After a somewhat dormant spring and early summer, the flatfish are biting. Lots of 4 to 6-pound flounder are showing near the CBBT, The Cell and The Wrecks. There is also world-class fishing underway for red drum and cobia. Huge schools of red drum have been surfacing daily in the lower Bay. As long as no one spooks them angers can sight cast them, for an hour at a time some days. Cobia are plentiful throughout the bay. Sight casting is the most productive tactic.
Spanish mackerel schools are still thick and the fish are large. Anglers are trolling Drone and Clark spoons behind line sinkers or planers. The fish are scattered along the oceanfront from Sandbridge to Cape Henry, and in the bay all the way up to Reedville.
Ribbonfish are feeding near Cape Henry. Anglers are catching them on diving plugs. What’s a ribbonfish? They have a striking appearance. Their tiny scales are bright silver, almost reflective. They have yellow eyes and a long mouth filled with sharp teeth. They are often caught by recreational anglers on piers and in the surf of the Southeast. Ribbonfish are a prized food fish in Japan, but have yet to be widely embraced by Americans. The flesh is somewhere between flounder and sea trout – mild with a hint of briny, ocean flavor. The texture is delicate, with white, flaky meat. Cooking methods include poaching, baking, steaming, sautéing or deep-frying.
Spadefish are hanging around the CBBT, many ocean buoys and the Light Tower. Anglers are floating fresh clam morsels to them on small hooks. If they are not aggressively feeding, try putting some chum in the water.
Ocean structures are holding flounder, spadefish, and seabass. The deeper wrecks hold seabass, tilefish and grouper. Amberjack are around the towers. Virginia charter boats are bringing in yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, big eye tuna, and mahi. White marlin releases are on the rise.
OBX
It was slow overall on Hatteras Island this Wednesday with some sea mullet catches. There has been news of early morning Spanish and bluefish caught at the south corridor of the point. Sea Mullet and spot are on the northern beaches.
The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported good early morning trout fishing. Speckled trout action continues to be hot in the sound behind Oregon Inlet.
On the Nags Head piers, it’s spot, sea mullet, croakers and trout.
Near shore boats decked ribbonfish, moonfish, albacore, shark and red drum. The inshore boats caught trout and sharks. The inlet boats reported flounder, sea mullet and croakers.
The offshore fleet returned with full coolers. They caught gaffer dolphin, yellowfin, blackfin, big-eye tuna and Wahoo. There were both blue marlin and sailfish releases.
Out of Hatteras Harbor, the inshore charters and caught bluefish and speckled trout. Offshore charters got on the dolphin, Wahoo, blackfin tuna, Vermillion snappers, tilefish and triggerfish. One sailfish was released.
Freshwater
Rappahannock River
Tidal stretches are producing some decent largemouth bass action on crankbaits and plastic worms, fished in the blowdowns along the southern shoreline, and spinnerbaits, fished in the feeder creek mouths.
Shenandoah River
Hellgrammites, live minnows, small topwater lures and crankbaits taking good numbers of smallmouth, with some to four pounds. Catfish anglers are catching good numbers of fish to 10 pounds, while sunfish are cooperating nicely on small BeetleSpins, spinners, tiny crankbaits and flyrod poppers.
Lake Anna
Virginia Department of Health reports a harmful algae bloom advisory for Lake Anna. The algae blooms are found in the middle and lower branches of the North Anna and the middle and upper branches of the Pamunkey. The Department advises “to avoid contact with the lake in these areas until algae concentrations drop”.
Bass are being taken on shallow water points, early and late in the day. Stripers are being caught at the Splits, Contrary Creek mouth and Rose Valley, on live minnows or jigged Hopkins spoons, in 27-30 feet of water. Crappie are hanging around bridge pilings and other deep structure, taking live minnows and jigging spoons.
James River
Smallmouth are biting well above Richmond on small topwater baits, crankbaits, spinners and plastic grubs. In the tidal sections, bass are taking plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Lily pad fields, creek mouths and standing cypress trees are the best options below Hopewell, with the best action on the outgoing tides. Big blue catfish are available in the outside bends of the river channel on cut bait. Gar are still active, taking live minnows or combed nylon rope.
Chickahominy River
Most of the bass are being taken upriver from Diascund Creek. Lots of bass being caught by anglers using buzzbaits, small crankbaits plastic frogs and worms in lily pad fields and around cypress trees. Best results are coming from drop-offs adjacent to the lily pad fields. Catfish action is excellent on cut bait and fresh crab. Yellow perch and bluegills are also biting.
Buggs Island
Stripers are taking trolled Cordell Redfins from Buoys 4-7 in the main lake and from the mouth of Nutbush to Buoys G & H in the creek. Bass are located in 20+ feet of water, with anglers catching the fish on Carolina-rigged lizards and deep diving crankbaits. Crappie action is good around bridge abutments. Catfish are biting well, particularly from Buffalo Creek to the junction of the two rivers. White bass are taking Tiny Traps and Doll Flies from Bluestone to Buffalo Creek.
Smith Mountain
Largemouth bass fishing is good on the upper end of the Roanoke River with four-inch, wine colored plastic worms working well. Smallmouth are taking topwater baits around the islands at the mouth of the Blackwater River. Big stripers are taken trolling at 20-35 feet with Hellbenders, Big Mac, Little Mac and Mann’s Stretch 25. Live shad are also taking stripers around the island at the dam, the mouth of Becky’s Creek and off the State Park.
New River
Many smallmouth bass are being caught on topwater lures, although plastic crayfish imitations, grubs and small jigs are also producing well. Some nice catfish are being caught.