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 caught by the drum fishermen. The Concrete Ships have been quite productive.
Good news from the south! Cobia are showing up south of Nags Head, which means they are a couple weeks away from Virginia waters. Puppy drum fishing is excellent, and the speck bite is also picking up.
Anglers fishing the surf at Sandbridge have been beaching some giant stripers. Flounder are keeping Eastern Shore anglers busy, especially at Chincoteague, Assateague, and Wachapreague.
Offshore boats slayed the yellowfin tuna this week. Along with the tuna, there has been catches of blue marlin, Mahi, and wahoo. Surf and pier anglers along the Outer Banks are catching drum, blues, sea mullet and sharks. Virginia pier anglers are decking black drum red drum, blues, and a few croakers.
Freshwater
The tidal rivers are producing lots of good bass catches. Crappie have moved from the shallows to beneath boat docks on most lakes. Striper fishing at all the major lakes has been productive and bluegills are moving into shallow water to spawn.
At Lake Orange, the water temperatures are in the upper 60s. Bass and crappie are in all phases of the spawn. The shellcrackers and bluegills are heading to the spawning areas now, with red wigglers the bait of choice. Catfishing has picked up throughout the lake.
