By Dr. Ken Neill, III
The tuna bite slowed this week. The yellowfin are still out there, but not at the “boats coming in early with limits” level that we had the previous week. The mako sharks have thinned out also. They have been replaced by more dolphin and billfish and the wahoo have also arrived. It is a good mix-bagged fishery offshore of Virginia right now.
Offshore, bottom fishing is producing good catches of tilefish, sea bass and some grouper. Anglers fishing the wrecks are finding sea bass, flounder and spadefish hovering over the wrecks. They are also at the Chesapeake Light Tower. Amberjack are at the southern towers.
Cobia fishing is very good in the bay with both chumming and sight fishing. Anglers looking for cobia are also finding large schools and are casting to big red drum. Fishing with live crabs and other bait is still producing good catches of red drum around the shoals near the mouth of the bay. The black drum bite seems to be mostly over.
Spanish mackerel are being caught along the oceanfront. Some big sheepshead are being caught (and speared) at the CBBT. Some flounder are being caught at all of the normal flounder spots. More and some nicer flounder were caught at the CBBT this week. Overall, flounder fishing has not been great but it is improving.
Outer Banks
Corolla:
Corolla fishing picked up a little as Matt Thalman from DC beached a 21-inch Black Drum. Wednesday was a beautiful day today – the water temp is 70 degrees and the wind is calm. We have had some Mullet and Kingfish being caught and a report yesterday that someone left three Stripers laying on the beach? Strange! The piers are heating up with Bluefish, mullet, Flounder, False Albacore and Spanish.
Nags Head
Surf Fishing: TW’s reports Sea Mullet, Bluefish and a few Croaker scattered up and down the beaches.
The winds are NW at 7 and the water temp is 70 degrees. Light winds, waters murky, small surf and sunshine.
Sound Fishing Report: The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported lots of Black Drum with plenty of bottom fish. Stripers were caught on lures. Zeke Simpson and German Shepherd Zeus were fishing near Wanchese and caught and released a Striper at about 7-lbs.
Pier Fishing:
Avalon: Bluefish and Sea Mullet.
Nags Head: Sea mullet, Blues and some Trout.
Jennette’s: Good run of Bluefish. A few Spanish, a False Albacore and small Flounder.
Outer Banks: Sea Mullet and tons of Blues, Spanish and Croaker.
Oregon Inlet
The Fishing Center reported great weather on Wednesday and an empty marina with all boats on the water. Spectators were treated to the sight of some great catches coming out of the boxes. There were limits of yellow-fin, including a 90-pound trophy citation, plus a trophy citation wahoo weighing in at 47 pounds. Boats produced good numbers of mahi, some black-fin, a mako, and a bonita.
Inshore and near shore anglers had good cobia action, bringing in some nice ones again today. Anglers brought in good bluefish today and also released cobia, sharks, and striped bass.
The Miss Oregon Inlet had busy morning and afternoon trips with puffers, sea mullet, bluefish, pigs, pins, and releases of sea bass and flounder.
Hatteras Surf
Red Drum reported that Robin Boyles, Miranda Boyles, and Joe Torreyson caught 3 Puppy Drum down towards the inlet. Miranda Boyles caught and released hers today and it was her first one. Ramp 38 had Sea Mullet. Ramp 55 had Blue Fish and Hog Fish. Avon had Blue Fish and Sea Mullet. The inshore boats caught 6-8 Cobia in the inlet today.
Hatteras Offshore
Hatteras Harbor reported Cobia, Speckled Trout, Gray Trout, and Sea Mullet on Wednesday. There were also some “keeper” Puppy Drum and Red Drum releases.
Fishing was slower than usual today offshore. Most of the fleet fished and returned with a few Dolphin and Blackfin Tuna. The Wahoo bite was scattered. Four Sailfish were released.
Abigail Kenner of Seymour, TN had a 45-lb. Grouper citation caught aboard the Good Times.