This week, a pair of anglers caught two big sand tiger sharks in the surf at Nags Head. The sharks were 96” and 92” respectively. Note, however, that they were sand tiger sharks, sometimes called gray nurse sharks, and not tiger sharks. Tiger sharks are aggressive, sand tiger sharks are not. There has never been a report of a sand tiger attacking a human.
Sand tiger sharks feed at night often in shallow water. They have the ability to gulp air and store it in their stomachs, allowing neutral buoyancy to remain motionless. When prey approaches, they make a quick, sideways snap and no more prey.
The successful fishermen used whole Spanish mackerel for bait.
Surf fishing has been excellent for sea mullet, croakers, and kingfish. Drum, bluefish, and trout were also reported.
The nearshore boats are catching big red drum, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ribbonfish, and albacore. Inshore boats are pounding the speckled trout and are adding good numbers of bluefish, puppy drum and Spanish to the mix.
The offshore fleet is returning with lots of yellow fin, black fin, big eye tuna and mahi-mahi in their boxes. Blue marlin and sail fish are being released daily.
Virginia Saltwater
Spanish Mackerel are abundant, Successful anglers are using Clark and Drone spoons trailed behind diving planers or inline sinkers. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is a hotspot now for sheepshead, with fiddler crabs on sweeper jigs as bait.
Cobia fishing remains good. Chumming is yielding larger fish. Red drum are abundant inside the bay and along the oceanfront, responding well to jigs and topwater baits.
Flounder fishing has been particularly good, especially around the CBBT where live spot bait attracts the largest flounder. Jigging around the pilings is productive for triggerfish, sea bass, and drum.
Speckled trout are plentiful in area marshes on local rivers – Lynnhaven, Elizabeth, Piankatank, Rappahannock, Mobjack Bay, and the waters near Poquoson.
The Sandbridge surf is teeming with red drum, sea mullet, croaker, spot, and bluefish to those casting their lines. Virginia Beach Pier anglers are catching lots of spot, croakers, and Spanish
Tuna, dolphin, wahoo, sharks, and billfish are being caught by offshore trollers. Recently, nice dolphins have been caught at Norfolk Canyon. Many are choosing to troll early for dolphins, then deep-dropping for swords, tilefish, and grouper. Offshore wrecks and structures are holding lots of amberjacks.
