It’s here. The best time of all to go fishing. This Wednesday, the nighttime temperature dipped into to the 50’s and it might get in the 40’s on Thursday evening. When that happens, fish instinctively understand that it’s time to feed, to put on as much weight as possible before winter arrives. So it’s time.
One of the best places in all of Virginia to fish in the fall is at Lake Orange. This 120- acre Game Department-owned piece of water offers just about every type of freshwater fishing opportunities. The bass routinely exceed 10 pounds, most anyone can fill a stringer with catfish, the bluegills and shellcrackers are fat and feisty, crappie are large and plentiful, yellow perch are available and there is an excellent chance to land a walleye or two.
The lake has a nice ramp and a handicapped accessible pier. Angler’s Landing rents boats and sells bait and tackle but will be winding down soon.
This week’s report confirmed that fish are fully in a fall pattern – they know what’s coming and they are moving closer to shore where all the bait is. Bass are busting shad on top and crappie are edging into more shallow water. Catfish are all over the lake and are susceptible to hooks baited with crawlers, shrimp or chicken livers. The walleye are active on the upper end of the lake chasing minnows on grass beds.
The weather and conditions are perfect. Take advantage. Go fishing at Lake Orange.
Dorian Gone: Fish Are Back at it
Hurricane Dorian has passed and local anglers are back at it. The cobia bite in the bay and along the oceanfront remains very good. Sight casting is the most effective tactic and live eels are the best bait. Cobia should start exiting the bay and move south soon. But some should be available into October.
Cobia anglers are spotting schools of red drum. Dr Ken Neill did some trolling along the oceanfront September 7th. He saw lots of bait balls, plenty of cobia and a school of red drum. There were schools of Spanish mackerel cutting bait. He managed to catch a couple of cobia and a nice king mackerel on plugs. Spanish mackerel are still available throughout the lower bay and along the oceanfront.
Sheepshead catches around the CBBT were on the rise this week. Flounder reports were down.
The speckled trout bite is picking up. This weekend the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Virginia Beach Anglers Club and the Lynnhaven River Now organization are partnering on a tournament in the Lynnhaven and Lafayette Rivers, to highlight the importance of oyster restoration to healthy fisheries. There should be some trout hanging around the oyster bars. And Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle reports a lot of small puppy drum inside Lynnhaven.
Spot are being caught, but the big yellow belly run hasn’t occurred yet.
The Virginia Beach Fishing pier this week reported some spots, a few puppy drum , a few Spanish and some blues.
Bluewater anglers are releasing a good number of white and blue marlin. They are also finding hungry wahoo, mahi and tuna. Bottom bouncers are catching tilefish.
Outer Banks
There have been some bluefish north of Buxton. Bluefish and trout have been plentiful at Oregon Inlet. Trout fishing has been good on all the beaches. Anglers fishing the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported slow action.
Outer Banks Pier Fishing Report, Avalon: trout and bluefish. Nags Head: trout, drum, bluefish, black drum and pompano. Jennette’s: drum, croaker. Outer Banks: Spanish, drum, bluefish and trout.
Boats fishing inshore report Spanish, bluefish, some mahi and red drum. Trout fishing has been good inshore, with many catching limits.
Offshore captains are finding limits of mahi, yellowfin, blackfin, some wahoo and citation blue and white marlin. Bottom bouncers are catching plenty of tilefish.