(From Paige II Charters)
Saltwater fishing right now is as good as it gets. Almost every species is biting – particularly spadefish and Spanish mackerel – both delicious in the eating department. Spadefish and sheepshead are on Chesapeake Bay structure. Kayakers have been catching lots of large sheepshead around the pilings of the CBBT. The Spanish are well up into the Bay as well as roaming the coast off Virginia Beach. King mackerel are also showing up.
On the Eastern Shore, the Ham family from Greensboro is having nightly fish fry’s from their camping site at Cherrystone. They are catching lots of whiting, sheepshead and croakers. There are some nice flounder in the inlets along with some speckled trout, puppy drum and bluefish. Croaker are available throughout the lower bay along with lots of smallish spot. Look for spot and croaker sizes to increase as September nears.
The Rappahannock River has been a hotspot for spot and nice sized croakers. Pier and surf anglers around Virginia Beach are finding sea mullet, pompano, spadefish, small flounder, and a few Spanish mackerel. Cobia and red drum are also a possibility.
The coastal wrecks are holding flounder, spadefish, triggerfish, sea bass and sand tiger sharks.
Offshore billfish action is heating up just in time for the local tournament season.
OBX
Fishing on the piers was dynamite this Wednesday with sea mullet, spade fish, croaker, pompano, sheepshead, spot, flounder, black drum and Spanish all hitting the decks. Surf fishermen scored with sea mullet, pompano, flounder, croakers and black drum. The sounds continue with great fishing for specks, pups and flounder. Nearshore boats are returning with king mackerel, Spanish and ribbonfish. Offshore boats filled their coolers with yellowfin, Mahi, Wahoo and tilefish. There were also releases for blue and white marlin.
At Lake Orange, Darrell Kennedy of Angler’s Landing (540-672-3997) says that water temperatures are in the low 80s and the lake is clear. Bass are schooling on baitfish and can be caught on top waters and soft plastics. Crappie fishing has picked up with small minnows fished in 8 to 10 ft of water. Catfishing with chicken liver and nightcrawlers is good now in the mid-lake region. Walleye anglers fishing with harness rigs are finding some nice fish down lake.
Stan Cobb at Greentop says that bass fishing is excellent now on the James and Chickahominy rivers. Twenty pounds was the winning weight over the weekend.
Warm water is slowing the bass bite at Anna, but the stripers are putting on a show at first light.
The Rappahannock River has been good for bass, but many are now targeting snakeheads and catching them in shallow areas.
The current lake level at Buggs Island is 299.93 feet. Bass fishing is so-so and crappie are deep, but biting. Blue cat anglers are doing well at night. Some monsters are showing up.
The James and Shenandoah rivers both received a heavy dose of much needed water from the recent rains. Fishing conditions should be ideal when the rivers clear.