Giant bluefin are now prowling the waters off the Carolina coast and dozens of charter captains are eager to put you on a fish that weighs as much as a Mini Cooper automobile. One such outfit is Phideaux Fishing Charters out of Wanchese. Contact them at 252-473-8051. There were good numbers of winter drum beached at Ocracoke over the holidays along with a few sharks. Speckled trout, puppy drum … [Read more...]

The fishing reports are going to be both sparse and redundant in the next month or two. There will be some catch and release striper fishing in the bay and reports of speckled trout caught at the Hot Ditch in the Elizabeth River. Tautogs will bite for those lucky enough to find bait and crazy enough to go fishing in a deep freezer. One the OBX, boats heading offshore will find huge bluefin … [Read more...]

With water temperatures at the Chesapeake Light Tower hovering around 50 degrees, the stage is set for the bluefin tuna season, which reopens January 1. As colder water pushes bait offshore, anglers are closely watching temperature breaks and deep-water structure east of the Virginia Capes and the arrival of giant bluefin. For recreational anglers in the HMS Angling category and charter vessels … [Read more...]

The end of the 2025 fishing season is fast coming to a close, but the stripers in the lower bay are keeping things interesting. Big -as in 60 pounds – stripers are eating live eels whenever they see one. The bite is on near the CBBT, Hampton Roads, Moniter/Merrimac Bridge Tunnel as well as pilings, channel edges and rock lines. The ocean run stripers are now merging with resident fish and the … [Read more...]

The tuna season lasted just a few days as the commercial quota was quickly reached. A few of the big boys were wrestled in and they are still out there – just off the Virginia coast to be caught on a catch and release basis. At Nags Head, boats are hooking up with lots of blackfin tuna when they sail. A few big drum were beached at Ocracoke. In Virginia, the best action is over the wrecks and … [Read more...]

As we ease into December, the cold-water fish are taking center stage. The croakers, spot, cobia, flounder and spadefish have moved out of the bay. Remaining are the rockfish, speckled trout, tautogs, sea bass, bluefish and red drum. December is the peak time for big rockfish as they migrate down the Atlantic Coast and hang a right into the Chesapeake to gorge on baitfish. The best action is … [Read more...]

Some fishing improves as the waters warm while some fishing gets better when it cools. Right now, the speckled trout and puppy drum is scorching hot, with great reports coming from the Rappahannock River down to the Rudee Inlet and Lynnhaven areas. Peak action often ramps up after sundown, when these feisty fighters prowl the shallows under cover of darkness—ideal for those who don’t mind trading … [Read more...]

Even though it’s getting colder, there is still some very good fishing to be had in Virginia’s saltwater. November brings some of the best striped bass action of the year. Big migratory fish are beginning to surge into the lower Chesapeake Bay, holding along channel edges, river mouths, and especially around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Successful anglers are casting or trolling spoons, … [Read more...]

If you like variety, now is the time to hop aboard a charter boat and dunk some bait off Virginia’s coast. Reefs and wrecks offshore are loaded with black sea bass, triggerfish, blues, and some big flounder. Venture deeper, and tilefish are waiting in the depths for the patient angler. Captain Jake Hiles (above) reported seeing bluefin tuna busting the surface multiple times while fishing … [Read more...]

The speckled trout bite is on fire in the lower Chesapeake and tributaries. Cool water has the fish on the move to take advantage of stranded baitfish and sluggish shrimp. Hot spots include Lynnhaven Inlet, Rudee Inlet, the Fort Monroe stretch of the James River, and the Elizabeth Rive. Puppy drum are biting alongside the trout in the same areas. Rockfish are showing up in rivers and creeks, … [Read more...]