Red drum are a highly protected species in Virginia. Recreational anglers are allowed to keep only three fish between 18 and 25 inches per day. The large drum – the breeding stock – are strictly off limits. To everybody but Omega Protein. A Fish Reduction Vessel from Omega “accidentally” netted large numbers of drum while they were seining for menhaden this week. When they saw the drum … [Read more...]

By Bruce Ingram   The New River below Claytor Lake Dam has traditionally been the state’s best waterway for smallmouth bass, and both good and bad news exists concerning smallmouths and other gamefish. Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Fisheries Biologist John Copeland said smallmouth bass year class production has been poor in three of the last five years, driving adult bass … [Read more...]

  It’s shaping up to be another terrific year for Spanish mackerel. One of the tastiest of all saltwater fish, there was a time when the “Macs” stayed strictly in ocean waters, mostly in the Carolinas, but they began slowly inching up into the Bay. Now, they are plentiful along the western shore of the bay and up into Maryland waters. Spanish mackerel fishing is just plain good. Drone … [Read more...]

It’s a small impoundment by normal standards. Only 50 acres. Fluvanna Ruritan Lake, however, is no stranger to large fish. It is estimated that there are over 300 largemouth bass in the lake that are 15-inches or more and quite a few over 20 inches. The little lake that could is located near Palmyra in Fluvanna County. It happens to be owned and operated by DWR, and as such, biologists are … [Read more...]

  The 18th AnnualVirginia Beach Tuna Tournament took place over the weekend. Over one hundred teams competed for more than $290,000 in prize money. MARLIN MANIAC took first place at 258.3 pounds, LULU finished runner up at 222.4 and third went to LORIEV at 173 pounds. Virginia Beach’s blue water action is getting better by the day with white marlin, yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo, … [Read more...]

  Flounder catches are on the rise in the Chesapeake Bay. They are biting along the CBBT, around inshore wrecks and artificial reefs throughout the lower bay and along the coast.Capt. Craig Paige on the Paige II put his crew in the meat this week with the above catch. Pier and surf anglers are finding flounder, bluefish, Spanish, croaker, sea mullet and small spot. Virginia boat the … [Read more...]

  The water temperature along the oceanfront and near the CBBT is approaching 75 degrees. At the mouth of the Elizabeth River, it’s a warm 77. Offshore at the Norfolk Canyon, it’s hovering around 68. That means just about everything’s biting. Inshore, red drum, cobia, spadefish, sheepshead, flounder, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are biting. Offshore, it’s tuna, dolphin, marlin, tilefish, … [Read more...]

    The Spaniards are at our doorstep, Spanish mackerel, that is, and they are moving well up into the Chesapeake Bay. Along side the sleek mackerel are an even sleeker fish – ribbonfish. They are fun to catch and good to eat. Spanish mackerel are now available to trollers from Sandbridge to Cape Henry. A large class of fish has arrived along the oceanfront and some smaller ones … [Read more...]

  (Great Tuna Catch Out Of Rudee Inlet)   Virginia saltwater anglers enjoyed outstanding fishing over the long Memorial Day weekend! Water temperatures hit the magic 70-degree mark and lots of cobia arrived on cue all along the oceanfront and up into the lower bay. The cobia capture season opens June 15th, until then anglers are releasing them. Cobia will hit just about … [Read more...]