Cobia, Cobia, Cobia! There are lots of big ones in the lower bay, some topping 70 pounds. Anglers are chumming up fish and then using live eels or croakers as bait. Some of the best action is coming from York Spit and the Windmill Bar area.
There is still plenty of large red drum around. Occasionally sight casters are finding schools on the surface and casting to them. Other reds are being caught by anglers using live bait while anchored. And flounder anglers drifting live bait are catching some as well.
Virginia flounder fishing has picked up and a larger class of fish is now available. Ocean wrecks have been holding the biggest fish. Drifting live baits or jigging wrecks or the pilings of the CBBT with buck tails tipped with cut bait or Gulps has been doing the trick. Robert A. Bradshaw JR. caught a 9 lb., 4 fish jigging at the CBBT to take the lead in the Virginia Saltwater Citation Tournament.
Large spadefish are here again. For the past couple of years the size had been decreasing, but this year anglers are landing nice fish in the 7 to 8 pound class. Spades can’t resist clam bits floated in front of them.
Spanish Mackerel are available along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Croakers, spot, and white perch are available in the rivers and estuaries feeding the Bay. Cobia, flounder and speckled trout are a possibility in the same areas.
Offshore anglers are catching Mahi-Mahi, yellowfin tuna, white marlin, blue marlin and spearfish. Deep dropping remains good for blueline tilefish, black bellied rosefish and golden tilefish.
Outer Banks
Surf Fishing Report: The water cleaned up but surf fishing remains slow overall. Sea mullet are scattered, a few Pompano and Flounder are being caught on the south beaches. Sea Mullet and small bluefish are reported north of the Inlet.
Sound Fishing Report: The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported Black Drum and Croakers. There has been really good fishing from the Oregon Inlet Bridge with anglers landing loads of Bluefish on lures and also some good catches of Sheepshead.
Pier Fishing: Avalon: Small Flounder and Croakers
Nags Head: slow, some small stuff.
Jennette’s: a few Bluefish, Spot, Sheepshead and Flounder.
Outer Banks: Bluefish.
Inshore Boats/nearshore: Nearshore boats reported good numbers of Bluefish, some Spanish, Ribbonfish and Triggers. Inshore, the Bluefish and Sheepshead were plentiful.
Offshore Boat: Offshore Fleet had good catches of Dolphin and Tilefish.
Out of Hatteras Harbor, several offshore boats headed out early to the Gulf Stream for a full day of fishing on Wednesday and returned with good catches of Dolphin (gaffers and bailers) along with scattered Wahoo and Blackfin Tuna. Two Sailfish were released. Inshore anglers focused on Red Drum, catching Puppy Drum. A few Spanish Mackerel were caught as well. Overall fishing was slow for inshore anglers.
