Back in the late 1970’s, one of the most targeted of all the saltwater gamefish in Virginia was the grey trout, or weakfish as they are sometimes called. Anglers dropping rigs around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel regularly pulled in ten to twelve-pound fish. In 1982, the state record, a 19-pounder, was boated. Then, the big greys largely disappeared. The head boats were lucky to put a … [Read more...]

There has been some of the most spectacular speckled trout fishing in recent memory on the Outer Banks at Oregon Inlet. Acres and acres of vast grass beds draw bait like shrimp, crabs and mullet and the trout have moved in to take advantage. Capt. Reese Stecher of Beach Bum Fishing continues to put his clients on trout, with near daily limits and some nice fish, as well. “It’s still great, as … [Read more...]

  Some nice flounder limits were brought in this week. Jigged buck tails are producing, but drifting with live bait has enticed the larger fish. The hot spots are along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and near the Cell. There are some keeper fish being caught inside local inlets as well. Captain Craig Paige, Paige II Charters landed some nice ones(see above pic) on his last … [Read more...]

Last week, Mark Finley had a day to remember as he fished on the Chickahominy River.  His wife was going to join him, but cancelled at the last minute, so he hooked up his bass boat, drove down to the Chick and fished by himself. Mark, who owns Finley’s Service Center in Charlottesville and has been fishing bass tournaments for 30 years, put in at Walker’s Dam, fished for couple hours and … [Read more...]

Angler’s Lane in Forest (Lynchburg) says that the smallmouth fishing is finally starting to take shape on the Staunton and the James. The topwater bite in early morning and late afternoon is getting good, and the streamer bite is fantastic! The guides at Angler’s Lane are specialists when it comes to putting their clients on big smallies. Here’s what they say about the waters they … [Read more...]

  After a somewhat dormant spring and early summer, the flatfish are biting. Lots of 4 to 6-pound flounder are showing near the CBBT, The Cell and The Wrecks. There is also world-class fishing underway for red drum and cobia. Huge schools of red drum have been surfacing daily in the lower Bay. As long as no one spooks them angers can sight cast them, for an hour at a time some days. Cobia … [Read more...]

In  shallow water, they rule. As predators, they take no prisoners. They attack with vengeance. They are speckled trout. The King of the Flats. And fishing for these silver, black and purple beauties is as good as it gets now on the Outer Banks at Oregon Inlet. Capt. Reese Stecher, a speckled trout specialists, is putting his clients on lots of fish, big ones at that. Reese often fishes with … [Read more...]

Catfish bite when it’s cold and when it’s hot. They are a very cooperative species, they’re good to eat and they ate hitting everything in sight right now at Lake Orange. Each year, the Game Department stocks this Department-owned lake with catchable size catfish – not fingerlings. The cats grow fat and sassy with all the shad and sunfish available and often reach sizes of 10 pounds or more. … [Read more...]

  Last week, Ronnie Williams fished in a Tuesday Night Tournament out of Sturgeon Creek at Lake Anna and put a bass weighing 11.03 on the scales. Naturally, he won the Big Fish Category. Eleven pounds is a serious size bass. The winning bag of 5 fish totaled 20.9 pounds. Stripers are also biting at Anna, but mostly in the wee morning hours and again at dusk. Night fishing is  also … [Read more...]