Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 12 Update:
Water temperatures in some of the smaller creeks have reached 60 degrees on warm days this week. As the temperatures move more consistently towards this mark, inshore saltwater species will become more abundant in the shallows. With some (finally!) warmer days when the wind wasn’t howling, the reports of success on redfish picked up a bit this week. One reader reported catching one on a silver-flecked paddletail (plus catching some blue catfish) up the Nansemond, and another caught three pups plus a nice slot near Dix Creek. Knot Wish’n Custom Charters has been targeting specks and reds in Rudee inlet and found both willing to bite this week, along with some bluefish. The trout are also being more cooperative for anglers and are making appearances in various locations including Rudee Inlet, Lynnhaven Inlet, and Little Creek. There are some striped bass around and the best fishing for them has been at night. The areas illuminated by dock lights or nearby buildings are great places to target them. The baitfish are attracted to the lights and will bring with them hungry predatory fish like striped bass and a few others. Soft plastic paddletails, jerkbaits, and shrimp imitations worked under popping corks are all popular baits to throw.
Tautog are continuing to make their way into the Bay hanging out on deep structure. Popular areas to target them include the islands around the CBBT, The Cell, and the concrete ships near Kiptopeake. These fish fight hard for their size and are known for their delicious fillets. If you plan to target them, bring plenty of bait because tog are known bait stealers with an impressive ability to pick your offering without getting hooked. Crab baits are their favorite and are regularly caught by using fiddler crabs, sand fleas, green crab, or blue crab.
Another fish migrating into our region right now is the black drum. There has been a good amount being caught around Fisherman’s Island and the high rise of the CBBT. Chunks of blue crab or bunker on fish finder rigs has enticed the bites. Big fish upwards of 50 pounds have been caught in the Pocomoke Sound, so the big fish are passing right by this zone. It is a great time of year to hit the beaches in the surf too. A smaller class (fish in the 20- to 30-inch range) of fish are running along the beaches right now. Bluefish and red drum are being caught in North Carolina, so the northern migration is coming our way!
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 5 Update:
The spring diversity of species is really starting to show itself now that we are into April, and now that water temperatures are in the low 50s tautog are making their presence known at the deeper structure around the mouth of the Bay. Tog are an April favorite and they will stack up on wrecks, reefs, and rock piles. These fish are known for fighting hard and having delicious fillets. The Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay is full of inshore spots that offer good tog fishing. Some of the more popular locations include the CBBT, the concrete ships, The Cell, and the Chesapeake Light Tower. There was a report from an angler who was out fishing last weekend at the third Island of the CBBT and caught some keeper fish. They were fishing around the pilings using shrimp in about 50 feet of water. The bite wasn’t hot, but the fish are there and can be caught with enough persistence. If you need a tog fishing refresher check out our how-to video:
There were some impressive catches this week that we saw reports of. Perhaps the most impressive was a fish checked in and certified by Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle. Angler Jonathan Hughes caught a whopping 52-inch black drum at Fisherman’s Island earlier in the week which was safely released after a few pictures. There was an uptick in drum reports this week and we are expecting more fish to move in with next weeks’ forecast looking warmer with less rain. The Virginia coastal beaches offered a good bite in the surf this week with a lot of drum being caught on sand fleas. These fish will soon also show up near the concrete ships, the Cabbage Patch, and the high rise of the CBBT. Big fish are out there and it’s a great time of year to target them. If you haven't targeted black drum from the surf it's a ton of fun, here's the lowdown on how to get the bites:
The inlets and rivers are warming up which means that inshore gamefish species are becoming more active. Rudee inlet was productive for anglers targeting puppy drum this week and we even saw some nicer fish caught. We saw a fish that was 31 inches, but they did not specify where inside the inlet it was caught. A lot of anglers are focusing their attention on the shallow mud flats where they are throwing soft plastics or drifting soft crab. Lynnhaven Inlet also offered good pup fishing this week and speckled trout action is picking up too. One angler caught and released a 27-inch speck inside Lynnhaven this week and plenty of other anglers found success targeting the specks with paddletails. As water temperatures warm these fish will begin to move into shallower areas. We all know that once the water temps make it to 60 degrees, these shallows can become a magical place to fish.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 29 Update:
Early spring has brought cooler temperatures which has slowed down many of the bites we are anticipating to kick off. Persistent wind and a few shots of rain of have made fishing conditions… Read more...
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 1 Update:
Days are getting longer, and temperatures are warming up. This means spring is approaching and the fishing action will soon start to heat up. Virginia Beach Sport Fishing let us know that the… Read more...
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 23 Update:
Fishing has been slower this week as colder temperatures have moved back into the region. Other than the boats heading into the ocean from Virginia Beach for the black sea bass bite,… Read more...