Way South Fishing Reports

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 2 Update:

Now is the time to get out on the water folks. There are several bites going strong, and opportunities are only increasing in the southern Chesapeake. Bull red drum continue to dominate the coastal seaside bays near the mouth of the Bay and anglers are finding them in waters of less than five feet. Kayakers have been enjoying good success while searching shallow flats with side scan. Several anglers have mentioned that when boats come through the area, the schools of fish scatter, and it takes some time for the fish to start biting again, so stealth is key. Post-spawn striped bass have also been seen in big schools cruising the shallows on their way out of the Bay. These fish can be difficult to get to bite as they are focused on making their migration back north, but trying several different lure presentations can help figure out what they are preferring. It is a good idea to have paddletails, swimbaits, and hardbaits in the tackle box. Although these are post-spawn fish, it is still important to handle them with care and take the time to properly revive them after the catch.

The tautog bite has remained good around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Kiptopeke concrete ships, and other reef sites. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and crab baits are working well to entice them to bite. Several anglers caught keeper tog at the islands of the CBBT this week. We have also heard a few rumors of sheepshead showing up in the area of the CBBT and Lesner Bridge, but we do not have any confirmed reports yet. Bluefish have also started to show up along the oceanfront and are being caught around Rudee Inlet and other tidal tribs. Most of the blues are in the 20-inch range, which are solid fish, but we are hoping the 30+” fish show up like they did last year. The blues will hit a variety of lures. Just make sure to use heavy leaders because their sharp teeth can cut through lighter lines with ease. Another fish to start getting excited about is cobia. There are reports coming in from the North Carolina coast that cobia are starting to be caught just off the beaches, so we should start to see these fish show up in the Chesapeake region by the end of the month.