Lake Orange, owned and managed by the DWR, is one of the top trophy largemouth destinations in the state. The Game Department intensely manages the lake and has imposed a 16″ to 22″ protective slot limit.  A large shad and sunfish population stimulates growth. The huge bass above was landed this week at Orange, plus lots of nice crappie, channel cats and bluegills. Water temps … [Read more...]

There were several Northern Snakeheads caught this week – in Lake Orange. The creepy looking fish were first found in Virginia in the Potomac River and the Game Department freaked out. They assumed that this invasive species would drastically affect the native bass populations, so they sent out shocking boats and patrols to eradicate the snakeheads, and that didn’t go well, The Snakes spread to … [Read more...]

Flounder have started showing up with greater regularity in the Bay and tributaries. Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets have been particularly good, but the Eastern Shore is still tops. Some black drum weighing over 40 pounds were caught this week, and red drum catches improve daily. Puppy drum and bluefish are being caught from the piers and in the inlets. A huge 10-10 speckled trout was reported this … [Read more...]

This stringer of bluegills and panfish came from Lake Orange, where water temperatures are now in the low 70s and everything is biting. The crappie and bass are mopping up spawning duties and moving out of the shallows. Some walleye are being caught and the catfish is picking up each day. Sound like Lake Orange is the place to be. … [Read more...]

The last few years have been terrific for sheepshead fishing, and this year looks to be more of the same. Some giant sheepshead have already been caught in the lower bay and that action should peak in June. Use fiddler crabs for best results. Inshore wrecks are giving up sheepshead, tautogs and sea bass. Black drum have spread out across the lower bay and some big stripers are  being … [Read more...]

I don’t know why, but I’ve always been fascinated by yellow perch. Maybe it’s because they are beautiful or perhaps it’s because they are among the first fish to bite each spring or maybe it has to do that there is no finer eating fish that swims – I’m just a big fan. Yellow perch, sometimes called ring perch, are cousins of walleye – considered the finest eating of all freshwater fish. They … [Read more...]

The big news on the OBX (other than catching bluefin tuna from a kayak) is bluefish. Nice blues and lots of them. Capt. Reese Stecher of Beach Bum Fishing says his parties have been hammering the bluefish – some up to 5-6 pounds and more. The fish have been schooling under the birds and are hitting top water plugs. Catching these warriors on light tackle is a thrill and Capt. Stecher’s clients’ … [Read more...]

If the dogwoods have begun to blossom, the shad are in our rivers. The blooms are there and so are the shad – one of the feistiest fish fighters on the planet. It is unclear if a shad snaps at a bait because he’s hungry, or if it’s just something that gets in the way. But twitch a shad dart in the path of an American or Hickory Shad and you’ll likely have a fight on your hands. The shad are … [Read more...]

At a fishing tournament at Smith Mountain Lake last week, two anglers weighed in their catch of 5 bass totaling 36.88 pounds. That’s an average of over 7 pounds per fish. The big one went 9.49 pounds. Wow! Crappie are biting everywhere as they move shallow to spawn. Buggs, Gaston, Anna, Smith Mountain, and the Chick are all hotspots. The shad run is improving daily with warming weather and … [Read more...]

The commercial guys are like the canaries in goldmines. Their haul nets are the first signs of things to come. They are beginning to net spot and croakers, so they are on the way. It’ll be several more weeks before they bite on hook and lines, but it will happen soon. Flounder are also beginning to make their presence known off the Eastern Shore. The water temps are hovering around 50 degrees and … [Read more...]