At times, the numbers and sizes of fish caught have boggled the mind! Anglers in Virginia are enjoying incredible action with big striped bass to more than 50 pounds, and also bluefin tuna to well over 300 pounds. All well within 3 miles of the beach along the
Virginia oceanfront. Trollers from Cape Henry to Rudee Inlet have been scoring big-time catches of rockfish on chartreuse Stretch 30’s, white or chartreuse tandem and single parachute rigs, and Mojo style rigs. Reports from our north indicate that there are still tuna as far up as New England, which means, incredibly, that this phenomenal Virginia Beach bluefin fishery may continue for some time yet!
Tog and speckled trout have also been available but they haven’t been getting much attention with all of the huge fish within easy striking distance along the coast.
Freshwater anglers have had to deal with a little ice at times, but they’ve hooked up with some striped bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch and crappie.
(Photo courtesy of Gabe Sava)
What’s going on. Fishing Shows, Fishing Seminars and other Fishing Happenings
Great Bridge Fisherman’s Association 3rd Annual Fishing Flea Market/Swap Meet
When: March 10
Where: Hickory Ruritan Club in Chesapeake
Details: For more information or to reserve tables, call Butch Pierce at (757) 287-0330.
From IGFA Virginia Beach Representative Julie Ball:
Although a little wind may be keeping boats closer to shore lately, not many are complaining. Who could possibly ask for anything more; seemingly endless whopper rockfish and big bluefin tuna, both within three miles of the beach in mid-January? Just amazing!
Everyone was astonished when the unbelievable striper-tuna phenomenon began. But what’s even more incredible is that this amazing occurrence is still dazzling elated anglers, and it is going onto a month now. Lately, many days off of the Virginia Beach Ocean front resemble a scene out of a sportfishing magazine advertisement, truly an angler’s paradise. There’s life everywhere. With huge beehives of birds, pods of whales, seamless schools of bait, and daily highs averaging in the 50s and 60s, yes Virginia saltwater anglers are in heaven.
The ocean stripers are active mostly from Cape Henry down to Rudee Inlet, often within 2 to 2.5 miles off the beach. Most every fish is a keeper, and most boats are catching more than their share of big fish which are typically ranging from 30 to 40 pounds. There are also even bigger rockfish scattered in the mix, tilting the scales to 50 and 60 pounds. The best catches are coming on classic trolled rockfish spreads, with chartreuse Stretch 30’s, white or chartreuse tandem and single parachute rigs, and Mojo style rigs earning the most interest.
Drifting with live eels for striped bass along the shoals off of Smith Island is producing a few fish, mostly ranging from 25 to 45 pounds. Within bay waters, the nighttime eel scene at the High Rise section of the CBBT is also still a good bet for big rockfish if catch and release is your thing. But with the ocean striped bass bite going off on the troll, not many are interested in bay fish right now. The bay water temperatures are beginning to drop, which could slow up this fishery soon.
The big question mark still sits with the unusual bluefin tuna activity along the Virginia shoreline. Word is coming from our neighbors that schools of tuna are active off the coastlines from New England down to Oregon Inlet. Although there are many theories and much speculation as to why this phenomenon is taking place, recreational anglers realize this is a rare opportunity, and are enjoying the novelty while they can. Bluefin tuna weighing up to nearly 300-pounds hit the docks again this week, with several more vivid tales of lost fish. As long as the weather remains mild, there is a chance the tuna will stick around.
Speckled trout action in the Elizabeth River is still good. The folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that the majority of the fish are coming from deeper sections of the River near the I-64 High Rise Bridge and from the Hot Ditch. Most specks are ranging from 21 to 24 inches, with a few fish pushing up to around 28-inches lately. The best luck is coming on lures, with Mirrolures and Gulp Shrimp working well this week. Plenty of school-sized rockfish to around 8 pounds are also hitting the same lures in the River.
Folks are beginning to show some interest in tautog, but bait is tough to get right now. Fish are available on both inshore and offshore wrecks, with a few big ones around. With this year’s 3-fish limit, most are aiming for closer structures holding fish. Big bluefish are also still circling some of the deeper wrecks, and jumbo sea bass will also take your offering on these same structures. But remember that sea bass are out of season.
Those who venture out to deep drop along the 50-fathom curve can expect to find mostly decent blueline tilefish action. Other species such as grouper, black bellied rosefish, and wreckfish are also providing some action in deeper water along the Canyon walls. No one seems to be interested in leaving the incredible inshore striper and bluefin bite in search of other pelagic species further offshore right now.
Ken Neill reports in from tidal Virginia:
Bluefin tuna continue to crash baits intended for rockfish. The bite will seem to slow here and a few fish will be caught off North Carolina and we will think it is over. The next day, bluefin will be back with a vengeance. So far, Virginia Beach is bluefin tuna central this winter. This action is occurring right along the beach. Places like the Fingers, 26 Mile Hill, Hot Dog, and Cigar may be loaded up but we just do not know due to all of the fish on the beach. These tuna are ranging from 60 something to 80 something inches in fork length. You have a chance with the smaller fish if you are using pretty heavy rockfish tackle. You really need to beef things up a bit for a chance at the larger fish. It is funny seeing all of the boats out there trolling for rockfish with 50s and 80s. Temperatures are remaining mild this winter and bait is thick along the beach so these fish just do not want to leave. There is still a mass of bluefin tuna to our north as far as Rhode Island. Herring seiners have been running into them in the inshore waters up there. Rockfish anglers from here all the way up to there are having a great rockfish season plus a chance to battle with a giant on any given day. Most of these tuna are being hooked on rockfish lures because that is what is mostly out there. Anglers specifically targeting the bluefin are having success trolling typical bluefin baits and are finding that rockfish will eat those baits too. It has been a great winter so far! Most anglers are fishing from Sandbridge to Cape Henry with most of the action right along the Virginia Beach hotels to the Cape Henry Light House. With fish there, there has not been much of an incentive to run anywhere else but those that are fishing along the Eastern Shore seaside are finding a lot of big rockfish and some bluefin tuna. With water temperatures remaining in the mid-40s, rockfish remain available inside of the Chesapeake Bay for catch-and-release action.
Following are some specific reports concerning the recent rockfish and bluefin tuna action:
Jan. 15: Ric Burnley described the rockfish action he was experiencing as simply incredible. Birds falling out of the sky, big seas, and big fish, he was in a big boat so the big seas were not a problem.
Jan. 15: Brandon Bartlett has been fishing most every day as the mate on the Virginian. The fantastic rockfish action and the good chance at a bluefin encounter each day is keeping him busy. On this day, they weighed in rockfish up to 51 pounds.
Jan. 13: It was a little sporty out there today. We were trolling for bluefin before first light in a gale. No tuna bites. Sun came out, birds started diving, and we put out some rockfish stuff. Got our limit and got out of there. Nice fish, 30- pound class. Charter boats all came out, got a quick limit and got out of there also. Good fishing right along the VA Beach oceanfront. Did not hear of any tuna bites but there were rockfish in the 50-pound class caught in the short time we were out there.
Jan. 9: Danny Forehand fished Cape Henry for bluefin tuna. They did not get any tuna bites. They did catch a couple of nice rockfish.
Jan. 7-9: We went out for bluefin tuna each morning. The first morning, within 30 minutes of trolling, we were hooked up to a big fish. After a 2-hour battle, Gabe Sava brought the beast into gaffing range. The fish had an 87-inch fork-length and weighed in at 305 pounds. That was our only tuna bite of the 3 days.
Jan. 8: Brandon Bartlett mated on a rockfish charter. They fished the green can area. They did not catch a lot of fish but boy did they catch some nice ones. They weighed in rockfish of 55, 45, 42, and 40 pounds. They also registered a release citation for a 44.5-inch fish. In addition to the rockfish, they managed to hook and land a bluefin tuna on their rockfish tackle. The tuna weighed in at 134 pounds for another citation. Every angler on the boat earned a Virginia trophy-fish citation!
While most anglers are being lured to the rockfish/bluefin tuna bite there is some other fishing available. Speckled trout continue to be caught in the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch area. Tautog are available on structures in the lower bay and on the coastal wrecks (keep an eye out for those pesky bluefin!). Tilefish are available for offshore bottom fishermen that are willing to wade through the dogfish and sea bass (sea bass season is closed). With all of the whales, rockfish, bluefin tuna, and bait around, there should be schools of big bluefish in the area but I have not heard of any recent encounters.
The very popular Flounder Bowl will be held on June 30. It will be headquartered at Dare Marina again this year. More details to come. It is a new year which means that is time to pay your dues for the year. Dues remain $30 for the year.
Save February 24 on your calendars. That is the date of the PSWSFA Awards Banquet. Cost again will only be $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under eating the child’s meal. The next regular club meeting will be in March. We will have board meetings in January and February. Over the past year, we have enjoyed Joe and Mimma’s for our board meetings. For 2012, the board meetings will be at Bill’s Seafood. Club members are welcome at the board meetings.
George Poveromo’s Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series will be in Annapolis, Maryland on Feb. 4 as part of its 25th Anniversary Tour. Instructors will be Captain John Oughton, Captain "Walleye" Pete Dahlberg, Rick Burnley, Dr. Ken Neill III, "Crazy" Alberto Knie, Captain Jimmy Price, Captain Brady Bounds, Captain Chris Dollar, Bill Carson, Harry Vernon III, and George Poveromo. For more information on this seminar series, visit: www.nationalseminarseries.com .
Through his walk-on trips, Captain Walleye Pete is providing no-hassle opportunities to get in on the great striper bite at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. For $125 you show up at Marina Shores, hope aboard with Pete and the other customers he may have that day, and enjoy jigging for striped bass at the CBBT. Here’s how Pete describes his trips: “I'm launching out of Marina shores in Lynnhaven Inlet about 7am and return around 4pm. We'll be jigging mostly and do whatever else comes up depending on the situation. I provide all baits and tackle! All you have to do is bring yourself and what you want to eat for the day. Between pilings and islands we'll have lots to fish and almost certainly plenty of fish! Also, if the nearby ocean bite is on we'll run out there. If you want to learn the CBBT fishing or just come on out and get some sticks bent this trip should be great!”
Captain Jim Jenrette on the Buccaneer out of Cape Charles said Wachapreague on Virginia’s Eastern Shore has been producing plenty of exciting wintertime action with big rockfish to 48 inches, with big bluefin mixed in. Folks at the Wachapreague Inn said when the weather permits, the best trolling action has been just south of Wachapreague, toward Quinby.
Virginia Freshwater Fishing Reports
At Lake Anna, largemouth bass are hanging on the main-lake points and steep-dropping banks. Most of the fish are being taken from 10-14 feet of water and are suckers for jig 'n pig, plastic grubs and live jumbo minnows. The best area appears to be the Dyke 3 area of the lake. The bass being taken on the jumbo minnows average 4 to 6 pounds, but are only available to patient, persistent anglers. Striper fishing is fair to good, with fish averaging 8 to 14 pounds being taken near the dam and around the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. Live shad and jumbo minnows are the preferred baits, although some success is reported on bucktails, Hopkins and Kastmaster spoons, and Silver Buddies. Crappie are biting well, but are difficult to find. Most are being found over deep brushpiles. Small minnows are the best bait. Small Hopkins spoons, jigged over brushpiles are also producing good catches of perch and crappie, along with some smaller bass.
On the Rappahannock River, catfish are being taken from the deeper holes in the river channel on cut bait, in the lower portions of the river. Bass action is very slow. Some crappie are being caught in the feeder creeks below Fredericksburg. Perch are in the lower reaches of the river, along with a few stripers.
No anglers or catches reported on the Shenandoah River recently.
On the Mattaponi/Pamunkey rivers, Charlie Taylor reports some catfish are being caught by bank anglers, with an occasional yellow perch taking small hooks. The yellow perch run should start in earnest this week.
The only news from the James River is the continued catches of big blue and flathead catfish. These fish are being taken on strips of cut shad and cut eel, around the outflow from the Dutch Gap Power Plant and at the Comstock area of Swift Creek. Some crappie are being taken by anglers fishing the barge pits and around the islands at Dutch Gap. Stripers are also in the area, but must be released.
At Lake Chesdin, crappie and a few bass continue to hit very well around the Namozine Creek Bridge, while crappie are also hitting around the Whippernock Creek Bridge. Minnows and small jigs are working best.
Chickahominy River crappie and yellow perch are hitting medium minnows around Walkers Dam. Some 1to 2-pound largemouth bass are being caught on small plastic grubs and worms at the mouths of feeder creeks. Catfish action is good on cut bait.
At Chickahominy Lake, there have been good catches of bass and yellow perch in the lake, primarily on live minnows.
The report from Back Bay was of light pressure in the creeks. Anglers are taking some small bass, white perch, crappie and catfish. West Neck Creek is giving up good strings of bluegills on night crawlers.
At Suffolk Lakes, Western Branch anglers are catching "tons" of large roe-laden yellow perch. Stripers to 6 pounds and loads of crappie are also reported.
Lake Prince anglers report a few bass and crappie.
Lake Whitehurst is producing channel catfish, crappie to 1 pound, largemouth bass of 3 to 5 pounds, and a few walleye. Lake Smith anglers are having considerable success with Shad Raps, taking walleye, 2- to 5-pound bass and crappie. Lake Whitehurst reports crappie fishing is excellent and some large pickerel are being caught.
At Lake Gaston, very few anglers are out, but those who brave the cold are reporting good fishing. Crappie catches are excellent for anglers fishing live minnows 8 to 12 feet deep around bridge pilings and submerged brush. A few bass are being taken by anglers fishing live shad along steep dropping points in the Poplar Creek area. Dark colored jig 'n pig combinations are responsible for largemouth bass catches in 3 to 7 feet of water during the warmer spells.
Striper fishing is good to excellent below the Gaston Dam, while a few large fish are being taken in front of the dam. Live shad is the bait of choice, but bucktails, Sassy Shads and Redfins are producing below the dam and trolled Hot Spots and Redfins are working above the dam.
At Buggs Island Lake, striper fishing is good with live bait and 3/8- ounce bucktails producing the better catches. One of the better areas is around the Rudds Creek Bridge. Largemouth bass are favoring the main lake gravel points and may be caught on 10+ crankbaits in shad colors, and large spinnerbaits. Crappie are holding above brushpiles in 10 to15 feet of water.
At Briery Creek and Sandy River reservoirs, Charlie Taylor reported anglers are catching slot bass at both lakes on live minnows, along with some crappie and bream. The bream are being caught on crappie jigs and red wigglers.
At Smith Mountain Lake, quite a few stripers in the 10 to 15-pound class, along with an occasional 20+ pounder, are being caught by anglers jigging Hopkins spoons and bucktails off the main lake points, in 10-25 feet of water. Best action is in the late afternoon and evening. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are being caught on jigs, grubs and live bait.
The Smith River report said brown trout are hitting brown Hackle Peacocks, weighted and fished deep. Mayflies are coming off the water, producing good fishing for catch-and-release anglers.
At Lake Moomaw, fishing is very disappointing. Catch-and-release anglers are taking some nice trout on the Jackson River below the lake. Best success is coming on tiny dry flies.
At Philpott Lake, a few anglers are braving the cold to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass on jig 'n pig, fished 5-25 feet deep, & Hopkins Shorties, jigged 30 to 45 feet deep. The bass run to 5pounds. Some nice walleye are also being caught.
At South Holston Reservoir, a few crappie and smallmouth bass are reported. There has been no consistent pattern.
At Claytor Lake, lots of anglers are on the water, with fair to good catches of smallmouth bass and stripers to 18 pounds.
That is all the Virginia fishing reports for this week. If you get out and catch some fish this week snap a few fishing pictures and post a report on Virginia Fishing Forum or the Northern Neck Virginia Fishing Forum. Until next week, tight lines!
Virginia Fishing Reports Archive | Virginia Fishing Forum | Northern Neck Virginia Fishing Forum
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