It was that kind of day on Wednesday of this week for Capt. Dave Wilson aboard the Godspeed Charters in Hatteras. Reports Capt. Wilson: Once we negotiated the shallow channel and breaking bar, things were great offshore! Today we had great dolphin fishing. Our guys caught all they needed in just a few stops. We had hoped for a sailfish or a wahoo as well but never found one.
On August 1, it was greasy slick calm in the morning, with the exception of an on-shore swell from a low pressure that was passing offshore. There was still plenty of scattered grass, but you could find clear sections to fish. We landed two of three wahoo bites today and found a float with a handful of gaffer dolphin nearby.
On July 31, fishing was pretty decent, we just had to spend some time dodging squalls. We wound up landing three out of five wahoo bites, and four gaffer dolphin. Home safe and everybody’s happy.
Virginia Peninsula
Dr. Ken Neill, IIII
Some impressive bigeye tuna have been brought back to the dock over the past week. Fish are being caught at the Washington and Norfolk Canyons. There are more boats out there than tuna being caught, but for the lucky boats that get bit, it is well worth the trip. Good dolphin catches are being made out in the deep by anglers fishing for marlin, but some dolphin are being caught just a few miles off of the beach. Billfish action remains good with numerous grand slams caught over the past couple of weeks. A very few yellowfin tuna are being caught, some in as close as the Hot Dog and 26 Mile Hill.
Amberjack are at the southern towers. Amberjack and jack crevalle can be found over some of the coastal wrecks and they would be a possibility at the Chesapeake Light Tower. Along the oceanfront, a few king mackerel are being caught and there are also good catches of Spanish mackerel and small bluefish. Shark fishing is good and cobia and large red drum are likely encounters.
Spadefish are being caught over some of the coastal wrecks and at the CBBT where big sheepshead are also being caught. Flounder fishing is pretty good at the CBBT and flatfish are being caught at areas like Hampton Bar, Back River Reef, Deadman’s Hill and off of Cape Charles. The coastal wrecks are producing some of the best flounder catches with the Tower and Triangle Reef areas being very good.
Cobia fishing remains excellent throughout the lower bay. They are being caught by chumming on the various hills, sight fishing open water and by looking for them on the buoys and the pilings of the CBBT. Big red drum continue to be caught around the shoals and near the islands of the CBBT and just in open water by sight fishing. Tarpon are inside the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore and should remain there through August.
Nags Head
TW’s Bait And Tackle reports on 8-5. In the surf, it was a few sea mullet, spot and croakers. On the sound, the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported some keeper trout caught this morning with a good number of throwbacks.
From the piers: Avalon had spot and pigfish, Nags Head had an assortment of bottom fish, the Outer Banks Pier reported spot and croakers and Jennette’s fishermen caught lots of croakers. At the Outer Banks Pier, it was spot and croakers.
Ribbonfish are plentiful for inshore and nearshore boaters Nearshore Anglers also caught Spanish, sharks, king mackerel and some albacore. Inshore boats decked a few red drum and some Sharks.
The one boat that sailed out of Oregon Inlet yesterday had tons of luck. They caught 9 Yellowfin, 5 Blackfin and 40 Dolphin. On August 6, dolphin were plentiful, with a good amount of yellowfin and some blackfin tuna in the mix. Wahoo and Bonita were caught along with several white marlin releases.
Hatteras Surf
Red Drum reports: On Wednesday, anglers behind the motel beached drum, spot and croakers. Ramp 44 and 43 had croakers and spot. Avon also reported spot and croakers. Inshore boats are still catching plenty of drum.
On Tuesday, fishing was a little slow with the southwest wind. Croakers and sea mullets were caught on both sides and there have been some bluefish reported. Sound fishing has been good with more and more flounder showing up as well as pups and some big drum. Offshore is wahoo, some good billfish action and some dolphin fishing going on.
Crabbing continues to be really good on both the sound side and the ocean front. At the prices I hear, this is a really good effort. If you are on your way down, check out some of the fish houses for fresh shrimp. Lowest price in 10 years.
