Combine rockfish and October and you get Rock-tober, a perfect time to drag a bait or lure in the Bay or its tributaries. Rockfish season kicked in on October 4 and continues through December 31. Anglers can keep one rockfish per day that is at least 19-inches but not more than 24-inches. These regs protect the big females that lay more and higher quality eggs.
Current reports for Virginia show lots of rockfish, speckled trout, and puppy drum in the lower Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. The specks are running from 10- to 20-iches and are hitting small lures, and shrimp in the lower creeks and tributaries. Stripers and puppies are active around docks and all along the CBBT. Some large blues running from 5- to 10-pounds are hitting trolled lures all across the lower bay. Croakers, spot and sea trout are going for bottom rigs with bloodworms or shrimp baits.
Offshore it’s lots of yellowfin tuna.
OBX
On Thursday morning, fishing was on fire in the Outer Banks surf with black drum, trout, bluefish, and lots of 3- to 4-foot sharks hitting everyone’s lines. The drum bite has been consistent as well as bluefish up to 4 pounds.
Pier fishermen were hauling in red drum along with northern puffers, Spanish mackerel, spot and throwback speckled rout. The blue water fleet out of Pirate’s Cove returned with lots of yellowfin, blackfin and Mahi.
