If you are looking for something to do check out George Wojcik who will be the speaker at the Sept. 20 meeting of the PSWSFA. George is one of the best speckled trout anglers in the state. George will talk to us about fishing the fall speckled trout run. Learn more here.
Also on Sept 26,2011 the Bull Island Angler Club in Poquoson Virginia announced Capt. Peter Esgro of Rock Hound Charters will be their guest speaker for the the month of September. Peter is an enthusiastic angler who is well known for catching Striped Bass. He specializes in using planer boards to spread his lines while eeling. So if you want to know where and how to get em, come on out! Meetings are open to the public.
Check the club website for more information here.
Virginia Saltwater Fishing Reports
Jerry Thrash from Queens Creek Outfitters brings us this tidewater fishing report from around the York River area:
No reports on flounder fishing.
Large spot have moved in as have pan size gray trout. Both are biting around Gwynn Island, on the Spike and in the Piankitank and Rappahannock River mouths. Bloodworms, and FishBites are effective.
Some spanish are still being caught trolling and there are a lot of small blues to 18" being caught. Large croaker are still available in the Cell/42 area. They will start leaving the bay soon.
Speckled trout and puppy drum were caught around Gwynn Island, the Hole-in-the-Wall and in the Piankatank. Lures on popping corks, Mirrolures and peelers are effective as are live peanut bunker.
Julie Ball gives us this fishing report synopsis for the tide water region of Virginia Beach:
With gorgeous weather conditions this past week, anglers experienced fantastic saltwater fishing on all fronts. But the impending cold front will force anglers to take a breather. The northerly winds will likely change up a few trends, encouraging more fall fishing patterns to develop.
Cobia are the biggest attraction right now, providing excellent opportunities for sight casters. Big fish are lingering on bridge pilings, lower Bay buoys, and lurking among the hundreds of bait pods from the mouth of the Bay out to the Light Tower. Huge schools of cobia are also cruising along the surface as they group to exit the area. Live eels, croaker, spot, or bunker make great live bait right now. Many of these fish are exceeding 50-pounds lately.
Flounder action is steady this week in the lower Bay. Flatfish continue to gather at the mouth of the Bay in preparation for migrating to deeper water. Folks drifting near the 1st and 2nd islands of the CBBT and near the small boat channel are faring well with nice fish averaging to around 5-pounds. The entire length of the Thimble Shoal and Baltimore Channels are also good places to try. A few keepers, with some fish pushing to over 6-pounds, are also coming from drifting off Kiptopeke. Boats working Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets are finding scattered catches of decent sized keepers. Offshore and inshore wreck flounder action is heating up, with good sized fish taking fresh strip bait. Expect sea bass as a by-catch, along with triggerfish on these wrecks.
Red drum continue to delight anglers on the lower Bay shoals, mainly north of the 4th island. Surf and pier casters are especially interested in the prospect, with the drum bite in the surf along Fisherman’s island on the rise. With that said, look for drum to show in the surf off Sandbridge and near the Little Island Fishing Pier soon.
Escalating speckled trout catches are beginning to draw a crowd. Good numbers of fish are coming from most of the usual haunts such as Hungar’s Creek, the Poquoson Flats, and Mobjack Bay. According to the folks at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, Lynnhaven, Rudee, and Little Creek Inlets, along with the Elizabeth River are giving up good numbers of specks, with some reaching to 5-pounds. Look for this trend to continue to heat up over the next month. Some nice sized puppy drum are also competing for the same baits.
Spot are still making a big showing, with nice fish available all over the southern and western sections of the lower Bay. Although the action slowed up a little this week, the upcoming cold front should kick it up a notch over the weekend. The folks at The Fishing Center report that anglers are finding yellowbellies in Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets, the lower Bay Rivers, the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Ocean View, and along the ocean front.
Sheepshead are taking late season offerings along the entire span of the CBBT. A few tog and hoards of hungry trigger fish are in the same vicinity. Horse croaker are lurking in deeper areas around the lower bay channels, inlets, and the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Big hardheads are also thrilling anglers at the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the Concrete Ships off Kiptopeke, and inside Lynnhaven near the Great Neck and Lesner Bridges.
Spanish mackerel are still chasing trolled spoons along Sandbridge and Dam Neck in about 20 to 25 feet of water. Schools of false albacore in these same areas will also hit spoons. King mackerel have been scarce so far this year, but scattered kings are hitting an occasional trolled bait or lure along the CB line.
Amberjack are still available on local wrecks, the Chesapeake Light Tower, and will remain on the southern towers through October. Jack Crevelle are also a possibility.
Deep droppers are having good luck near the Canyon edges lately. Captain Steve Wray aboard the Ocean Pearl guided his crew offshore for a limit of nice blueline tilefish and jumbo seabass. Blackbellied rosefish, grouper, and barrelfish are also adding to the deep water variety.
The cold front will keep most anglers close to shore for a few days, but once boats can get back out, good numbers of white marlin and a few blue marlin are available from the Canyon to the triple 0’s area. Scattered larger class yellowfin are also surprising a few boats this week, along with some blackfin tuna. Mahi are everywhere, with some big gaffers around. Some overnight trips produced a few swordfish this week.
Ken Neill reports in from the Tidal Virginia Beach:
The billfish bite is just fantastic. Thirty-one is the top release number that I have heard of so far. Fishing has been good from the Washington Canyon on down to the Triple 0s (41000). It is mostly a white marlin bite but there are good numbers of blue marlin along with the occasional sailfish and spearfish also being caught. Boats overnighting are having good luck with swordfish. In addition to the hot billfish bite, there are a lot of dolphin around. A few yellowfin tuna and some wahoo are also in the mix. This past weekend, there were some bigeye tuna catches in the Norfolk Canyon and some were also caught by the marlin fleet around the 41150. The question is what will the cooler temperatures and NE wind this week do to a very good offshore bite. There are a lot of false albacore on the Fingers and the hills like the Hot Dog and 26 Mile Hill. They are so thick that it is a challenge to catch the other fish that are also there feeding on sand eels. The coastal wrecks are holding good numbers of sea bass, triggerfish and flounder. Flounder are being caught on Hampton Bar, the Hump, along the Baltimore Channel and at the CBBT. There is a good spot bite at the MMBT and in the old Twin Stakes area. Speckled trout action is good on the flats and in the creeks on both western and eastern sides of the bay. Cobia are still hanging around but they are moving out. There were some great catches this past week by sight fishermen working around the bunker schools along the ocean front. Spanish mackerel are still available along the ocean front. Some large sheepshead were caught at CBBT this week.
VIRGINIA BEACH - Rudee Inlet is producing good catches of big spot and croaker. Headboats are coming in with good catches of sea bass and croaker. Inshore trollers enjoy fast action on Spanish and king mackerel, false albacore and bonito. The mackerel are found from the CB Line out to the Chesapeake Light Tower/Artificial Reef and south to the V Buoy. Most kings are running 6-12 pounds, but fish to 30 pounds have been taken. Several large false albacore have been caught in the vicinity of the Dump Buoys, located just outside Rudee Inlet. Offshore, yellowfin tuna, blue and white marlin, and wahoo, along with good numbers of dolphin are being taken in the area from the Cigar to the Triple 0's, in 30-50 fathoms of water.
Virginia Eastern Shore Fishing Reports
CHINCOTEAGUE - Little angling pressure resulted in a few large flounder. There were some catches around the mouth of the inlet, along with a few blowfish. Surf anglers are taking red drum, bluefish, flounder, trout and sea mullet. Grey trout are available at Turner's Lump. Inshore wrecks are providing lots of sea bass, while offshore boats are taking yellowfin tuna, dolphin and false albacore.
WACHAPREAGUE - Good catches of pan trout are being made on squid strips, a few miles outside the inlet. Inshore, pan trout and croaker are found just outside Metomkin Inlet and off Hog Island. Offshore boats are finding yellowfin tuna, dolphin, blue and white marlin, with the best action being found just inside Washington Canyon at the "Lumps", in 30 fathoms of water.
ONANCOCK - Loads of large spot remain inside Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. The larger spot appear tightly schooled and on the move. Croaker are abundant, with the larger ones running to one pound. Flounder, porgy, taylor blues and pan trout are mixed in with the spot and croaker. A few larger grey trout are showing, but these are generally caught after dark, in the grassy shallows, on peeler crab. Most areas of protected, shallow water are holding loads of speckled trout and school sized stripers. Trollers are finding a few Spanish mackerel.
QUINBY - A mixture of large bluefish, false albacore and dolphin on the Offshore Lumps. Trout and a few croaker are being caught just off the beach. Most boats are fishing off Metomkin Island. Inside the inlet, a variety of small bottom fish are being caught, but none are abundant. Catches include sea bass, snapper blues, spot, trout and flounder.
CAPE CHARLES - Good catches of panfish are still coming from the area of the old C-10 Buoy, with spot, porgy, sea bass, croaker, sea mullet, flounder and trout showing in the catches. Red drum are showing again in catchable numbers, with late evening tides producing the best action. Cut bait, such as mullet, spot or menhaden, should be fished on the bottom in 20-35 feet of water. Fair numbers of sharks can also be expected. Good catches of flounder are coming from the area between old C-10 and Plantation Light. Grey trout are on the increase, with best concentrations being found at the Cape Charles Artificial Reef Site, the Cement Ships and the High Rise. Peelers are the better choice of bait. Speckled trout catches are good one day and slow the next.
LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Puppy drum are making a fair showing along the Bay Bridge Tunnel, with the best catches coming from the Fourth Island area. Spot appear to be moving, with good catches still being made at the First and Second Islands. Fair to good action on puppy drum and speckled trout inside Lynnhaven Inlet. Some large grey trout are beginning to show around the Bay Bridge Tunnel Islands. Fish are being caught on bucktails, tipped with squid, trolled or cast around the tunnel tubes. Bluefish are found around all four of the rock islands, with the larger fish showing at the Fourth Island. Bottom fishermen, using cut crab, report tautog to six pounds, nice sea bass and a few trigger fish around the rock islands and nearby wrecks. Offshore, the Southern Tower area is producing good catches of amberjack. Most of the jacks have migrated south, but live spot will still take some fish. Citation size sea bass are also available on the Tower. Tautog are biting around Fort Wool and the Third and Fourth Islands. The Twin Stakes area is producing good catches of large spot, sea mullet, porgy, blowfish and some pan trout. Good catches of spot are being made just inside the Back River Bell Buoy and just off Factory Point. Speckled trout fishing is excellent inside Mobjack Bay, with the mouth of the North and Ware Rivers being the top spots. Peeler crab, fished on the bottom, or a slowly retrieved rubber tailed jig or plug are the best bets. Bottom fishermen are reporting large spot at the Y-9 Buoy and the mouth of the York River. Good catches are also made at Gaines Point, the mouth of Sarah's Creek and Buoy 22. Speckled trout are hitting near the AMOCO Pier on the York River.
Freshwater Virginia fishing Reports
Andy at Headhunters Headquarters located in Little Creek Park on a 1000 acre lake. They have boat, motor, battery, kayak, canoe rental. boat launch and a free fishing pier. Play ground, pavilions and clean restrooms. Andy reports:
The water at Little Creek just inches below full pool the temp is holding at 85 deg. with a visibility of 9 ft. With bad weather for a month. The fishermen are staying home but we saw Bass, Striper, Eyes, Crappie and Cats. Lots of small Bass are in the shallows and hitting worms, cranks and spinners. Larger fish are 15 to 20 ft on points and humps as usually. Drop shot or other vertical presentation is working best. Trolling is the way to go for Stripers because the Harrying have broken up into small pods to small to net. I saw some good Crappie the largest at 11 in taken on small minnows. Cats and Pan fish are eating worms and minnows.
OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Bass are holding on main lake points and along rock walls. Schooling bass are chasing shad right up on the rocks. When found, these fish may be taken on Rat-l-traps or Shad Raps. Otherwise, deep diving crankbaits, jig 'n pig and spinnerbaits are the ticket. Crappie are schooled around points, submerged brush and standing timber. Small minnows and tiny jigs are taking some good fish, although catches are sporadic.
BURKE LAKE - Brushpiles along the shoreline dropoffs are holding good numbers of crappie and bass. Bass are taking plastic worms and crankbaits, while crappie are suckers for small minnows and tiny jigs.
LAKE BRITTLE - Bass action was a little better this week with fish being taken on crankbaits and plastic worms around the fish structures and deep dropping banks. Catfish, walleye, bluegill and crappie continue to bite well on nightcrawlers throughout the lake.
POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Small buzzbaits and Tiny Torpedos are taking some fish, particularly early and late in the day. After the sun comes up, switch to small crankbaits, tube baits and plastic grubs, worked in riffles and deeper pools. Better areas are around White's Ferry, Edward's Ferry, Point of Rocks and Seneca. Good numbers of panfish are also available.
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Good smallmouth bass action is available on topwater lures, spinners and small crankbaits. Tidal sections are producing some good catches of largemouth bass and crappie from the blowdowns along the South shoreline from Fredericksburg to Port Royal. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastic worms are good choices of baits. Lots of catfish, 14-19 pounds, on cut bait. Trophy catfish, to 30 pounds are available for knowledgeable anglers.
SHENANDOAH RIVER - The North Branch of the river is producing some fish, as smallmouth bass, rock bass and sunfish are stocking up for the winter. Wading the stretch from Mt. Jackson to Strasburg is highly recommended at this time. Small crankbaits, topwater lures and plastic worms should load the boat for anglers drifting the river below Front Royal. Deeper holes and stretches below riffles are the better holding areas. Panfish are also available.
MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Bass anglers are taking good numbers of fish above Route 360 in both rivers. Better lures are spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms. In addition to bass, creels include yellow perch, bowfin, pickerel, crappie, walleye and bream. Catfish anglers are taking fish to six pounds on peeler crab and shrimp below the Route 360 Bridge. A few croaker are mixed in the catches. Stripers are thick in the rivers, taking bucktails and bloodworms.
LAKE ANNA - Bass are in the fall pattern, meaning that they are up shallow during low light hours and move deep when the sun rises. The more successful anglers are fishing secondary points, boat docks and stumps and brush, with topwater and shallow running lures. After the sun is up, switch to plastic worms or jig 'n pig in 12-20 feet of water. Backs of creeks are holding large schools of shad, where Rat-L-Traps, cast beyond the schools and brought back under them, are taking fish. Main lake grass beds are also holding fish. Crappie are biting well with stringers of 1-2 pound fish not unusual. Surface action for stripers is picking up, while drifting live shad in 14-20 feet of water is also successful. Better areas for the stripers are the Power Plant area, Stubbs Point, Rose Valley, the Route 208 Bridge and the Splits.
JAMES RIVER - Fishing is fair to good above Richmond. Small crankbaits, Tiny Torpedos and Berkley Power Grubs are taking good numbers of smallmouth bass. The Watkins Landing and Hugenot Bridge areas, above Richmond, are good. The tidal sections are producing good numbers of largemouth bass for anglers fishing the creeks and barge pits along the river. Plastic worms, soft plastic stick baits, small crankbaits and buzzbaits are the preferred baits. Specifically target downed wood in the tidal flow. Catfish anglers are catching some large blue cats on live and cut shad. For a lot of fun, fish a 3/4 oz. Silver Buddy in 20-25 feet of water in an outside bend of a tidal creek. Plenty of 6-10 pound blue catfish available.
APPOMATTOX RIVER - Bass are holding on the wing dams and channel markers. Best baits for these fish are large, slow-rolled spinnerbaits and plastic baits. Cast above the cover and allow the tide to sweep the baits into the cover. Pye Alley is still holding plenty of fish on the downed wood. Small buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits work well along the banks from Pye Alley to Petersburg.
LAKE CHESDIN - Good crappie action around the Namozine Creek Bridge on live minnows. Bass are taking crankbaits, live bait and spinnerbaits. A few large channel catfish have been caught this week on chicken livers.
CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Catfish and bream are being caught on live bait, while bass fishermen are taking a few fish on plastic worms, small spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and small crankbaits. Edges of lily pad fields, particularly near creek mouths, are producing the better catches of bass. Plenty of stripers in the river.
CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Bass and pickerel are taking spinnerbaits and large minnows. Crappie are schooling and may be taken on live minnows over the brush piles. Flyrodders are having a ball on small poppers, fished in the lily pads. Bass, to six pounds, are smacking the poppers with a vengeance. Don't neglect the topwater action of a Zoom Horny Toad, fished through the thickest vegetation you can find. Bass will blow up through the thick stuff to get the frog. Channel catfish are biting well for anglers fishing chicken and turtle livers.
LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Bass anglers are taking nice fish on topwater minnows and crankbaits, while crappie fishermen are taking fish to 1.5 pounds on tiny jigs and minnows. Stripers and catfish are also biting well on either cast or trolled artificial lures.
BACK BAY - Fishing in the feeder creeks is excellent in the clear water. Bass to six pounds, catfish, perch, crappie and bream are mixed in the creels. Anglers fishing the bay are taking some crappie, bream, catfish, perch, bass and stripers.
SUFFOLK LAKES - Shellcrackers are the main fare at these lakes, and red wigglers are the prime bait. Lots of good fish are being taken at Western Branch, Cohoon, Meade and Prince. Bass action is steady, with a number of fish over the six pound mark. Best action is on topwater plugs. Stripers are active and aggressive, particularly at Lakes Meade and Prince. A few channel catfish and bowfin are also available. Crappie fishing is improving daily.
LAKE GASTON - Bass fishing is good, with most of the better fish being taken from shallow stump fields, adjacent to the main river channel. Other patterns are boat dock brush piles on plastic worms, main lake points on deep-diving crankbaits and grassbeds in shallow water on Horny Toads. Stripers are scattered and running in small schools. Below the dam, lots of stripers in the 12-20 pound class are taking live shad. Anglers jigging half ounce Hopkins Spoons are cleaning house on white perch. Rebel Pop-R's, with crappie jig trailers on the rear hook, are also effective.
BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Bass are being caught by anglers concentrating on shad schools, near submerged wood cover, in the creeks. Shallow running crankbaits and plastic baits, cast into these areas, will take the bass. White bass are schooled up in Grassy and Bluestone Creeks, but not in large numbers. Stripers are found deep, with the mouth of Nutbush Creek being the most productive spot. Crappie action is excellent on medium minnows over brushpiles and in 12-15 feet of water, over solid structures.
BRIERY CREEK AND SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Action this week consisted of plenty of pickerel, crappie, some slot bass and lots of bream. Crappie schools are located at 10-12 feet. The bass were taken on topwater swimming worms and crankbaits.
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Bass fishing is poor to fair, with most successful anglers keying on shad schools in the back of creeks and coves, and main lake points. Rat-L-Traps and small swim baits, cast anywhere around the shad, are producing bass. Small crankbaits are also taking bass when cast onto riprap banks in 5-8 feet of water, near boat docks. Crappie fishing is very good on small minnows. Best catches are around boat docks. Stripers are scattered in small schools and are hard to find. Live bait and trolling are the better methods. Best areas are the sides of points in 30-32 feet of water. Some fish are available between markers 13-30 on the Roanoke Arm and 11-28 on the Blackwater Arm.
LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Largemouth bass action is exceptionally good, with lots of 3-5 pounders being taken on crankbaits, plastic worms and jigs. White bass are schooled and actively feeding. Small crankbaits and jigs are taking the fish. Crappie are actively taking medium minnows. Stripers are beginning to feed, but catches are low.
LAKE MOOMAW - Bass anglers are catching a few fish on plastic worms and jig 'n pig, primarily on main lake points. Catfish are taking minnows, nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Trout action is at a standstill.
PHILPOTT LAKE - Fishing is improving with smallmouth bass catches leading the way. Better choices of baits include crankbaits, plastic worms and jig 'n pig. Plenty of large crappie are available and a few walleye. Most of the walleye are being taken by jigging Hopkins Spoons. Trout catches are picking up on the Smith River.
NEW RIVER - Excellent smallmouth catches, primarily on plastic grubs and live bait. Some catfish, to 10 pounds, have also been caught.
SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Walleye are biting well around the Bristol Water Intake. Anglers fishing minnows on the bottom in 20 feet of water, are taking smallmouth bass and crappie. Smallmouth bass are also taking spinnerbaits in the upper end of the lake.
CLAYTOR LAKE - Stripers are being caught in Peak Creek Hollow, along with schools of two pound white bass. Smallmouth bass are taking crankbaits, and lots of channel catfish and a few musky are also showing.
TROUT STREAMS - Trout fishing is very good in the streams of the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests, from Harrisonburg to Mt. Rogers. All in all, native brook, along with brown and rainbow trout fishing, is prime in all mountainous streams. Muddler minnows are producing well and the streams should remain excellent for the balance of the month.
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!
Brandon White, Chief Angler, TidalFish.com
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