A 597-pound swordfish, caught September 25, 2020 by Nicholas Kontodiakos of Norfolk, has been certified as the new Virginia State Record by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Kontodiakos’ catch crushes the existing record of 466-pounds, caught on August 16, 2019, by Tony Gower Jr. of Virginia Beach, VA.
The record setting catch was made off Virginia Beach while Kontodiakos was drifting along the southern edge of the Norfolk Canyon in 1,000 feet of water during a daytime deep dropping trip for swordfish. The massive swordfish hit a bait suspended at about 800-feet. That’s nearly three football fields. The lucky angler’s family will be eating lots of swordfish steaks in the coming months.
Snowed Out at Oregon Inlet
You hear about windy conditions and rainy conditions keeping the boats in port at Oregon Inlet, but you rarely hear about the fleet shut down because of snow – until this week. They closed it up because of snow.
In the surf along the Outer Banks, it’s slim pickings. A few black drum and speckled trout were beached at Hatteras, but it’s dead as a doorknob on the northern beaches and sounds. Nothing much is happening in Virginia waters with the exception of some speckled trout action at the Hot Ditch.
Freshwater Report
Stan Cobb at Greentop says that for those willing to brave the elements and get out on the water, there is some freshwater action to be had.
Stripers are biting well in area lakes such as Kerr, Gaston, and Anna. Live bait continues to be best, Cobb noted.
Largemouth Bass are being caught in numerous spots. Seventeen pounds won a recent winter tournament at Lake Anna. Jerk baits, Silver Buddies, jigs, and Alabama rigs are producing on both the lakes and tidal rivers.
The upper James is finally fishable, but that can change in a day. Some nice smallmouth are looking for small crankbaits, jigs, jerk baits, and 4-inch grubs. Large minnows often produce when all else fails.
The yellow perch bite should happen soon in many of the tidal rivers. Some of the best early spots are the Rappahannock River and the Chickahominy River. Good baits include are Silver Buddies, small curly tailed grubs, and small to medium minnows – all fished on the bottom.
The blue catfish bite remains strong on the tidal rivers, particularly the James and Rappahannock rivers.
