The 18th AnnualVirginia Beach Tuna Tournament took place over the weekend. Over one hundred teams competed for more than $290,000 in prize money. MARLIN MANIAC took first place at 258.3 pounds, LULU finished runner up at 222.4 and third went to LORIEV at 173 pounds.
Virginia Beach’s blue water action is getting better by the day with white marlin, yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo, and gaffer dolphin all biting. Blue marlin encounters will increase in July and peak in August. Offshore, deep droppers are still catching plenty of tilefish and sea bass.
Spanish mackerel and ribbonfish continue to bite along the oceanfront. Spanish are available near tide rips in the Bay.
Cobia action remains excellent. Most are taking live bait fished in chum slicks. Spadefish are hanging around buoys, pylons of the CBBT and the Chesapeake Light Tower.
Connie Barbour at Long Bay Pointe Bait & Tackle says there are lots of sheepsheads around the CBBT.
Big red drum are still plentiful throughout the lower Bay.
Flounder catches are on the rise at the Tunnel, around inshore wrecks, and artificial reefs throughout the lower bay and along the coast. Coastal wrecks are also holding bluefish, amberjacks, and triggerfish.
Pier and surf anglers are finding bluefish, Spanish, flounder, croaker, sea mullet and small spot. Spanish, ribbonfish and blues were just off the beaches.
OBX
Keeper drum were reported in the surf on Wednesday. Mullet, croaker, and spot were also biting.
The piers are seeing triggers, spadefish, and bluefish.
Out of Oregon Inlet, boats are returning with Mahi, yellowfin tuna, some wahoo, and a couple blue marlin citations. Boats in the sound are killing the drum and specks.
Freshwater
Fishing is excellent now at Lake Orange. Bass are schooling and chasing shad. Crappie have moved to deeper brush but are taking minnows with relish. Catfishing is excellent around mid-lake. Chicken livers and nightcrawlers are the baits of choice. Bream have finished spawning but are hungry for red wigglers. Knowledgeable anglers continue to find and catch some nice walleye.
Trout fishing on the mountain streams remains surprisingly good. Terrestrials are moving some big trout on the spring creeks, like Mossy.
Good reports of nice smallmouth are coming from the Shenandoah when the water is clear.
