By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour
Only a few more days remain until school starts and the college football season kicks off. As summer’s end approaches, great opportunities continue for Virginia saltwater anglers. In fact, some of the best fishing of the year is happening right now.
Lots of Spanish mackerel and taylor bluefish are feeding in Chesapeake Bay tidal rips near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The Spanish mackerel fishing has also been especially good along the oceanfront near Sandbridge, where there have also been reports of some nice kings! Keep an eye out for cobia, though, the brown monsters are hanging around the same areas.
Spadefish and sheepshead are on Chesapeake Bay structure.
Some really nice flounder have been caught. The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament recently registered a 10-pound 4-ounce flatly, caught inside Lynnhaven Inlet. Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets are also holding speckled trout, puppy drum and large bluefish.
Cobia and big red drum catches remain good. Both species are on the shoals over on the Eastern Shore. Croaker, sea mullet and flounder are in Eastern Shore seaside inlets, and on the bayside as well. Tarpon are being caught in their usual Eastern Shore holes.
Croakers are available throughout the lower bay and more small spot are starting to show. Look for spot and croaker sizes to increase as September approaches.
The coastal wrecks are holding flounder, spadefish, triggerfish, sea bass and sand tiger sharks. Pier and surf anglers are finding sea mullet, pompano, spadefish, small flounder, and a few Spanish macs. Cobia and red drum are also a possibility.
Offshore billfish action is heating up just in time for the local tournament season. Mahi-mahi are being found around inshore sea mounts like the Hot Dog and a few wahoo are also being caught along with an occasional tuna. Swordfish are available to those who target them.
There should be plenty of amberjack holding on the Chesapeake light tower and the south tower. Deep-droppers are finding excellent numbers of both golden and blue-line tilefish, along with sea bass.
Outer Banks
Surf Fishing Report: Hard winds on the south beaches made fishing somewhat slow on Wednesday. Avon had some bluefish and spot. Ramp 44 anglers reported pompano and bluefish. Frisco anglers caught pompano. On the north side of the bridge, fishing was good in Kitty Hawk with nice size blues, pompano and sea mullet biting. Flounder action has been good in Kitty Hawk all week with several good size keepers caught. Sea mullet, pompano and spot were all caught along the beaches.
A cold front came through Wednesday night, bringing cooler temperatures – 72 degrees – in Kill Devil Hills. The ocean is currently clear and rough but fishable.
Sound Fishing: The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported lots of pinfish, plus some croaker and stripers.
Pier Fishing: Avalon: Bluefish and some Spanish.
Nags Head: Slow.
Jennette’s: Pigfish, bluefish and a 47.7-lb. king mackerel and one lost mackerel.
Outer Banks: Sea mullet and bluefish.
Inshore Boats/nearshore: Nearshore boats caught bluefish and Spanish. Sheepshead and bluefish were biting in the inlet.
Offshore: The strong winds kept the boats in the creek.
The winds are NW at 15 and the water temp is 69 degrees.
Hatteras Offshore
It was a blowout Wednesday, but a number of boats sailed Tuesday with good results. There were some really good catches of blackfin tuna along with wahoo and a few dolphin in the mix. Topping off the cooler with a limit of triggerfish made one boat very happy.
