Buckle up, Virginia anglers. Some huge Spanish mackerel are on the way from Carolina and those 6- and 7-pounders will be soon entering the Bay. There are tons of smaller Spanish Macs already here. Captain Todd Beck and the crew have been hammering them, catching limits each trip.
Anglers are also experiencing some of the best spring red drum fishing in years. Large drum schools have been showing up just outside Rudee Inlet. Cobia are present in the same areas as the red drum schools, but have so far been reluctant to take bait. Cobia are throughout the lower Chesapeake Bay now, and live eels are the best bait
Red and black drum are available around the CBBT, and on the shoals near Fisherman’s Island. They should be feeding there most of the summer.
Topwater action around the Islands of the Bay Bridge Tunnel is good for small bluefish and stripers. Large sheepshead have arrived on the bridge pilings. Fiddler crabs are best for the sheeps.
The first spadefish were caught last week near buoys and at the Light Tower.
Rudee Inlet is giving up both speckled and gray trout, puppy drum, flounder, and decent size bluefish.
Long Bay Pointe Bait & Tackle said anglers are starting to see more flounder in Lynnhaven Inlet and that puppy drum are still biting.
Offshore, anglers are enjoying good sea bass and tilefish action. Captaincies. Nolan Agner with AquaMan Charters is running deep dropping trips.
Tuna and dolphin fishing trips are still requiring long runs with varied success. That should change very soon.
OBX
On Wednesday, boats from the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center had nice catches of tuna and Mahi offshore. Nearshore boat caught albacore, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and a big hammerhead shark. Inshore boats boated sheepshead, trout, cobia, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, sea bass and albacore.
