Way South Fishing Reports

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 10 Update:

As the first hints of an approaching fall cause temperatures to drop slightly the angling action is picking up in a number of ways. Southern species are still present in good numbers and trollers are picking up plenty of mackerel, and there’s been an uptick in the reports of ribbon fish as well. The flounder bite is picking up steam too, though some anglers targeting bigger fish at the CBBT and surrounding areas reported a tougher bite recently.

Many boats trolling small spoons are finding plenty of mackerel in the area with dozen-fish-plus catches common both along the beach and inside the Bay. The blues seem a bit more plentiful from the CBBT in and finding the ribbonfish in open water is likely a matter of luck, however, good numbers of ribbonfish have been reported in the Green Mile to HRBT area. An angler targeting the sheepshead at the bridge pilings there said they managed two nice ones, but conditions made fishing close to the structure very tough. Some relatively small (25” to 30”) black drum have also been showing up for anglers dropping crab baits in hopes of sheepshead.

The flounder bite is picking up around the CBBT as the weather begins to cool off. A pair of anglers fishing around the bridge pilings caught four keepers with the largest fish measuring 23”. Funny enough, that big fish was caught on a piece of crab while trying to catch sheepshead. Another reported three nice keepers over the 20” mark and some throwbacks while jigging bucktails tipped with pink Gulp!. A subscriber who targeted sheepshead reported that they had some bites but not many, and after a while they abandoned dropping fiddlers next to the piers in favor of trolling small spoons along the channel edges. That produced a cooler full of Spanish mackerel in the 12” to 16” range plus a pair of ribbonfish and several bluefish.

The cobia season is drawing to a close and as of this weekend we have just one more week until it ends on the 20th. Unfortunately we didn’t hear much great news on that front this week; a boat targeting reds at the CBBT islands reported spotting and hooking one that was just legal on a pink bucktail with a white trailer. An angler who tried chumming the edges near Latimer reported being covered up with sharks and catching a bluefish on a bunker chunk, and a subscriber who fished with a guide over the holiday weekend said they saw decent numbers and caught several fish but most were relatively small and in the 30” to 40” range.

Anglers at Virginia Beach Fishing Pier enjoyed a steady bite this week for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ribbonfish. One day there were schools of all three species mixed together around the pier willing to hit metal jigs, Gotcha plugs, and other artificial lures. Pier anglers are also catching plenty of bottom fish including some nice spot, though the big yellow-bellies of fall haven’t showed up yet. There are reports of a few schools of pompano showing up, too. They’ve been in the catch for anglers bottom fishing with bloodworms and Fishbites bloodworm, along with some roundhead, in the Fort Monroe area. While the pompano will hit these baits, sharpies targeting them in specific often default to shrimp bits. They’re easily stripped from the hook, but pompano absolutely love them. We haven’t heard from anyone using Fishbites shrimp flavor to target pompano so if you’ve tried it shoot us an email and let us all know how it worked!

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 4 Update:

Late-season cobia are providing some final opportunities before Virginia's season closes, with several areas worth targeting with live eels, bunker, or chum. Bull red drum fishing remains strong around the CBBT's bridge islands, shoals, and deeper ledges. Sheepshead are available tight to bridge pilings and rock structure, while spot, croaker, and the first September push of pompano offer good opportunities from the beaches and public piers.

With the Virginia cobia season closing September 15th, there is still time to get after one of the Bay’s most prized gamefish, and the late-season push can be a good opportunity for larger fish. Focus on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Virginia Beach oceanfront, Cape Charles Shoals, York Spit, and the edges of the main shipping channel, looking for cobia cruising near the surface around shoals and current breaks. Sight-fishing from an elevated platform is ideal, but anglers without a tower can anchor near a productive shoal and chum with bunker, then soak live eels or fresh bunker chunks behind the boat. Bull red drum remain another major attraction around the CBBT, particularly near the bridge islands, shoals, and deeper ledges. Side-scan or forward-facing sonar offer major advantages for locating schools before presenting large paddletails, heavy jigs, live croaker, or chunks of peeler crab. Fishing pressure can make these fish finicky, so working weekdays, low-light periods, or nighttime can pay off. As fall begins to settle in, expect the drum pattern to gradually change as cooling water and bait movement encourage fish to roam more widely between the bridge structure, shoals, and nearby shallow areas. September is also a good time to watch the channel edges and current-swept shoals, where reds can stage while feeding on migrating baitfish. The bull red bite should remain a strong option as the season transitions toward fall.

Sheepshead remain a worthwhile target around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, particularly on the bridge pilings, rock islands, and other hard structure where these structure-oriented fish feed on barnacles, crabs, and other crustaceans. The key is getting your bait tight to the structure, with fiddler crabs and sand fleas paired with a bottom-sweeper jig being the go-to presentation. The Lesner Bridge, Rudee Inlet jetties, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, Monitor-Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel, and artificial reefs and wrecks are also worth checking. Calmer days can be especially productive because they make it easier to hold a bait directly against pilings and rocky structure in the strong tidal currents of the lower Bay. A kayak angler fishing for sheepshead caught four during a trip to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel this week. All the fish measured between 22” and 25”, so although the numbers weren't great, the size of the fish were good. Another kayak angler reported catching a few sheepshead, but to their surprise, also landed a roughly 30” black drum while targeting the convicts. A few divers spear fishing around the CBBT pilings and rock islands have stuck some spadefish and tautog as well, so there are several species to target near these structures.

Bottom fishing remains a solid option along the Virginia coast, with spot, croaker, and pompano providing opportunities from the surf and public piers. Recent reports have had spot and croaker showing around the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Sandbridge, Rudee Inlet, and area fishing piers, with bloodworms, Fishbites, shrimp, squid, and small pieces of cut bait fished on two-hook bottom rigs producing best. For spot and croaker, concentrate on the deeper troughs and cuts in the surf and the water around pier pilings, especially during moving water, and don't overlook the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, Sandbridge Little Island Fishing Pier, and Buckroe Fishing Pier. Pompano are the wildcard worth specifically targeting as September gets underway. Recent reports point to this being a prime window for a pompano push along the beaches. Small pieces of shrimp, sand fleas, or clam fished on a light bottom rig in the first and second troughs, around cuts, and along the edges of sandbars are good presentations, with warm, clean water and moderate surf favorable conditions.