If there is such a thing as a fishing hotspot, it’s the Chesapeake Bay. Everything is biting, even the newly arrived spadefish – like the giant shown above caught at the Chesapeake Light Tower. Cobia reports are increasing in the bay, with the lower bay and oceanfront, claiming most of the action. Red drum fishing has been non-stop with some big black drum in  the mix. Catches of … [Read more...]

Cobia are in the bay waters now, but it’s catch and rerease until June 15. By then, the bite should be in full swing as more and more of these sleek warriors enter the bay. Surface schools of both cobia and red drum were spotted along the beach last week. The water temp in Poquoson Flats is 65. When it hits 70, look out. The early run of Spanish mackerel and bluefish fizzled some, but there … [Read more...]

On the OBX, lots of boats made it through the inlet and the fishing was steady from the piers and the surf. There were good reports of Sheepshead, Spanish, Bluefish, and Cobia all weekend. Bonita and Black Sea Bass have also been biting. Cobia to 54.5 pounds have been weighed at TWs Tackle. Sea Mullet, Spanish, Bluefish, Croaker, and Trout are biting in the surf and from the piers. The … [Read more...]

Bluefish seem to be making a comeback. Some really nice fish have been caught this spring in both the Bay and in the surf and sounds off Virginia and Carolina. Blues were once the most popular gamefish in saltwater leading to big-dollar tournaments and mass migrations of fishermen to the Carolina Coast in November. Then they largely went away, the big ones anyway. This spring, though, lots of … [Read more...]

It was an exciting weekend on the OBX. Cobia, Bluefish, Drum, Trout, you name it, and they were biting! The boats fishing nearshore this weekend caught Cobia, Red Drum, Black Drum and Spanish! There has been plenty of action inshore lately! Lots of Drum, Speckled Trout, and Bluefish. There have been a few Sheepshead caught around the bridges. Stripers have been biting further inland. … [Read more...]

Mark Scott, formerly from Charlottesville, returned to his home state from North Carolina and found lots of willing hickory shad biting in the Rappahannock. Mark was able to fish from the shore at the city park without having to wade and had nice catches, like the one above. Crappie and bass have mostly finished their spawn but are still cruising in shallow water. Stripers are on their way up … [Read more...]

Unbelievable! A kayaker in North Carolina caught a 136-pound bluefin tuna. I once caught a 5-pound smallmouth while in a float tube and the bass pulled me all over the river. I can’t imagine catching a fish that huge from a 12-foot kayak. Stefan Turko was in Kitty Hawk and could see tuna boiling in the water just offshore. Several anglers had lost tuna while fishing on Jennette’s Pier, so Turko … [Read more...]

There are reports of black drum caught from the Eastern Shore. Blacks typically show before the reds, but some big red drum are also starting to tug on lines. The trout bite has not yet fully kicked in because of cold water, but togs are biting hard on most any structure. Flounder are starting to show up in the inlets and coastal bays on the Eastern Shore. Some anglers have already caught … [Read more...]

Saltwater fishermen are in a wait and see mode. Waiting for warmer water to see much results. The sea bass just closed, but the tautogs remain active near structure. The bluefin tuna season also closed, but some huge fish were decked in the blue waters. Some puppy drum are biting here and there, but it’s mostly wait and see. … [Read more...]

  The recent drop in water temperatures, now low 40s, has created tough conditions for speckled trout and puppy drum, which typically winter in local waters. Anglers are still catching a few puppy drum inside Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets.  But currently, one of the few areas where these fish can be caught consistently is near the hot ditch, in the Elizabeth River. The hot ditch is … [Read more...]