Flounder reports are starting to roll in from Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Look for the big flatfish to start showing up in the bay very soon. A few red drum have also been caught on the Eastern Shore.
Some puppy drum and speckled trout have been reported inside Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets, so things are looking up.
Tautog catches are picking up at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and on other structures located in the lower bay. Expect the action on all four species – flounder, drum, tautog and trout – to really take off.
Outer Banks
Surf fishing on the Hatteras beaches has been excellent. In the past week, anglers fishing on the Point in Buxton have caught lots of citation red drum. As many as 15-20 fish per day are being recorded at local weigh stations. Anglers using cut fresh mullet on drum rigs are catching both large and small drum. There are a lot of dogfish mixed in with the reds, and a few bluefish up to 32-inches have been beached. With water temperatures rising, expect to see more bluefish in the coming weeks. Black drum, sea mullet, blow toads and croakers are also biting in the surf.
OBX pier anglers are catching puppy drum, skates, dogfish, and puffers. The OBX offshore boats are catching lots of yellow fin, big eye, black fin tuna and a few wahoo. They have also found a few blue fin tuna but the blue fins are catch and release only at this time.
At Nags Head, anglers at the Little Bridge at Manteo are now catching stripers, small trout and undersize puppy drum.
OBX Pier had a great day on Wednesday with catches of Sea Mullet all day long. Buckets full. Also reported were Croakers, Spot and Blow Toads.
Water Temps:
Cape Charles: 49.1 F
Cape Henry: 53.4 F
Kiptopeke: 54.0 F
Duck NC Pier: 47.7 F
Oregon Inlet Sound side: 66.2 F
OI offshore Buoy @ 60 feet: 55.0 F
Hatteras Surf: 63.9
Hatteras Offshore
Drum fishing is beginning to pick up in the Pamlico Sound. Inshore trips run half days and can accommodate groups from 4 – 6 people. Several charters made it offshore Wednesday and came back with scattered catches of Dolphin, a few Wahoo, and some Yellowfin Tuna. The Blackfin Tuna bite was on again and anglers returned with good catches.
