The flags are flying. Billfish flags, that is. When a charter lands and/or releases a blue or white marlin, a sailfish, a spearfish or swordfish, they proudly run a flag up the pole.
We are now in prime time for catching billfish as well as Mahi, Wahoo, and tuna. They are out there, and they are biting.
Inshore, outstanding cobia catches are reported throughout the lower bay. Some really large fish have been landed, a few approaching 80-pounds. Live eels and live croakers are the best baits, but the cobia spotted on the surface will hit artificial baits as well.
Spanish mackerel and blues are keeping charters busy. A gold Clark or Drone spoon seems to be working best. Mixed in with the Spanish and blues are large numbers of ribbonfish. And don’t be surprised to pick up a nice king mackerel as well.
Flounder season is officially in and quality fish are being weighed. Jigging bucktails dressed in strip baits or a scented Gulp baits works well. But remember big fish like big bait. A live spot will also do the trick.
Connie at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle says red drum are available along the channel above the 3rd and 4h islands of the CBBT. They should continue to be available the rest of the summer. Spadefish are around buoys and structure, Connie said they started biting much better in recent days.
Sheepshead are feeding on most bridge structures. Marsh crabs attached to a jig head will do the trick.
Speckled trout catches have been good recently on the flats and in rivers. Good numbers of spot are starting to be caught in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Spot fishing peaks in September.
The Virginia Beach Pier reports a nice variety of fish. Roundheads, rays, spot, blues, flounder, and Spanish.
OBX
TW’s in Nags Head says the Carolina fleet is also finding great fishing offshore. There are Citation Trout and Drum active in the sound, and plenty of variety in the surf. It has been a great summer so far, hopefully the second half is even better.
On the sound side, there are still plenty of Trout to go around for those willing to move around and find the fish. More Big Drum have begun to move in near Oregon Inlet as bottom fishing anglers have been finding them more consistently. Landon Williams, just 10 years old from Urbanna, Virginia, caught a beautiful 47-inch Red Drum estimated near 50 lbs. while fishing on a charter.
Piers and surf anglers got some much-needed relief from the upswelling with the onshore winds resulting in some good catches. We heard reports this morning of good numbers of Sheepshead, Bluefish, and Croaker caught at Jennette’s Pier. Nags Head Pier is reporting Bluefish, Flounder, Sea Mullet, and Spot. There are still plenty of Sharks to go around south of Oregon Inlet.
The offshore fleet is still seeing great catches of Yellowfin, with Wahoo, Dolphin, and a decent number of Billfish in the mix. Hopefully the weather holds up and the great fishing will continue!
Freshwater
The rivers are now in good shape, clear but just a little low. Smallmouth are taking advantage of the dragon fly swarms and are going after most any top water offering. The tidal rivers continue to produce catches of big Blue Catfish, as does Kerr Lake. Crappie are on deep brush at Kerr.
At Lake Orange, water temperatures have pushed into the mid 80s. The lake is clear with bass feeding on live baitfish. Crappie fishing has picked up around the fishing pier and sunken brush piles throughout the lake. A few walleye have been caught on harness rigs fished over grass beds. Catfishing remains strong throughout the lake.
