Black drum are returning to the Chesapeake Bay for their annual spawning run. Boats heading out of Cape Charles are making the run to the mouth of the Bay where they are finding black drum near the surf. These fish can be caught in the surf along the coastal beaches but are also found at several locations in the Bay, like reef sites and the bridge pilings at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Interestingly, Virginians seldom keep any large, black drum, but anglers in Maryland quickly put them in their coolers.
Red drum are close behind the blacks. Reports along the outer banks of North Carolina have been very good, especially near Ocracoke and Hatteras. The big push of fish is still a few weeks away, but they are slowly making their way up the coast.
The action in the Virginia Beach and Norfolk inlets has been slow to pick up this spring. Part of that is likely due to the up and down weather over the past few weeks.
Croakers are starting to show up in the Bay, but most are on the smaller side. Anglers fishing near Ocean View and the mouth of the James River have reported a slow croaker bite over the past week. More croakers should move into the Bay over the coming weeks along with spot.
The Wachapreague area has been giving up some big flounder.
OBX
A few red drum have been caught in the Nags Head area, so they’re on their way. Yellowfin tuna have shown up in mass for skippers out of Oregon Inlet.
Lake Orange
Water temperatures are in the low 60s and clear with bass and crappie starting their spawn. Bass can be caught on live minnows and soft plastics. Crappie are hitting small minnows and jigs with minnows the bait of choice. Catfishing has picked up using chicken liver, cut bait and nightcrawlers. Bluegills are biting redworms and nightcrawlers.
