Aug 09 2008
Virginia Fishing Report: Covering the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Inshore and Virginia Offshore Fishing Updated August 8,2008
Virginia Fishing Report: Covering the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Inshore and Virginia Offshore Fishing
As the summer trend presses on, many favorite species are available within Mid Atlantic waters. The inshore scene is dominated by cobia and flounder this week. Stealthy cobia are making a strong showing in lower bay and in coastal waters along the Virginia Beach ocean front. Anglers are having good luck with both chumming and sight casting, with some fish pushing to over 70-pounds. Be sure to carry a rigged live bait for that surprise cruising fish while out on the water. The Bay Bridge Tunnel is also giving up good numbers of cobia, with anglers pulling both big and small fish off bridge pilings. One boat had eleven fish come off the CBBT structure in one outing.
Since flounder are legal to keep again, anglers are busy make up for lost time from the recent closure. Big flatfish are coming from north of the 4th island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on live bait, while drifters are finding good luck along lower bay channels and shoals, as well as within Lynnhaven Inlet. Nice fish in the 5-pound range are coming from around the 1st island of the CBBT this week. Decent fish are also on the inshore and offshore wrecks, along with 4-pound sea bass. Brian Ashley of Suffolk took the lead flounder spot this week with an impressive 13-pound, 4-ounce doormat he hauled off the CBBT structure on a live spot.
Red drum are still ripping up the Latimer Shoal and the barrier islands on the Eastern Shore. A large school of reds is still patrolling the coastal waters off Sandbridge, where casters are enjoying some good top water action. Black drum continue to roam the artificial islands of the CBBT, with many anglers taking advantage of this showing. Be sure to take time to revive these large fish before releasing them.
Oceans East 2 reports that speckled trout are beginning to hit more often within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, Mobjack Bay, and Hungar’s Creek lately.
Puppy drum up to 29-inches are also available in these same areas. Cut mullet is working well for the pups, especially on an outgoing tide.
Croaker are everywhere from the HRBT to the CBBT. Bigger fish are also starting to show within the lower bay inlets. The big bite out of Oyster continues to yield coolers of medium-sized hardheads from the deeper part of the main channel. Bigger spot are also starting to roll in, with Ocean View, Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets, and the Concrete Ships holding larger spot. A few sheepshead were hooked from the Seagull Fishing Pier this week, along with scattered catches along the northern section of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, but expect to work hard for your catch. Triggerfish are mixed in with the sheepshead and spadefish along the Bridge tunnel and wrecks. The spadefish seem more cooperative lately as the jellyfish assault subsides. Pompano are also hitting well lately along the southern span of the CBBT and lower bay piers. Some fish large enough to qualify for state citations are coming from the Ocean View Fishing Pier this week.
Trollers are enjoying excellent Spanish mackerel action along the coastal areas from Cape Henry to Sandbridge. CAPT Steve Wray aboard the Ocean Pearl had several good days trolling for Spanish, with most fish pushing up to 22-inches. The promise of a king mackerel encounter is enticing many anglers to the ocean front in the hopes of hooking a smoker, but finding the fish can be a challenge. The king bite is a little slower this week, and most fish are ranging to around 10 to15-pounds. A large pod of tarpon residing off False Cape is making things interesting for some king anglers, as scattered reports of incidental tarpon hooks-ups are creating a stir. The tarpon action on the Eastern shore is still yielding good numbers of sightings, a few jump-offs, and one or two landings. Big sharks are also a possibility in the same areas.
Amberjack are active on wrecks and navigational towers, with the Chesapeake Light Tower also offering a shot at big barracudas. The southern towers offer the best chances at a successful day of jack fishing. Deepdroppers are finding good blueline tile and grouper action along the Canyon edges.
Bluewater anglers are experiencing good billfish action, with white marlin, some blues, and a good number of sailfish on the prowl. The best billfish action is still coming from the Canyon around the 450 line. Scattered catches of yellowfin tuna are trickling in. Nice gaffer dolphin and a few wahoo are also available.
Until next week, good luck fishing!
Julie
Dr. Julie Ball
IGFA Representative,
Virginia’s Eastern Shore Fishing Report
Covering Inshore and Offshore Fishing out of Wachapreague, Chincoteague and Assateague
by Kevin of Lyn B Sportfishing - TidalFish.com Correspondent
Kevin of Lyn B Sportfishing, a 34ft custom sport fisherman Captained by Bill Bowen. They offer inshore, wreck and offshore fishing adventures. Fishing from the Wachapreague, Wachapreague . Call 757-787-1074 to book a trip.
Luckily we have some reports from the Virginia Saltwater Review covering this region.
Chincoteague - Donna at Captain Bob’s reports that 2008 is going to be remembered for a great fishing year in Chincoteague waters. Even though we are in the second week of August, anglers are still finding keeper flounder! Whether fishing from a boat, land or surf, there will be tons of fish. Anglers are finding croaker, plenty of spot, sea robins, and dogfish. Offshore, tuna action has dropped off, but the dolphin action has taken off! Abundant large dolphin up to 24 pounds were landed last week. At the Norfolk Canyon, blue marlin can be found, and spadefish and triggerfish have started hitting at the wrecks.
Wachapreague - This week at the Wachapreague Marina, fishing has been slow. Some boats have done well with marlin and a few dolphin offshore. The tuna fishing has slowed considerably. Inshore, a few legal-sized flounder have been caught. Nice catches of dolphin and tuna were reported from Captain Zed’s. Also offshore, black sea bass and tuna are biting. In the inlet, numerous croaker and flounder were biting this week. One angler caught 58 large croaker in one trip.
Virginia’s Middle Bay Fishing Report
by Jerry Thrash From Patriot Charters and Queens Creek Outfitters
Jerry writes: “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. Lots of Spanish are available along the drop off at Windmill Bar and there have been good numbers of fish caught near R2 and southward towards Wolf Trap. Spanish bite best at 6-8 knots as shown on the GPS. Slower speeds produce bluefish/ Flounder season reopened with fishing slower than it was when the season closed. Although there were 13 citations registered this weekend, the fish were hard to find. Our citations include 8 caught during the Mathews Boys and Girls Club Flounder Tournament on Saturday August 2d. About half the boats that fished the tournament had no keeper fish to weigh in. Sever weather during the weigh-in and awards ceremony precluded pictures from the tournament. Tournament results will come from Chris Denton, (Tournament Director) and will be posted on Tidal Fish Virginia Angler forum. Red Drum continue to available almost anywhere there is grass or shell bottom. They are mixed in with croaker, spot and small stripers and are hitting Gulp baits.
Citations:
Flounder:
27.5″,7 lbs, 9 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on cut bait by Anita Gartner of Gwynn.
27.5″,8 lbs, 8 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on live spot by Mark Mellon of Gloucester.
27″,7 lbs, 11 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on a minnow by Corey Smoot of Port Haywood.
27″,8 lbs, 5 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on cut bait by Danny Walden of Mathews.
29″,8 lbs, 7 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on a bucktail by Graham Daniels of Chester.
27″,7 lbs, 1 oz caught 8/1 at Buoy 42 on a bucktail by Martin Cox of Fredericksburg.
Tournament fish:
27″,7.36 lbs, caught 8/2 at Buoy 38 on live spot by Randall L. Campbell of Amherst.
25″,7.0 lbs, caught 8/2 at Buoy 42 on a minnow by Jeremy M. Healy of Gloucester.
28″,8.73 lbs, caught 8/2 at the Cell on live spot by Louis G. Swingle of Mechanicsville.
28″,8.94 lbs, caught 8/2 at Buoy 38 on live spot by John Fiedorowicz of Hampton.
27″, 7.94 lbs caught 8/2 at the CBBT on live spot by Scott Davenport of Williamsburg.”
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