VIRGINIA FISHING REPORTS Chesapeake Bay, Inshore, Offshore & Freshwater Virginia Fishing Report Updated July 20, 2012

A ballistic billfish bite – featuring white and blue marlin plus some sailfish – has been thrilling offshore anglers, and what is typically the best time of the entire year for billfish is still to come in August and September! Amberjack have been abundant at the South Tower. Wreck fishermen have been pulling up triggerfish to 5 pounds. Cobia have been cruising chum slicks, and sight fishing for the big brown fish is expected to improve very soon. Trollers along the oceanfront and in the lower bay have scored with Spanish mackerel. Cobia to more than 50 pounds have been hooked on Latimer Shoal near Cape Charles. Good numbers of tarpon have been spotted along the Eastern Shore, and a few have been coaxed into biting and have quickly jumped off. Behemoth blue catfish to more than 50 pounds have been hooked, battled and boated in the James River. There’s been striper action in Lake Gaston, Smith Mountain Lake, Lake Anna and Buggs Island. Some of the nicer fish have hit the scales at 15 pounds.

(Photo: Tidal Fish Super Subscriber DaddysGirlToo said they decided to avoid the fleet of tuna and mahi boats and decided to instead head south and target amberjack. “Got to the tower around 8:30 and not a single boat there. Fished for four hours and had the tower to ourselves, only saw one boat, a commercial fisher, in passing. First drop, jigging and hooked up with a 50 inchers within 30 seconds. Caught another 20 fish over the next hour and hooked up to another 50 incher about 50 yards from the tower while friends were fighting there fish. We lost count on how many fish we caught but we estimate 30-35. Used jigs and live croakers. Threw a topwater popper from a spinner and it was fun watching fish crash the surface trying to get at it.”)

Tournaments:

Wallace’s 1st Annual Flounder Frenzy Tournament
Saturday, July 28
Call 757-851-5451

Bull Island Angler’s Club 1st Annual Chesapeake Bay Cobia Cup – proceeds support Children’s Tumor Foundation
Saturday, August 11
White House Cove Marina in Poquoson
Early bird entry fee (by August 1) is $100
Call 757-648-0521, or email cobiaforkids@gmail.com

Ken Neill reports in from tidal Virginia:
Billfish action has been very, very good for July. From the Norfolk Canyon down to the Triple 0s, multiple billfish encounters have been the norm. Most are white marlin with a good number of blue marlin crashing spreads. Capt. Jimmy Grant on the Waterman released three blue marlin (and a white) on one trip. In addition to marlin, there has been a decent number of sailfish around making grand slams a real possibility. With fishing this good in July, it has everyone wondering just how good it is going to be during the prime months of August and September. There have been some good wahoo catches in the area of the Cigar. Dolphin fishing is good and there is a scattered yellowfin tuna bite. Offshore bottom bouncers are catching blueline tilefish and wreckfish along with other creatures of the deep. Amberjack are thick at the South Tower. Most of the coastal wrecks are holding good numbers of sea bass, flounder, spadefish, and some very nice triggerfish. Wrecks like the Santore and Tiger have produced citation-sized triggers this past week with at least one weighing in at over 5 pounds. The state record for this species is open with a minimum of 6 pounds required to set the initial record. It is time for somebody to go ahead and do it. Flounder are being caught in all of the summertime flounder spots with the largest fish coming from the CBBT, Back River Reef and the Cell. Large sheepshead are available at the CBBT where spadefish can also be found. Spadefish are found around most of the structures in the lower bay and over coastal wrecks though they have been a smaller class of fish. Cobia anglers are catching fish both by chumming and sight-fishing with a lot of small cobia being caught. Lately, chumming has been the most effective method for both numbers and size. Or I should say, Wes Blow has been one of the most effective cobia anglers recently and he has been chumming. I expect sight-fishing will again reign supreme by the month of August. Schools of big red drum are being encountered by anglers looking for cobia. Also, keep a lookout for schools of large jack crevalle that are also being encountered in the lower bay. Schools of black drum can be found around the islands of the CBBT. Some nice speckled trout are still being caught in the Mobjack Bay area. Spanish mackerel fishing is excellent along the oceanfront and inside the lower bay. Some large king mackerel have been seen skying out of the water off of Sandbridge. Tarpon are rolling around on the Eastern Shore seaside. Following are some recent individual report:

From IGFA Virginia Beach Representative Julie Ball:
Plenty of cobia are around, but the majority of the fish are small. Ocean’s East 2 reports that dozens of cobia pups are cruising in small pods, offering consistent action for sight casters, but few keepers. Chummers are finding better luck with the larger fish, with some catches to over 50 pounds recently. Boats are setting up successful chum slicks near Buefish Rock, York Spit, Nine Foot Shoals, and the Inner Middle Grounds. Red drum are also still providing topwater action as they school around the mouth of the bay, especially near the Baltimore Channel. Sight-casters are also reporting schools of tarpon within the lower bay, along with schools of jack crevelle in the same areas.

The flounder scene experienced an upswing in the abundance of fish this week. Many boats are limiting out with nice-sized flatties, with many averaging around 4 pounds. Hot spots for drifting with strip baits are the edges of the Baltimore Channel, the eastern section of the Thimble Shoal Channel, and the Cell and Buoy 36A areas. Those dropping live bait and jigs on lower bay structure and inshore wrecks are also getting a good response, especially around the First, Third and Fourth islands of the CBBT. Within Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets, flounder enthusiasts are experiencing good catches of fish to 23 inches.

Sheepshead action is still very good, with fish between 10 and 13pounds taking fiddler crabs presented along the Bridge Tunnel complex; a few sheepshead were caught on the Seagull Pier this week. Plenty of greedy triggerfish are also available in these same areas, with some fish weighing over 3 pounds. Spadefish are still schooling on nearshore wrecks and most of the span of the CBBT. Most of these fish are between 3 and 5 pounds. Inshore wrecks are also harboring sea bass, triggerfish, and flounder.

Spanish mackerel continue to hit very well off the ocean front, from Cape Henry to Sand Bridge. Captain Steve Wray, skipper of the Ocean Pearl from Lynnhaven Inlet, reports the fish are holding in 15 to 30 feet of water. Some of the Spanish are big, over 2 pounds. Taylor bluefish are also mixed in with the Spanish. King mackerel are available in the same areas, with scattered rumors of catches, especially from the Little Island Fishing Pier. Captain Jake Hiles aboard the Matador out of Rudee Inlet reports that big sharks are not uncommon lately, with black tip sharks, bull sharks, and hammerheads taking fresh and live baits presented off the beach.

Croaker are seemingly everywhere from the HRBT to the CBBT. Best hauls are coming from the backwaters of Oyster and area 262 in Magothy Bay, where the folks at Chris’ Bait and Tackle claim hardheads are ranging to around 1 pound. Good reports of puppy drum are coming from both Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets lately, and speckled trout are taking off again in the Elizabeth River.

The word on the tarpon scene on the Eastern Shore is that it is good. Plenty of sliver kings are being sighted, with some hook-ups and jump-offs reported recently. Amberjack are a no-brainer at the Southern A and B Towers, with some fish pushing to over 50 inches. Deep droppers are still pulling in good numbers of tilefish, rosefish, wreckfish, and grouper along with a smattering of sea bass near the canyon edges.

Billfish encounters are still on the rise. White marlin, with scattered sailfish and blue marlin, are honoring boats with several flags flying this week. Boats are also reporting lots of cutters in mostly 30 to 45 fathoms of water. Yellowfin tuna are around, with some fish to around 60 pounds hitting the docks lately. Wahoo and gaffer mahi are also possibilities.

Virginia Saltwater Reports by Charlie Taylor:
CHINCOTEAGUE - Fair to good catches of keeper flounder are being made at Queens Sound, Cockle Creek and in the vicinity of the 2TL Buoy. The inlet mouth has lots of smaller flounder, and bottom fishermen are taking croaker, with a few spot, puffers, snapper blues and sea mullet mixed in the catches. Squid is the better choice of bait. Sea bass are plentiful around the bridge pilings and on the old oyster beds. Surf anglers are taking spot on bloodworms. Offshore, bluefin tuna action is picking up at at the Parking Lot. Chunking butterfish and trolling cedar plugs are producing bluefin to 100 pounds and more. Mixed in the catches are yellowfin tuna to more than 100 pounds, bigeye tuna to 100 pounds, king mackerel, large bluefish and an occasional dolphin.

WACHAPREAGUE - Flounder fishing is holding up well, although croaker are pouncing on baits before flounder get a shot at them. The old Coast Guard Channel is producing triggerfish. Offshore, anglers fishing the inshore hills are taking bluefin tuna, wahoo, false albacore and lots of dolphin. Yellowfin tuna and white marlin are off and on in the canyons. Amberjack are showing at the #10 buoy. Tarpon are being caught on live spot inside Hog Island.

ONANCOCK - Excellent bottom fishing for croaker inside Pocomoke and Tangier sounds. Bloodworms, peeler crab and squid are the top baits. Best catches are made in 18 to 25 feet of water on the early morning moving tide. Flounder fishing is good, with more small fish being taken daily. Best catches are made in 18 to 40 feet of water along drop-offs. Mixed in the catches are taylor blues, Spanish mackerel, porgy, pigfish, blowfish, sea mullet and dusky shark.

QUINBY - Flounder fishing is fair for those who hit the tide and time of day exactly right. Others fish long and hard for a strike. Croaker to 2 pounds may be taken almost anywhere, with the mouth of Rebel Island Creek being especially productive. Lots of small trout are being caught, but the fish remain scattered.

CAPE CHARLES - Good bottom fishing for trout and croaker is available in the vicinity of C-10. More flounder are showing on the bayside, with lots of citation fish to 7 pounds being caught. Lots of large cobia to 50 pounds are being caught on Latimer Shoals. Speckled trout are available inside Hungars Creek. Spadefish are taking clam bits at Old Plantation Light. Tarpon are rolling inside the barrier islands, but few are caught. Spanish mackerel seem to be everywhere.

LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Croaker, flounder and Spanish mackerel are available around the rock islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Some cobia and occasional black drum are also available. Fair numbers of flounder are showing inside Lynnhaven Inlet and along the Small Boat Channel. Offshore, the Southern Tower is loaded with amberjack. Live baits and poppers are taking the 46-56 inch fish. Bottom fishermen are catching loads of croaker and flounder off Back River. Good numbers of Spanish mackerel are available throughout the area. Inside the York River, croaker are found at the Lumps, while flounder are still reported around Gloucester Point. Some cobia are still being caught at York Spit.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Fair numbers of keeper spot and small croaker and flounder are being caught inside Rudee Inlet. Trollers working from Sandbridge to Cape Henry are taking a mix of taylor blues and Spanish mackerel. Offshore, tuna action continues, with the best action on 26 Mile Hill. Billfish action has slowed but some fish are being caught in Norfolk and Washington canyons and the area around the Cigar. Amberjack catches have improved, with the bulk of the action centered around the Southern Tower and Tower Reef. Yellowfin tuna are reported from the Fingers. Head boats are returning from the inshore ocean wrecks with good catches of sea bass.

PIERS

LYNNHAVEN - Excellent spot, bluefish and trout action, with a few croaker and sea mullet thrown in. Excellent crabbing.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Spot, croaker and sea mullet are the main catch. Spanish mackerel and bluefish show during daylight.

SANDBRIDGE - Spot, sea mullet, croaker and flounder are the mainstays, while Spanish mackerel and bluefish are taken by casters. Cobia are hooked daily.

Potomac River reports from Captain Ken Penrod:

On the tidal Potomac, the heat and drought are taking a toll but bass fishing remains very good in many areas of the river. The algae blooms are disheartening but not as bad as on the free-flowing rivers. Snakehead fishing is red-hot in the tributaries and grass beds. Big catfish are munching filets between Fort Washington and the WW Bridge.

WASHINGTON D.C.: Spend some time in the Washington Channel and even though it takes a lot of time, idle to the back end and fish the cover. Bridge foundations on the main stem are still productive and despite some pretty sour water coming from upriver, smallmouth bass are eating tubes between Key Bridge and Fletchers.

WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE VICINITY: Fox Ferry Point, South Point, Belle Haven Cove and Hog Island are holding nice bass best taken with DT crankbaits and Mizmo tubes. Between Piscataway Creek and Pomonkey, try Greenway Flats, southern side of Gunston Cove, Hallowing Point creeks and Pomonkey Creek. Captain Keith Barker has been working this area and finds that Mizmo tubes are best. I like Big Mouth spinnerbaits and Magic Stiks.

MATTAWOMAN VICINITY: Remains best, although algae in the creeks is alarming. The grass beds between the state park and main stem have been solid and Case Stiks are the deal if frogs aren’t. Main stem grass beds south of Powells Creek and the vegetation in Chickamuxen are worthy. There is a nice launch in Mallows Bay and the fishing is pretty good.

Virginia Freshwater Fishing Reports:

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Bass are being taken on crankbaits and topwater lures along the Virginia shoreline from Key Bridge to Chain Bridge, while channel and blue catfish are taking cut bait, clam snouts and live perch on the bottom. Downriver, bass are holding on drop-offs, bridge pilings and grass beds. Buzzbaits and Baby Torpedoes are working well early and late in the day, while spinnerbaits and Berkley Power Worms are the better choice later. Jig 'n pig baits are preferred for working drop-offs in swift moving tides. Better areas include the Virginia shoreline from National Airport to Memorial Bridge, the War College Wall in Washington Channel and the grass beds outside Oxon Cove and the Spoils. Nightcrawlers fished on the bottom around the Woodrow Wilson Bridge can result in bushel baskets of catfish in a few hours.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - On the main river, bass are orienting to bottom structure, grass beds and wood cover. Lots of 2- to 4-pound bass are taking crankbaits, plastic worms, jig 'n pigs and topwater baits. In the creeks, bass are orienting to grass beds, lily pad fields, drop-offs and submerged wood. Falling tides are finding the fish aggressive, taking chartreuse or shad-colored crankbaits, while rising tides find them with their noses buried in the bark of submerged wood or slowly cruising submerged grass. Flippin' plastic worms and jig 'n pig baits is the better method then. Below Mattawoman Creek, the main river grass beds are holding plenty of quality bass. Topwater lures on high tides and plastic jerkbaits and worms on lower tides are taking the fish. Catfish action is excellent, with the fish taking cut bait, clam snouts and crab.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - Good catfishing in the mouth of the river, around the islands. Best bait is clam snouts. Most of the whiskered fish are in the 6- to 13-pound class. Bass, crappie and bream are available for anglers dropping plastic and live baits adjacent to wood cover and over submerged grass. Boat docks are the prevalent cover in the river, producing good numbers of fish. The grass bed at the mouth of the river is giving up some good bass to patient anglers fishing Mann's Baby One Minus, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, Super Flukes, floating worms and frog baits.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Bass are being taken from main lake points and creek mouths. Most of the fish are caught on plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits, although some anglers are taking fish on topwater baits early and late in the day. Crappie are biting well, with a few good fish being caught. Channel catfish are taking jumbo minnows and clam snouts fished on the bottom in the main river channel.

BURKE LAKE - Bass are taking crankbaits and plastic baits on drop-offs adjacent to weed beds. Brushpiles are also producing some bass, along with lots of crappie. Muskie action is picking up, with successful anglers trolling jointed Believers.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Smallmouth action has picked up a little this week. Lots of smallmouth bass are being taken on noisy topwater lures early and late in the day. Bream are active. The tidal sections of the river are giving up a few largemouth bass to anglers fishing firetiger-colored crankbaits and 4- to 5-inch plastic worms along the Southern shoreline, in downed timber and undercut banks. Bass action is consistently good in the Green Bay to Leedstown area. Best action is coming from the mouths of feeder guts and creeks. Large blue catfish are taking cut bait and live white perch in the outside bends of the main river channel. Crappie action is slow.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Catfish are the chief catch these days, with chicken livers, clam snouts and cut shad being the best baits. Some bass are available to anglers using spinnerbaits and plastic worms in the lily pads and creek mouths. Buzzbaits and Jitterbugs are also effective early and late in the day. Bream anglers are doing well with live crickets.

LAKE ANNA - Largemouth bass have moved deeper with the summer heat. They are taking crankbaits and drop-shot rigs in 12 to 27 feet of water on ridges, humps and points. Rip-rap along the bridge approaches are also producing some bass on deep-diving crankbaits. Walleye continue to be caught on rocky points, bridge pilings and around Dike Three. Lots of crappie action, with bridge pilings in 25 to 40 feet of water holding the better fish. Tiny Beetlespins, Hopkins spoons and live minnows are working best. Stripers are taking live shad around the 208 Bridge area. Best results are to be had by free-lining the shad. Trollers, using the Mann's Stretch 25, are taking stripers in the upper end of the lake and at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. Catfishing is excellent.

JAMES RIVER - Largemouth bass are being caught on plastic worms, spinnerbaits and small crankbaits. Points and wood structure are the better areas. The outside bends of the river channel are producing blue catfish to more than 50 pounds, on cut shad and eel baits. Above the city, smallmouth bass are cooperating on Tiny Torpedoes, small plastic grubs, and crankbaits such as the Bandit 100 or Bill Norman's Tiny Deep N. Flyrodders are using hellgrammite or crayfish imitations and wet flies. Try large buzzbaits along shoreline brush early and late in the day for larger fish. Lots of carp and catfish have been caught.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Normal summer conditions prevail. Largemouth bass are taking buzzbaits, floating plastic worms and grass frogs in the lily pads and hydrilla, plastic worms and grubs in creek mouths on moving tides, and Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits and plastic worms on cypress trees. Lots of good-sized sunfish on crickets, and catfish on peeler crab, minnows and turtle livers.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - More successful anglers are using live minnows and topwater lures for good stringers of bass. Best lure seems to be the pearl-colored Bass Assassin or Zoom Super Fluke. Catfish anglers are having good success on peeler crab. Bream and bluegill are taking crickets, while crappie are biting well on live minnows. Most of the fish are located on points and submerged grass. Lots of pickerel and bowfin are also being caught.

LAKE GASTON - Crappie are holding in brushpiles in 12 to 18 feet of water and taking live minnows. Largemouth bass are holding in 12 to 20 feet of water and may be taken on plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits. Red seems to be the best color in clear water. Topwater lures are taking fish early and late in the day, particularly in the weed beds. Most of the better fish are located on main lake points and creek mouths. Boat docks are also holding a few fish. Small plastic grubs are the ticket for the boat docks. Stripers are being caught on rattling crankbaits fished on the bottom on river channel points. A few stripers are also being taken by trolling bucktails in the main river channel from Eaton Ferry Bridge to Gaston.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Stripers in the 15-pound class are being caught vertical jigging with Hopkins and Salty Dog spoons and jigs. Trolling bucktails and Redfins is also working well. Better areas are Nutbush Creek and County Line Creek, on the lower end of the lake. Topwater lures are taking bass early and late in the day. Deep-diving crankbaits and plastic lures in pumpkinseed or june bug colors, fished on points and adjacent to wood, are taking bass from 10 to 15 feet of water. Crappie are located on brushpiles in 10 to 12 feet of water.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Good numbers of stripers are being caught on topwater lures, live shad and by trolling large, deep-running lures, such as Rebels, Big Macs, Hellbenders and Waterdogs. Most of the fish are located 18 to 32 feet deep. Stripers are feeding around 9 a.m., mid-afternoon and late evenings. Some of the better areas are from buoy markers 22 to 31 on the Roanoke River and markers 11 to14 on the Blackwater River. Largemouth bass are being caught in 15 to 18 feet of water on deep-diving crankbaits and Carolina-rigged plastic worms. Topwater lures are taking fish early and late in the day.