Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Fishing improved over what we saw last week.  Flounder catches were much improved, with nice specimens being caught throughout the area.  Oregon Inlet produced the bulk of them. Most were caught in the shallow areas near the various islands and landmasses.  Spotted seatrout and very large croakers were caught in the same area in very high numbers.  Sheepshead and tautog were caught around the bridge structure at Oregon Inlet on a regular basis, with mole crabs (sand fleas) being the bait of choice. Striped bass catches at Manns Harbor made a modest improvement.
Piers/Shore: Anglers had similar success rates to the inshore boaters, with catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish making up the bulk of their catches.  Atlantic spadefish, banded rudderfish, blue runners, silver perch, spot, pigfish, pinfish, croaker. skates, stingrays, and assorted sharks were caught with moderate regularity.  Cobia catches on piers were very good, with citation size specimens being caught on a regular basis.
General Overview: Success rates improved across the board, with water temps in the surf throughout the area in the upper 70s-lower 80s.  Tropical depression Fay may affect fishing efforts mid-late week.

From Portsmouth to Surf City:

Ocean:  It has been rough  offshore all week and not many boats have ventured out. Large Spanish can still be hooked off the beach and around Cape Lookout.
Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Nice pigfish are popping up everywhere. Sheepshead are around all bridge and pier pilings in Carteret and Onslow counties.  Good catches of spotted seatrout are reported if you fish at night under the lights of bridges. They are also still up in the marshes with redfish.  Bluefish and small sea mullet, croakers and black drum can be hooked in the turning basin of the state port. All in all – fishing is a little slow.
Piers/Shore:  Sheepshead are being caught around the pilings and black drum in the surf. Croakers, small spot, sea mullet and bluefish can be hooked.

From Topsail to Sunset Beach:
Ocean: Weather-wise, last week was not good. The wind blew most of the week and did not allow boats to venture offshore. There have been some reports of the wahoo starting to bite. Red grouper fishing has been decent if the wahoo don’t cooperate. Closer to shore, there are some African pompano and some nice kings being reported around the tower. Near/shore reefs are producing some flounder, spadefish, and over-the-slot red drum.
Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Not much has changed. There are some flounder coming out of the river, with fish being caught from the mouth of the river all the way to Wilmington. Trout are still being caught around Oak Island/Southport area. Tarpon fishing around the muddy slough area has been producing some fish of late. Late evenings/night has been the best time to fish.
Piers/Shore: Fishing dropped off last week due to weather. Area piers report some keeper flounder, pompano, blues and sea mullets. Spanish mackerel fishing was good before the wind starting blowing.

A follow up to the post from the other day on this subject
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In an effort to bring North Carolina into compliance with federal regulations for recreational boating, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is currently preparing modifications to personal flotation device (PFD) requirements.

In state waters, canoes and kayaks do not and will not need a Type IV PFD, approved throwable flotation devices commonly known as ring buoys or buoyant cushions.

These modifications will clarify compliance so that:

Canoes and kayaks 16 feet in length and over would be exempt from carrying a Type IV PFD. Canoes and kayaks under 16 feet in length already are exempt from carrying a Type IV PFD.
Sailboards, racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes and racing kayaks would be exempt from requirements to carry any Type PFD.

In North Carolina, a personal flotation device is required for everyone onboard a vessel on the water. Both state and federal regulations require that a Type I, II or III PFD in good condition and of appropriate size be accessible for each person onboard. That includes canoes, kayaks, rowboats and other non-motorized vessels. Children younger than 13 are required to wear a properly-fitted, U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD whenever the vessel is underway.

While these regulations are being updated, only previously applicable laws will be enforced by Wildlife Officers.

For more information on free boating education courses or safety and requirements, go to www.ncwildlife.org or call (919) 707-0031.

Last week at their 3-day summer meeting, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) took important steps toward improving management of menhaden, river herring and American shad – species that are particularly important as prey for striped bass and numerous other predators.In a public statement at the start of the August 20th meeting, NCMC president Ken Hinman reminded the ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Management Board that we are now halfway through the five-year cap on menhaden harvest in Chesapeake Bay, that ASMFC-requested research is underway looking into the status of menhaden as a forage fish, and that a new stock assessment will be performed in 2009. “The ball you’ve handed the scientists is about to be tossed back into your court,” Hinman said. “The Board needs to begin now figuring out how it’s going to use the available information to implement a new management regime when the present one expires in 2010.”

After a number of Commissioners shared their concern that the move to an ecosystem-based approach to managing the menhaden fishery had “lost momentum,” (which perplexes me that commissioners act on momentum vs. a smart way to manage fish populations) the Board accepted NCMC’s recommendation to appoint a Working Group to develop ecological reference points – e.g., target population size, age structure, and set-aside for predators – by the completion of next year’s stock assessment. ASMFC staff were directed to identify participants, including scientists and managers with experience in ecosystem-based management, and develop a work plan by the Commission’s next meeting, in October 2008.

Commission Also Prioritizes Investigating At-Sea Bycatch for River Herring and Shad Recovery

The following day during the meeting of the ASMFC Shad and River Herring Management Board, a draft river herring amendment was approved for public review that included strong options for regulating bycatch in other fisheries, both in state and federal waters, with emphasis placed on bycatch limits, mandatory reporting, and monitoring programs that allow for reliable estimation. At-sea bycatch is a prime suspect in the decline of both alewives and blueback herring. Landings of these species have fallen by 90% in the last twenty years, coinciding with a rise in mid-water trawling for sea herring and Atlantic mackerel.

Similar options to address bycatch were chosen for an American shad amendment, which is being developed in response to the grim findings of a 2007 stock assessment. “I am greatly encouraged that the Board recognized that at-sea bycatch is also a major threat to American shad stocks, which like river herring are at historic lows. The Board voted 17-1 to include recommendations from both the stock assessment team and the advisory panel (AP) that called for quantifying bycatch and employing observer coverage to verify reporting,” said NCMC Executive Director Pam Lyons Gromen who serves on the Shad and River Herring AP and was present at the Board meeting. The AP also recommended research to identify the major predators of shad in order to quantify consumption, information which is needed for managers to ensure that enough shad is left in the water to fulfill their role as prey. The draft shad amendment is scheduled to be released for public review in November.

When it comes to fishing tackle rigging a lot of time gets invested in talking about knots, different types of rigs and such, but little time gets spent actually talking about the very first point of contact between you and the fish, your hook. If you have a nice sharp hook you increase your chances of a good hook-set; if you have dull hook it could mean the difference between a fish of a lifetime and losing a fish of a lifetime.

I have spent a lot of time at fishing seminars, reading articles and as importantly a lot of time on the water exterminating through trial and error when it comes to hook selection and hook sharpening. In this piece I will share with you have I have learned about hook sharpening.

One of the first things you should understand is the different parts of the hook. If you are an expert at this, skim over the below diagram and move on. If you are not so familiar with the parts of a hook spend some time looking at the below diagram so you are familiar with the terms as we continue.

Easy Method to Check your Hook Sharpness
The first thing to check is to see if your hook is sharp. Most hook manufacturers provide you with a very sharp hook right out of the package, but its worth checking just to make sure. An easy way to check and see if your hook is sharp is to gently draw the point of the hook across your fingernail. If the point digs in and leaves a mark it is sharp and you can tie the hook on and get that line in the water. If the hook does not dig in to your nail then you need to spend a few seconds sharpening it or you risk not getting a good solid deep hook-set, making the difference between “hooking” and actually “landing” your fish.

Tools to Sharpen your Hook
The first thing you are going to need is a good file. I used to use a simple knife sharpening stone that you can pick up in any hardware store. I also had a small retractable stone/file that they sell in many tackle shops, it is about the size of a sharpie pen, give or take an inch or two in length. The stone worked better for me then the retractable file/stone because it is easier to hold and has more surface area.

Recently my friend Wild Bill showed me a very nice file that he has been using which does the trick better then any of the sharpening devices I have used so far. It is made by DMT and is called a Diafold Diamond Flat File. They make folding ones, which I currently have in a coarse single sided version, as well as regular handled ones. What coarseness you get is up to you, but anything less then fine (they make a superfine) will probably not perform all that well. The next one that I am going to get is the DMT Double Sided Diafold Diamond Whetstone Course/Extra Fine. I want the extra fine just to make a stroke or two as a finishing stroke. Regardless of the brand file you get, just make sure it is course enough as well as durable enough to withstand the harsh conditions of living in a tackle box.

How to Sharpen your Hook

One of the myths about sharpening hooks is the length of the “sharp” area on the hook. Only the very tip of the hook point needs to be sharpened. Only the very tip of the hook is what penetrates the fish’s jaw, the sharper the better.

The reason you do not want to sharpen your hook very far beyond the very point is that as you file higher up on the hook you decrease the diameter of the medal making up the hook point which reduces the strength of the point. If you have a really sharp hook that has a weak point you can actually bend the point when setting the hook possibly resulting in missing the fish all together. I have seen and experienced this myself. Remember, in general, the jaw of a fish where the hook generally sets is very hard, sometimes you get lucky and the hook-set in a soft area where you get a good set, but a lot of the time you are setting the hook into a very hard area, so think short very sharp points when you are sharpening.

Here’s how to sharpen your hook:

1) Firmly hold your hook

2) Draw your file across the barb toward the point. Repeat this stroke several times while making sure you hold the file at the same angle each time.

3) Repeat the same strokes on the other side.

4) Make a few final strokes on the bottom of the point. This will form a triangular point.

5) Test the hook for sharpness by running it across your finger nail as described earlier.

Remember, sharp hooks can make the difference between “hooking” and “landing” fish.

Virginia Saltwater Fishing News
The Virginia Recreational Fishing Advisory Board (RFAB) will meet to review the projects, listed below, which are currently under consideration for funding from the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund (saltwater recreational fishing license funds). The meetings, on these proposals, will be held on Monday, September 8, 2008, 7:00 p.m., at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, Fourth Floor, Newport News.  Written comments, on the proposals, should be mailed to: Sonya Davis, VMRC Fisheries Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, VA 23607 or E-mailed to: sonya.davis@mrc.virginia.gov .  Complete project proposals and additional information are available on the Internet at http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/vsrfdf/index.shtm .

Tentative Agenda

I.    Introduction, Announcements, Comments.

II.    Status of Fund.

III.    Review of Minutes from the July 2008 RFAB Meeting.

IV.    Multi-Year Projects for Renewal.

A)    2009 Children’s Fishing Clinic (Year 12). Rob Cowling, Newport News Rotary Club and Coastal Conservation Association-Peninsula. $6,000.

B)    2009 Kiwanis Club Children’s Fishing Clinic (Year 8).  Wesley Brown, Capital District Kiwanis Club.  $6,000.

C)    Federal Assistance (Wallop-Breaux) Matching Funds FY 2009.  Jack Travelstead, VMRC.  $321,820.

D)    Improving Stock Assessment of Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) – Year 2.  Y. Jiao, D. Orth, VPI & SU, and R. O’Reilly, VMRC.  $130,876.

E)    2009 Virginia Game Fish Tagging (Year 15).  J. Lucy, VIMS and L. Gillingham, VMRC.  $86,698.

V.        New Projects.

F)    Migrations of Adult Summer Flounder from Chesapeake Bay:  Implications for Stock Structure.  M. Fabrizio, M. Henderson, VIMS.  $83,605.

G)    Use of Pop-Up Satellite Archival Tags (PSATs) to Determine the Fate, Movements, and Habitat Utilization of Red Drum Released from Virginia’s Recreational Fishery.  J. Graves, A. Horodysky, J. Lucy, VIMS.  $93,569.

H)    Seasonal Caloric Needs and Energy Intake of Chesapeake Bay’s Predatory Fishes:  Which Prey Fuel Growth and Reproduction?  A. Horodysky, R. Latour, VIMS.  $40,060.

VI.      Dates for Future Second Cycle 2008 RFAB Meetings.

Work Session (5:30 p.m.) & Final Recommendations (7 p.m.)    November 10

New All Tackle World Record Snowy Grouper
I met a very excited angler, Jere Humphries of Norfolk, VA to assist with the processing of a new pending IGFA All Tackle World Record Snowy Grouper.

The fish weighed in at 68 pounds, two pounds larger than the existing record. The fish was caught on August 17th, 2008 using a Boston Mackerel at the Norfolk Canyon off Virginia Beach. The boat was a privately owned vessel named “Bone Daddy,” The owner and Captain is James Collier.

This is an amazing record!

Congrats to the angler and crew!

The fish is also under consideration as the new Virginia State record Snowy Grouper.
Dr. Julie Ball

Virginia Fishing Report: Covering the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Inshore and Virginia Offshore Fishing by Tidal Fish Correspondent Julie Ball
With water temperatures close to eighty, the flounder action is hit-and-miss, depending on which person you ask. Larger fish are responding for live baiters along the entire span of the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Although the 3rd and 4th islands are usually the hot spots, more and larger fish are now showing around the 1st island of the CBBT. Drifters are finding keepers in the lower bay inlets, the small boat channel at the CBBT, the Baltimore Channel passing near Cape Henry, buoy 42, and Back River Reef.

Cobia are continuing their late summer trend of favoring buoys and bridge pilings. A smattering of fish cruising along the surface on the ocean front is also contributing to the latest catches. This pattern should only improve over the next several weeks. Cobia chummers are also scoring with some decent fish within bay waters. (Picture above is from post by TidalFIsh member Healthy Grin, check out their awesme day offshore report here .) Spadefish are swarming around pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, with sheepshead lurking underneath. Most spades are on the smaller side lately. The sheepshead have responded a little better this week, but nothing to indicate a turn around. The trigger fish action is still a go with a few bigger fish starting to show. With no limits on these fish, anglers are loading up on lower bay and coastal wrecks, as well as the CBBT structure.

Spanish mackerel action is still off the charts, with several citations up to 5-pounds registered recently. These fish will chase small Clark and Drone spoons trolled at a quick clip along the ocean front and the Cape Henry tide rips. The good run of king mackerel off Virginia Beach is still going on. The easterly wind direction this week should push in clearer water, and kick the king action up a notch. Fish are falling mostly trolled live bait, with menhaden the top performer lately. Several smokers over to 30-pounds were boated from Sandbridge to False Cape this week. Robert Warren of Portsmouth scored with three nice kings up to 37-pounds he hooked while slow trolling bunker in about 20 feet of water. Trollers are also reporting catches of small mahi in these same areas.

Tarpon are elusive relatives of the bone fish and the lady fish. These air-gulping wonders will roll and frolic all around your bait, as you roast in the heat without a hit. These fish are still active in the back waters of the Eastern Shore, with Oyster a favorite location.

Red drum are on a late-season roll, with good action through the full moon cycle last-week on the Nine Foot Shoal. Black drum are still schooled at the 3rd and 4th islands, with several releases reported.
Count on the big croaker numbers to climb as Fall approaches, with some anglers already complaining they are a nuisance. The back waters of Oyster are still providing good hardhead action on squid and shrimp. Spot are also active at the first island, and the Concrete ships with plenty of keepers available.

Jack Crevelle are lurking around the CLT, and big amberjack will take any offering at the South A tower. Be prepared, anglers are sorting through dozens of fish before earning a Virginia state citation, which is common for this time of year.

Offshore, billfish is spread out, but the action should improve through the month. Blue marlin, white marlin, and a smattering of sails are possibilities. Christopher Pratscher of Virginia Beach released a big blue marlin while fishing aboard the Backlash out of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center this week. Tuna action can improve, with reports of scattered yellowfin to 60 pounds and a few bigeye tuna around. Plenty of dolphin with some big gaffers mixed in, are hanging on pots and weed lines. Wahoo are available in about 30 fathoms of water.
Until next week, good luck fishing!

Julie
Dr. Julie Ball
IGFA Representative,

Virginia’s Middle Bay Fishing Report
by Jerry Thrash From Patriot Charters and Queens Creek Outfitters
Jerry writes: “We saw our first cobias of the season on Friday.  The two anglers fished the York Spit area and registered two release citations, kept two fish and released their fifth and sixth fish.  All were caught on unspecified live bait.  More than one fish “tail danced” on being hooked. The first pan sized keeper Gray Trout have made a showing in the Piankitank, biting on bloodworms. Spanish in good numbers are still available  in lower Fleets Bay, along the drop off at Windmill Bar.  Spanish bite best at 6-8 knots as shown on the GPS.  Slower speeds produce bluefish.   A charter aboard LESS STRESS had 29 keeper Spanish and over 40 keeper Bluefish Sunday. Good size Spot continue to be caught at Cherry Point, off Gwynn Island in 25-30 feet of water and at  the Spike (#3 Rappahannock marker) and at Butlers Hole.  White perch and croaker are mixed in.  Flounder fishing improved this week with 4 citation fish.  Jigging cut bait and Gulp Jerk Shad has been effective as has been jigging live spot.  The huge 11 lbs, 9 oz specimen we registered on Thursday was one of 6 keepers caught jigging  strips of squid.

Citations:
Flounder:
31″,11 lbs, 9 oz  caught 8/14 at Buoy 42 on a jigged squid strip by David Hamnett of Richmond.
26.5″,8 lbs, 3 oz  caught 8/14 at Buoy 42 on a jigged live spot by Bill Sherman of King George.
26.5″,7 lbs, 12 oz  caught 8/16 at Buoy 42  on cut bait by William C. Jarrell of Gloucester.
27″,7 lbs, 0 oz  caught 8/13 at the Cell  on cut bait by Rommie L. Head, Jr. of Hampton.
Cobia:
Patrick Winter of Gloucester earned a citation for releasing a 52″ cobia caught 8/15 at York Spit on live bait”

There has been a lot of talk from stiped bass anglers all along the east coast and though out the Chesapeake Bay about the Striped Bass population. Some claim it’s declining, some say it’s fine, some say it’s so fine that striped bass are eating all the crabs in the Chesapeake and we should harvest more then we ever have (that last part is more of a smartypants comment based on a previous blog post here) I am not that old, but I have been around to see some really good striped bass fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Alantic Coast. When I say “good” I mean a lot of fish and a lot of big fish. After the mortorium we had that “good” fishing. The last few years I have to say that I have seen less and less big fish in the Chesapeake as well as along the Atlantic Coast. However,  that is just my experience and it’s certianly not based on a scientific experiement. At the same time I also hear anglers double my age saying the same thing. One friend who is in his early to middle 60′s has been fishing and targeting big striped bass his whole life. He says the same thing, simply not as many big fish. This is a guy that chases them all along the east coast every year and has been for decades. And there are a lot of guys like him I talk with that share the setiment. Even some editors/wrtiers of some magazines in the northeast have been suggesting we do not have as many striped bass and certainly not as many big striped bass as before. Are we overharvesting? Do the striped bass not have enough to eat? Is the habitat decreasing where they live and spawn meaning less fish? Is it a combination of two or all three? I do not know the answer, but a report was released the other day that suggests the Striped Bass population along the east coast is healthy. What “healthy” means I have yet to figure out. More to come on this from me as I do some reseach, but in the mean time read below and see what you think. Comments are welcome.

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Updated Biological Reference Points for Atlantic Striped Bass Confirm Previously Released Stock Status

The Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved new estimates of the biological reference points established in Amendment 6, as well as improved estimates of female spawning stock biomass for 1982-2006 (see accompanying Table 1 and Figures 1 & 2). This action was taken in response to recommendations of the 46th Stock Assessment Review Committee, which reviewed the 2007 striped bass stock assessment.

With these updates, the stock status of Atlantic striped bass remains not overfished and not experiencing overfishing. The new estimate of female spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2006 (40,639 metric tons) is above the new threshold and target levels (30,000 mt and 37,500 mt, respectively). The 2006 estimate of fishing mortality (F) from the statistical catch at age model (0.31) is below the new threshold of 0.34. Retrospective estimates of F from the statistical catch at age (SCA) model, as well as tag-based estimates of F, indicate that the 2006 fishing mortality is likely below the target F rate, which remains at 0.30.

In its review of the 2007 stock assessment, the Review Committee recommended that the Striped Bass Technical Committee reconsider the ratio of male to female fish used in the estimation of female SSB. The Review Committee also recommended that the Technical Committee re-estimate the fishing mortality threshold based on data from the new preferred assessment model (the SCA model), and that the female SSB target and threshold be linked to the new assessment. The estimates of these reference points for Amendment 6 were based on data from the 2001 virtual population analysis stock assessment. Implementing these changes to the biological reference points does not change their definitions, but rather updates them with new data and estimates of stock size.

The Technical Committee undertook the recommended work. Based on biological sampling data, new estimates of the sex ratio at age were developed, resulting in the improved estimates of female SSB for 1982-2006. Included in this time series was a new estimate of female SSB in 1995 (29,985 mt), the year the Atlantic coast stock was declared restored, and the value upon which the management program female SSB threshold is based. Given that Amendment 6 set the female SSB target as 125 percent of the female SSB threshold, the Technical Committee recommended an updated female SSB threshold of 30,000 mt and an updated female SSB target of 37,500 mt.

The Review Committee’s recommendation to update the F threshold meant re-estimating FMSY, the fishing mortality rate that allows for maximum sustainable yield. Using the new estimates of female SSB and age-1 recruitment from the 2007 assessment, the Technical Committee adopted a model averaging approach to account for uncertainty in the stock-recruitment relationship. The resulting estimate of FMSY was 0.34, which the Technical Committee recommended to the Board for use. The F target in Amendment 6 of 0.30 remains the same because it was not based specifically on estimates of stock size, but is based on the objective to maintain an age structure that provides adequate spawning potential to sustain long-term abundance of striped bass populations.

Figure 1. Atlantic Striped Bass Female Spawning Stock Biomass Estimates and Biological Reference Points
Amendment 6 defines the female SSB threshold as the 1995 level of female SSB, when the stock was declared restored, and the female SSB target as 125 percent of the female SSB threshold. The old female SSB threshold and target are based on data from the 2001 virtual population analysis, while the new female SSB threshold and target are based on data from the 2007 statistical catch at age (SCA) model, incorporating an empirical (based on data) sex ratio. Both sets of female SSB estimates are from the 2007 SCA model; however, the new set incorporates the same empirical sex ratio.

Figure 2. Atlantic Striped Bass Fishing Mortality Estimates and Biological Reference Points
Amendment 6 defines the F threshold as FMSY, and the F target based on management objectives. The old F threshold is based on data from the 2001 virtual population analysis, while the new F threshold is based on data from the 2007 statistical catch at age (SCA) model. Estimates from the SCA model were preferred by the 46th Stock Assessment Review Committee for comparison to biological reference points. However, estimates from the tag-based catch equation (CE) model, as well as retrospective estimates of F from the SCA model, are used to indicate that the terminal year F estimate from the SCA model is likely overestimated and will decline below the F target with the addition of future years of data.

For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, FMP Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.

I have written a lot about shad and herring, thought everyone should know about the public meetings taking place along the east coast.

Previous posts that are worth reading
Protect Shad at Sea
Herring Hearsay In what should be America’s most important river-herring refuge superstition suppresses these imperiled fish by Ted Williams
Industrial Herring Trawlers Threaten New Englands Ocean – Could This Explain the Shad Collapase Along the East Coast?
Susquehanna American Shad down 90% this Year – Crisis Fisheries Management…again

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The Commission’s Shad & River Herring Management Board has approved sending forward Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for River Herring for public review and comment. It seeks input on proposed requirements for population and bycatch monitoring, as well as commercial and recreational management measures. It is anticipated that the majority of coastal states will be conducting public meetings on the Draft Amendment; information on those meetings will be released once they become finalized.

The Draft Amendment has been developed in response to widespread concern regarding the decline of river herring stocks. While many populations of blueback herring and alewife, collectively known as river herring, are in decline or remain depressed at stable levels, lack of fishery-dependent and independent data makes it difficult to ascertain the status of river herring stocks coastwide. Between 1985 and 2004, commercial landings of river herring dropped by 90 percent from 13.6 to 1.33 million pounds. In 2007, Commission member states reported river herring landings of approximately 1.1 million pounds. In response to declining stocks within their own waters, four states — Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and North Carolina — have closed their river herring fisheries. River herring stocks are a multi-jurisdictional resource occurring in rivers and coastal waters. River herring bycatch continues to be a significant concern. Preliminary analyses indicate that, in some years, the total bycatch of river herring species by the Atlantic herring fleet alone could be equal to the total landings from the entire in-river directed fishery on the East Coast.

The Draft Amendment proposes a suite of management measures to address these concerns and ensure the survival and enhancement of depressed stocks or the maintenance of presently stable stocks. The Draft Amendment proposes mandatory data and bycatch monitoring provisions, as well as options to close fisheries by river system or establish a coastwide moratorium on the river herring fishery.  Specific commercial measures include area closures, escapement provisions, and landings reductions by river systems, as well as limited access. Recreational measures include recreational license/permit, limiting recreational harvest by the days of the week, coastwide creel limit, gear restrictions, and area or seasonal closures by river system.

The Draft will be available by early September and can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News.  For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator for Management, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org