Tuna fish hit the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center docks on Wednesday, enough for a huge tuna fish salad. Multiple boats brought in yellowfin and some blackfin tuna. There were also several wahoo and dolphin reported and some limits of tilefish. Kayla Clark, Daniel Crosby, Patrick Healy, and Travis Spring had sailfish releases.
Near-Shore anglers had a great day, bringing in good numbers of Spanish, bluefish, amberjack, and albacore. Daniel Brown landed a citation Tilefish, weighing in 10-lbs.
In-Shore anglers were busy catching lots of big red drum and sharks. Amy Holtz had a 48-pound citation cobia.
The Miss Oregon Inlet Headboat had catches of flounder, sea mullet, trout, puffers, sea bass, croakers, pigfish and pinfish.
Virginia Saltwater
Dr. Julie Ball
Cobia fishing remains at the top of the list for inshore fishing. Sight casters are scoring with plenty of fish, some boats reporting double-digit catches in lower Bay waters and along the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Some of the cobia are over 50-pounds, while the average size is around 30-pounds. Better get out on the water soon if you plan to get in on the cobia action, as the local season closes at the end of the month. Red drum also provide good late summer opportunities near the entrance of the Bay.
Along oceanfront waters, trollers are still enticing lots of large Spanish mackerel, many qualifying for state citations. Small gold and silver spoons have been the best lures. King mackerel action is picking up, with some serious smoker kings boated recently. Some nearly 40-pounds, are responding to slow-trolling tactics with live bait. Shark fishing is excellent.
The summer flounder action is a little better this week, with anglers finding some solid flatfish in the 20- to 22-inch range. The best bay catches continue to come from the 3rd and 4th island areas of the CBBT, with live baiting and jigging working well for anglers fishing along structure. The most consistent action is on inshore and offshore wrecks and reefs, where black sea bass are still a possibility. Both Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlet continue to provide some decent catches of keeper flounder.
Sheepshead anglers are enjoying a great season, with good numbers of big fish to 13-pounds caught on fiddlers. Triggerfish are also available. Spadefish are still around, but the action is winding down, as the spades prepare to leave the area.
Croakers are a staple in lower bay waters and inlets, with some decent-sized fish to be found. The bite out of Oyster is on, with coolers of nice hardheads coming from the deeper parts of the channel. Nice spot have moved into lower bay waters and inlets with nice yellow-bellied spot being caught off Ocean View and from Lynnhaven, Rudee, and Little Creek inlets.
Speckled trout action is starting to pick up in many backwater locations, with the nicer trout found on the Bayside and seaside creeks and inlets on the Eastern Shore. A few nice grey trout along with some sea mullet are also responding near the High-Rise of the CBBT, as well as off the Bayside areas of the Eastern Shore.
Tarpon are still active in the backwaters of Oyster. Amberjack are available at the South Tower and some of the offshore wrecks. Deep droppers are faring well as boats continue to find a variety of nice tilefish, rosefish, barrelfish, and grouper along the edges of the Canyon.
As the billfish population builds, offshore boats are returning with varied catches. Several white marlin, along with scattered sailfish, spearfish, and blue marlin were released recently. The best catches of billfish continue to occur with live baiting techniques. Nice gaffer dolphin and wahoo are adding variety, along with scattered big yellowfin tuna and an occasional big eye tuna.
Chincoteague/Wachapreague
A mix of sea bass, spot, croaker and flounder are available in the deeper water around the mouth of the inlet. Outside the inlet, medium spot are being caught at the 2TL Buoy. Offshore, yellowfin and skipjack tuna, false albacore, large bluefish, dolphin and Spanish mackerel are coming over the gunwales.
There is good flounder action at Wachapreague around the mouth of the inlet. Spot, croaker and a few sea mullet are in the same area.
Nags Head
TW’s reports that the surf fishing is slow, slow, slow – just a few spot and mullet.
Sound Fishing: The Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported bottom fish.
Pier Fishing:
Avalon and Jennette’s: Slow.
Nags Head: Small Blues and Spadefish.
Outer Banks: Sea Mullet and Spot.
Hatteras Surf
On Tuesday Red Drum & Tackle noted that The Point had Bluefish and big Spanish. Ramp 44 had Sea Mullet and Pompano. Avon anglers caught Sea Mullet, Croakers and Spanish.
It was another hot and humid day on Wednesday. The Point had some Blues and Spanish in the morning. This evening bite included Spanish and some nice size Bluefish on the Point. Ramp 44 had Sea Mullet and a few Pompano. Hatteras Inlet anglers caught Blue Fish. Avon had Sea Mullet, Croaker and Spanish.
Hatteras Offshore
Hatteras Harbor reported that inshore anglers were catching keeper Red Drum on Wednesday and releasing many that were over the slot. A few Cobia were caught and lots more were spotted. Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish provided a good bite both inshore and near shore. Speckled Trout fishing was good in the morning in the Pamlico Sound.
Dolphin fishing picked up offshore with some boats returning with limits. The Wahoo bite was scattered. Bottom fishing was good with limits of Gray Tilefish. One boat fished overnight and returned with five Billfish releases – one Blue Marlin, two Swordfish, and two Sailfish.