Red drum are starting to migrate out of the Chesapeake Bay. As they depart, surf anglers will be able to get in on the action as well. Frank Marble said the first large drum, 47 inches, was landed on the Little Island Pier in Sandbridge a couple of days ago. Look for some nice fish to be landed in the Sandbridge surf. Cobia reports are scattered around the lower Bay. Captain Todd Beck with Knot Wish’n charters said the cobia bite should get very good along the oceanfront as they begin exiting the Bay. The cobia season closes September 30.
Anglers trolling are still finding Spanish mackerel scattered in the lower bay and along the oceanfront. There are some albacore mixed in now. Captain David Wright on the High Hopes had a nice catch of Spanish last week. Boats working off the oceanfront are picking up a few “smoker” king mackerel. The Flatline (Aquaman Charters) picked a very nice king.
Now is usually when some of the largest flounder of the year are caught. They are now biting inside the Bay and around ocean structure. The largest fish are usually caught on live spot. Speaking of spot, it’s time for a run of large, yellow belly spot.
Speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in Bay tributaries and area inlets. Connie at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle said the speckled trout fishing has turned on inside Lynnhaven Inlet. Dr Ken Neill has been catching shrimp off his dock at night and fishing them on the flats near Seaford, Va. He’s had good luck using artificial lures and peeler crabs, but said a live shrimp was tops – can’t keep them in the water long without a hookup.
Rudee Tours, the Rudee Inlet head boats, have had great success with their new fall scheduled. They are getting nice catches of black sea bass, triggerfish, spadefish, amberjack and flounder.
Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching spot, pompano, drum, small croaker and few roundheads.
When the weather permits, offshore boats are enjoying some great billfish action. The Rebel recently caught 3 blue marlin and 12 white marlin and found time for a limit of tilefish. Look for the wahoo bite to pick up over the next few weeks.
OBX
At Nags Head, Capt. Reese Stecher says the red drum fishing has been nothing short of extraordinary. Some big reds, to 50 pounds, are biting at the inlet and back in the sounds, Reese and clients are catching limits of keeper puppy drum and speckled trout. There seems to be no let-up in the action.
On the northern beaches, surf fishermen are catching sea mullet, keeper flounder and pups. Finger mullet has been the best bait. The Little Bridge at Manteo has been producing trout and drum. The piers report blues, pompano, flounder, puppies and the ever present pinfish. Boats fishing nearshore were decking lots of. Spanish and blues while the inshore fleet caught big drum, slot drum, stripers and trout. A few charter boats made it out to sea on Wednesday and were well rewarded with white and blue marlin. They returned to port with lots of flags flying.
Freshwater
The cold snap was just what the doctor ordered on the freshwater scene. Crappie are on the move in the right direction – headed shallow. Stan Cobb at Greentop, says crappie are now seeking out deep-water docks and some fish are moving towards shallower brush. The bridges in the upper portions have been very productive. Crappie are also going shallow in Lake Orange.
There has been some incredible bass fishing in Back Bay. It’s almost like old times.
The tidal rivers are fishing well, especially the Rappahannock and Chickahominy. Winning weights are averaging 18 lbs. or better with a 5 fish limit. There have been some impressive weights in the evening tournaments on the Chick as well. Small popper, chatter baits, and Texas-rigged creature baits are productive. Crankbaits worked in the 4′ depths are also working well.
The 3-day total winning weight during the Toyota Series on the Potomac River was 40 lbs. James Maupin of Stanardsville in Greene County took top honors. He had 13-plus lbs. each of the 3 days. He reported best success with a spinnerbait and a swim jig.
Fishing conditions are now excellent on the upper James River, where topwater action can be phenomenal.
Weights from tournaments at Kerr Reservoir have been better since the start of September. Look for this fishery to improve as the weather cools as the topwater bite will improve greatly. Some are reporting a great topwater bite now. Schooling bass are showing up more as baitfish are on the move throughout the lake.
Some heavy weights are coming from the bass anglers at Lake Anna now as 20 lbs. won a weekend tournament. Bass are still relating to brush piles according to some reports. The striper anglers continue to do well with live shad and herring on down lines in the mid lake area. The early morning bite has been best.