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Way South Fishing Reports

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 6 Update:

A lot of anglers have been heading to Rudee Inlet to fish for red drum and the bite has been fairly good. Resident reds are hanging around docks and deeper sections of the inlet. The inlet is not very big, so it can get crowded at times. Anglers are reporting that the reds have been willing to hit fresh shrimp and mullet along with several artificial lures. The key when lure fishing in the winter is to slow down your retrieve and bounce it along the bottom. While Rudee is a popular destination, the reds can be found in other tributaries as well including Lynnhaven Inlet and the Elizabeth River. Our speckled trout were hit hard by the cold in January that caused a lot of fish to die. Temperatures have warmed up slightly, but the fish that survived are still not very active. Anglers have seen them schooling at times in the shallows trying to warm up in the sun and it will probably be best to give them a break until water temperatures rise. North Carolina even closed their speckled trout season for the time being due to their cold stun event.

red drum chesapeake bay fishing
Slot reds are still active despite the cold winter weather.

The fishing for sea bass has been red hot out of Virginia Beach and the special February black sea bass season has allowed anglers to box a lot of nice fish. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has allowed the special season to resume this year which allows harvest until the end of the month. The season will then be closed until May 15th. Anglers looking to participate can find more information about reporting and permitting requirements on the Recreational Reporting Fact Sheet. Playin Hookey Charters had the best sea bass trip we saw this week with a boat limit of 90 fish. Five pounders have been caught since the season opened and there seems to be plenty of keepers to go around.

January 2, 2025
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 30 Update: Way South anglers got a break from the brutal cold as temperatures trended milder this week. It is a good thing too because the cold weather has been taking a toll on our speckled trout.… Read more...
December 6, 2024
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 26 Update: It was a cold week across the Chesapeake region, but there are a few hot bites still taking place. We hope that everyone got some new fishing gear to try out in the new year, and if you… Read more...
November 1, 2024
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, November 29 Update: While the winter weather is starting to creep in fishing is still going strong, and the colder temperatures don’t seem to be bothering the fish just yet. The speckled trout bite continues… Read more...