Saltwater –
Stan Cobb at Greentop says that fishing for Spanish mackerel continues to be both popular and productive for Virginia saltwater anglers. Trolling spoons behind in-line sinkers and planer boards is the most common method. However, when schools are close, anglers can cast to them with various presentations. Gotcha plugs, Hopkins-type spoons, jerk-baits, and swimbaits are all good, but the hard baits are preferred, since they can’t be bitten through by the sharp teeth of the mackerel. This has been a much better season for flounder than in years past. Limits of quality fish are being weighed in from inside the bay and from ocean structures. Jigging bucktails, dressed with strip bait or scented baits, such as Gulp! work well. The bigger fish seem to always fall for live bait, such as small spot. There has been a spike in speckled trout catches, which is great news. Topwater baits have worked better for the larger fish. Many of the inlets from Back River to the Rappahannock River are producing specks. Nice catches of cobia continue. Fish up to 78-lbs. were reported this week. Live eels or live fish, such as croaker, should be kept at hand, as well as bucktails, or eel imitations. The red drum action slowed a bit, but will pick up again as we approach the fall season. There are good numbers of spot being caught inside the Rappahannock river right now, and that will definitely increase as August ends and September begins. The offshore charters are finding yellowfin tuna, Wahoo, Mahi, blackfin tuna, and swordfish. Deep droppers are producing great catches of tilefish and sea bass. Inshore boats along the Outer Banks are returning with speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, flounder, and bluefish. Surf anglers are reeling in pompano, sea mullet, flounder, spot and Spanish mackerel. There has been a wide variety of species caught at the little bridge in Manteo.
Freshwater –
With recent storms scattered throughout the state, lake levels are returning to normal pool in many bodies of water. Kerr Lake is at 300.’ Typical summer patterns are working for bass. Deep cranks, Texas rigs, and flutter spoons are taking nice largemouth. Many of the better fish can be found roaming with, or beneath schools of herring, making them hard to keep tabs on. Twenty pounds won this week’s Tuesday night tournament out of Sturgeon Creek Marina on Lake Anna. Rock structure has been best, but docks and brush piles will sometimes produce quality fish along with small keepers. The lower James and Chickahominy rivers have been more popular, due to the better catches being made during the day. The tide is often the biggest factor in success, so low light conditions aren’t always the best times. Vegetation is often a big factor on the lower portions of both rivers. Vegetation is usually the key to success on the Potomac river as well. Hydrilla, not milfoil, is the prevalent grass. Many are sticking to horizontal presentations, like swim baits, and grass frogs, rather than vertical presentations, such as flipping. The upper James is low and clear. Current edges provide ambush opportunities , much like shade lines. These areas are feeding zones throughout the day. Natural colors and smaller baits tend to work better during low water conditions when the water is clear.