Blue marlin, white marlin sailfish – billfish, one and all. But so are swordfish, and unlike their long snouted cousins, they are prized as food fish. Swordfish anglers fish in deep water to attract their quarry and often take overnight trips to reach them. This past week, the “Reelin N Dealin” put a 326-lb. swordfish on the scales and claimed first prize in the Oceans East Swordfish Tournament.
Speckled trout continue to keep anglers busy. Lots of fish in the 3-6 lb. class are biting in the sheltered waters of Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Little Creek Inlets to the bayside creeks of the Eastern Shore, the expansive Poquoson Flats, and the York and Elizabeth Rivers.
Puppy drum are available in the same areas and bite the same baits. Meanwhile, big red drum continue to prowl the lower Bay’s waters, especially near the 3rd island area of the CBBT and the surf near Sandbridge.
The lower Bay is also giving up sheepshead, tautogs and flounder. Nighttime anglers are catching rockfish under lighted docks and piers. Offshore, sea bass are being caught in significant numbers, accompanied by the occasional large flounder, bluefish, black drum, and triggerfish. In the blue waters, it’s tuna and wahoo.
OBX
Beautiful fall weather has greeted visitors to the Outer Banks and fishing has been fabulous. The piers and surf casters are catching assorted sizes of red drum along with sea mullet, small, speckled trout, spot, and bluefish. The inshore bite includes puppy drum and specks. Anglers on the Little Bridge are doing well in the morning hours. Offshore, the boats that have trips are catching tuna, wahoo, and mahi.
Freshwater
The best bass action has been on the tidal rivers. Consistent catches have been coming from grass and wood cover on the Potomac, James, and Chickahominy rivers. Crappie are not deep yet with water temps in the 60’s. The Shenandoah gave up lots of nice smallmouth this week. The trout trucks are rolling, and the fishermen are happy.
