In Virginia, big stripers are moving in from the ocean as the season draws to a close on New Year’s Day. Fish to 60 pounds are going for live feels. Some nice sea bass are coming from the ocean wrecks, though that season also closes Dec. 31. Trout and puppy drum are biting in Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets. Offshore charters are scoring with tuna, wahoo and albacore when weather allows.
Outer Banks
Stripers continue to bite back in the sound and at the Oregon Inlet Bridge.
On Monday, a few fish were caught on the south beaches. Some Puppy Drum were beached at the Cape and the narrows. Flounder were biting at Ramp 43 along with some scattered Sea Mullet. On Christmas Eve, some Black Drum were reported in Avon and Red Drum at The Point with a few Trout landed on some of the beaches.
Christmas Day produced Dogfish, a Puppy and some Black Drum on the Hatteras beaches. A few Trout reported at the Jetties.
Freshwater
Lots of small stripers are cruising the lower reaches of the Rappahannock River. In addition, blue catfish, white perch and crappie are to be found around wood cover on steep dropping banks. Bass are present on flats adjacent to dropoffs in the afternoon when the sun is high.
At Lake Anna, most of the action is below the 208 bridge. Water temps around Dike #3 are in the low 50s. Walleye action is good around the rocky points at Dike #3. Live herring is the better bait for walleye weighing four pounds or more. Stripers are also active around this dike, where the water temperature is warmer than the balance of the lake. Surface activity is limited on the main lake, but the stripers do surface. When they do, Cordell Redfins are taking the big fish. Bass are located on the main lake points.
Blue catfish action has not stopped on the James River, but it has slowed a bit. A good number of citation cats were weighed in this past week. Most were caught on cut gizzard shad baits from the Dutch Gap Power Plant downstream.
Largemouth bass may be caught in shallow water now with Speed Shads and Poe’s RC3 crankbaits at Buggs Island. Crappie are hovering around deep brush piles. Vertical jigging minnows over the brush piles will produce the better fish. Striper fishing is slow.
At Smith Mountain, stripers are breaking in singles off deep mud points on the main channel at creek mouths. Look for shad and slowly swim bucktails or retrieve Bomber Speed Shads across the points and along the dropoffs. The larger fish are being caught in eight feet of water on 12-13-inch shad drifted across the coves and pockets under a bobber. Largemouth bass are located in 15-20 feet of water. Vertical jigging is best.