In Virginia saltwater, cobia are dominating the action. Chumming has been super productive, says Stan Cobb with Greentop. Eels are what most use for bait, but live fish, such as croakers, are also excellent. The problem is that croakers have been hard to find. At least, the good-sized ones. Use plenty of chum, as to make the scent trail as strong as possible. Be prepared to tangle with sharks, … [Read more...]

There's been a surge of large Black Drum over the last week, according to Stan Cobb of Greentop, from both the seaside of the Eastern Shore and inside the bay. The Bay bite has been from the CBBT to Cape Charles, with some 70-pounders caught. Fresh clam has been an outstanding bait. The red drum are biting well also, but the blacks made the bigger headlines. Along with the drum, anglers have been … [Read more...]

By Dr. Ken Neill, III   Flounder are among the most sought-after fish in our waters. They are great to eat and fun to catch. In Virginia, it is primarily an April through November fishery though some are caught in March and December. Early season action is found in the seaside inlets of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Wachapreague has a world-class fishery that peaks from April through … [Read more...]

By Dr, Ken Neill, III At this week’s VMRC meeting, there were a couple of actions directly affecting recreational anglers. The one that will get all the attention is the closure, through emergency action, of Virginia’s Spring Trophy Striped Bass seasons. There actually are three, though we think of them as one - bay, coastal, and tributaries of the Potomac. They are all closed. As they were … [Read more...]

Flounder are starting to show up inshore. The best early season action usually occurs in the seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore. A few short flatties have already been caught inside Rudee Inlet. Remember, large baits catch large flounder. The first black drum were landed in the surf on Virginia’s Eastern Shore last week. Look for good catches to develop bayside near the Cabbage Patch, the … [Read more...]

Like the swallows of Capistrano, the black drum are coming home. With the water temperature at Thimble Shoal now at 51,  the drum are starting to show up along the bayside of the Eastern Shore. Good locations are the Cabbage Patch, near the Concrete Ships, Buoy 13, near the high rise of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, around 36A and off of Cape Charles. Look for boats anchored close together in … [Read more...]

As water temperatures rise, Virginia’s tautog bite is picking up. The water temperature is now up to 49.1 degrees at Thimbles Shoals. Ocean wrecks usually produce first, but now the bite has moved into the bay. Look for ‘togs anywhere there’s structure. Popular areas include the CBBT, Back River Reef, the Cell, Tower Reef, the Concrete Ships, Cape Henry Wreck, the Santore, the Winthrop, and the … [Read more...]

  By Capt. Alan Cain   2018 was a very rainy/bad weather year here in NC. We had over 102 inches of rain in Wilmington. It made for tough fishing and very dirty water most of the year. In 9 years of guiding and 14 years living here in Wilmington, this past year was the worst weather and most challenging fishing I have ever seen. Most everyone I have talked to agrees it was the … [Read more...]

  Virginia’s sea bass fishery is open. It’s a special one-month fishery, highly regulated and designed for data collection. A special, no-cost permit is required, reporting is mandatory, and you must tell VMRC when you are fishing so they have the opportunity to have a biologist meet you when you return. All this is due to efforts to collect data on this wintertime fishery that we … [Read more...]

By Capt. Steve Chaconas   If you don’t own any Silver Buddy lures, get some! They allow you to fish any depth with a lot of vibration for little movement. I use ½ ounce and ¾ ounce sizes. Silver is best for days with some sun and moderately clear water. Gold otherwise. Use 10-pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon on a Quantum Vapor casting reel. The rod is a medium action 7’ graphite rod, … [Read more...]