Freshwater fishing may be winding down for most species, but it’s heating up for one of Virginia’s biggest and most vicious warriors. Muskies. Twenty years ago, there was a modest population of muskies in the New River with scattered fish in other rivers. Recently, the James River has developed into a musky hotspot and the Shenandoah is coming on strong. Other rivers with the big … [Read more...]

  Large rockfish are moving out of bay tributaries and into the Bay. Look for them on the Eastern side of the Bay. Anglers are drifting or slow trolling eels near the Plantation Light and along Cape Charles. Mann’s Stretch 25’s and tandem rigs are also effective. School-sized rockfish are available for anglers casting along the bridge pilings and the artificial islands of the … [Read more...]

  In the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving and Christmas, a few folks are still finding the time to wade out into a cold stream and cast a fly. John Waller, a guide with South River Fly Shop, did. And look what he caught. A huge Downtown Brown. The South River in Augusta County flows through the very heart of Waynesboro. Through the conservation efforts of Trout Unlimited, the City of … [Read more...]

By VDGIF   Muskie - the fish of a thousand casts. We’ve got them in Virginia and here’s how the Game Department says to catch them.   River fishermen use rafts, kayaks, canoes, or small boats with electric motors or small outboards to float larger pools and fish near woody debris, large boulders, drop offs, or weed lines. We suggest using an eight foot medium heavy rod with … [Read more...]

  When we touched down at the Honolulu Airport it was 88 degrees. Perhaps 85 or 86 would have been more comfortable, but I’ll take 88 in the middle of November. This was to be our second visit to the Aloha State in the past two years. This beautiful island paradise draws tourists like a magnet – an inviting climate, extreme beauty and incredibly friendly people. There are only two problems … [Read more...]

  Thanks to a couple of warm water eddies that have spun off the Gulfstream, Virginia has enjoyed some outstanding late season blue water action. The headliner is the large number of wahoo,  very large wahoo, with several fish topping the 100 pound mark. In addition to the Wahoo, lots yellowfin tuna, some albacore tuna, dolphin and a few billfish are being caught. Speckled trout fishing … [Read more...]

  Nancy and I have been attending the Oyster Festival in Urbanna each year for the past 20 years, missing only a couple. It’s one of the best parties on the East Coast. It started back in 1958 when some local businessmen were trying to drum up a little business and staged a parade. Everybody loves a parade and people came, a few at first, then hundreds, then thousands. Nobody knows … [Read more...]

  With cooler weather settling in, anglers are targeting speckled trout and they haven’t been disappointed. It is speck time in both VA and NC. Look for specks inside Lynnhaven, Little Creek and Rudee inlets, in creeks on the Eastern Shore, around the Poquoson Flats and in the York, Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers. Many fish are ranging 18- to 22-inches, with a few exceeding 24-inches. The … [Read more...]

They’re killing ‘em in Nags Head. Stripers, speckled trout, puppy drum. Not just some days, every day. Capt. Reese Stecher with Beach Bum Fishing says he’s never seen anything like it. “The fishing is unreal,” he said. “Everyday.” The speckled trout fishing has been very good around Oregon Inlet for the past few years, but it seems to be getting better and better with numerous five-pound … [Read more...]