Way South Fishing Reports

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.