In Virginia saltwater,  the rockfish season is in the rearview window, but there are still plenty of tautogs willing to bite. Sometimes called blackfish, ‘togs are scattered all along the East Coast. They are strange looking fish that average 2 or 3 pounds. Their claim to fame comes on the dinner table – they are delicious. There is even a restaurant called Tautog’s on 23rd St. in Virginia … [Read more...]

  How badly do you want to catch a 10-pound flounder? If you are willing to bundle up and sneak out one day when the wind isn’t blowing 20 to 30, and if you head out into the ocean and find some nice structure, you just well might catch a 10-pound flounder – or two. They’re biting for those willing to track them down. The Chesapeake Bay striper season closed on December 31, but the … [Read more...]

Or so said Yogi Berra, who also said when you come to the fork in the road, take it. Well, unfortunately, it is over – rockfish season that it. Went out on Dec. 31, but the last week produced fireworks. Loads of 50-plus pound fish were reported, most caught on live eels near Cape Charles. But while rockfish season is over in Virginia (except the ocean season), it ain’t over in North Carolina … [Read more...]

Amidst all the bally-ho of big stripers from the ocean come reports of outstanding sea bass action on the ocean wrecks. Parties aboard the Rudee Head Boats out of Virginia Beach are hammering the large and tasty sea bass - in my mind, the best eating fish in the ocean. The season for sea bass closes December 31st. Currently, any boats that can find decent weather to make the run out to the wrecks … [Read more...]

Speckled trout anglers have been doing quite well. Even very young and very cute speckled trout anglers. Lynnhaven Inlet has been especially good. Over the recent Thanksgiving break David Dick registered a 24 ½ inch trout release, Jerry Snyder weighed a 5 lb. 9 oz fish, James Robinson a 5 lb. 4 oz. fish, Tony Masciangelo released a 24 ¾ inch fish, Richard Parmelee a 24 incher, Todd Sturtevant … [Read more...]

Just a few years ago, they shut down the speckled trout fishing entirely in Virginia because a late freeze had decimated populations. But what a comeback! Not only are there now plenty of speckled trout in the bay and our tidal rivers, they are big. Really big. Like the 6-1 beauty above caught by Bob Caudle. The trout are being caught in a number of locations - inside Lynnhaven Inlet, Rudee … [Read more...]

  You don’t see an Opah fish like this one very often. In Virginia, it’s like never. But last week a bunch of fishermen out of Hampton ventured out to the Norfolk Canyon, some 80 miles off Virginia Beach and tried their hand at swordfish. No luck on the swords, but just as they were ready to call it a day, they had a bite. A big bite. It was a 143-pound Opah, sometimes called a moonfish.  … [Read more...]