The giant bluefin tuna have made their way north and are busting tackle off the coast of North Carolina. Boats out of Oregon Inlet, Wanchese and Pirates Cove are returning with fish weighing from 500 to 800 pounds. A Virginia angler from Toano wrestled in an estimated 1,000 pound bluefin from a 22 ½ -foot boat. The monster tuna was 9 ½ feet long. That was something.
In Virginia, the sea bass season ended with a bang and now attention turns to tautogs. Hot spots include The Concrete Ships, Cape Henry Wreck, The Cell, Back River Reef, the reefs around the Chesapeake Light Tower, the Triangle Wrecks, the Santore and several rock piles and drainage pipes along the oceanfront. Crabs are a favored bait for ‘togs.
Despite very cold water temps a few speckled trout and puppy drum have been caught in the Hampton area, mainly from the James River and the Elizabeth River
Nothing happening in the surf now on the OBX. At 45 degrees, the water is way cold, but longer days will get things warming up and fish biting. The red drum bite should start to happen any day.
Freshwater
Stan Cobb at Green Top says that the crappie bite is on at Buggs Island. In a recent tournament, a 7-fish limit weighing 15.37 lbs. took first prize. The lake is high, at 302+ but the clear creeks inside Nutbush have been quite productive. Crappie are shallow and so are the bass. The yellow perch have arrived in many rivers, but are slow to bite. Lake Anna continues to give up some nice bass.
Trout streams are in ideal condition.
