Capt. David Wright and crew aboard the charter boat, High Hopes, had an awesome day last week. They caught a limit of blueline tilefish, four of which were citations. They also landed some beautiful black sea bass, and then topped the day off with two swordfish, one 78 pounds and the other 201 pounds. I’d call that a good day’s fishing. Elsewhere in Virginia’s saltwater, speckled trout and … [Read more...]

Pier fishermen are a patient lot.  On many days, if not most days, they sit and wait and not much happens – maybe a pinfish or a small spot. On other days, every cast seemingly finds an unwanted skate or a sand shark. But then, but then… It happens. Fish bite. Nice fish bite and it happened this week in Nags Head. Lots of puppy drum and many keepers were tugging at lines and were soon flopping … [Read more...]

The saltwater striper season is underway in both the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. But in many cases, the tributaries are more productive than the Bay itself, especially the tidal Chickahominy. Stripers are most plentiful in the Chick and a trusty Ratt’l Trap will get the job done. While some stripers will be throw backs, there are good numbers of 22- to 24-inch fish. A falling tide … [Read more...]

Once there were blues. Bluefish. The tigers of the ocean. Virginians waited for the news each April, that bluefish had entered the Chesapeake Bay, then it was game on. If you had a boat, you hitched it to the trailer and headed for the coast. If you didn’t have a boat, you pooled your resources with 4 or 5 buddies and took a charter out of Reedville or Lewisetta or Coles Point and went … [Read more...]

  Red drum are starting to migrate out of the Chesapeake Bay. As they depart, surf anglers will be able to get in on the action as well. Frank Marble said the first large drum, 47 inches, was landed on the Little Island Pier in Sandbridge a couple of days ago. Look for some nice fish to be landed in the Sandbridge surf. Cobia reports are scattered around the lower Bay. Captain Todd Beck … [Read more...]

  Offshore Charters out of Oregon Inlet sailed Wednesday and the white marlin were waiting. Boats caught and released numerous fish and put a few yellowfin tuna on ice, as well. The “Country Girl” had six marlin releases. Nearshore charters returned with catches of Spanish Mackerel and bluefish. The Inlet crew reported catches of trout, puppy drum, and bluefish! Rain hindered surf … [Read more...]

Cobia have begun their migration out of the Chesapeake Bay and some big boys have already found their way down to Nags Head.  Capt. Reese Stecher and parties are scoring with cobia to 70 pounds and more. The fishing is terrific now, says Reese. “We are catching ribbonfish, lots of false albacore, some sharks and some big red drum in the ocean. Back in the sounds, we are catching limits of speckled … [Read more...]