Virginia Fishing Reports

Striped bass fishing has been very slow. It’s catch-and-release only in the Chesapeake, but very few anglers have been out. Striped bass season is open within three miles of Virginia’s Atlantic coast (in the EEZ), but there have been no reports of fish caught. Some schools of striped bass have been reported ...

Saltwater fishing options are limited in and around Virginia waters right now. There are still a few reports of catch-and-release fishing for striped bass inside the bay, particularly near the deep-water area on the eastern side of the bay. Striped bass have been a no-show in the open coastal waters. Some have been encountered outside the 3 NM line by anglers searching for bluefin tuna but they do not seem to be thick out there either.

Some monster bluefin tuna are being caught out of ...

With the New Year comes the closing of the striped bass season inside the bay, but that does not mean you can not catch and release and also get out on the coast and chase down some fins.

Big rockfish remain available along the eastern side of the bay from buoy 18 near the Concrete Ships on up to the Cell area. It is not hot and heavy but anglers putting in their time are catching some impressive fish. There have also been a few big fish caught inside the ...

There are still a lot of rockfish to the north of Virginia’s waters, but big rockfish are slowly making their way into Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Offshore the there has been a few sightings of Bluefin tuna which could be the start of some good action of the weather cooperates. Get the full download on that action...
...

Ken Neill was kind enough to put together a good synopsis of what is going on with Striped Bass in Virginia for 2015 and beyond. Worth the read if you are interested in how the whole striped bass situation in Virginia is going to play out. The summary is at the end of the fishing reports.

Striped bass action has been pretty good on school-sized fish. Most of the fish are being caught at the area’s crossings like the CBBT, JRB, Coleman Bridge, HRBT, MMMT and at any other structure with lights on it at night. More fish are being caught in open water and there has been some bird action. There have been a few 40-plus pound fish caught at the CBBT at night and on the bayside of the Eastern Shore during the day, primarily on live eels. This fishery should get better each day. There is still a good bite up the bay in Maryland waters and up the coast off of New Jersey. Those fish ...

Striped bass season opened up and and although there is still action offshore with billfish, dolphin and tuna, anglers inshore are gearing up for what we all hope is a good rockfish season.

Capt Ken said that offshore there are still a few billfish being caught. There have been some big catches of dolphin along with some yellowfin and bigeye tuna around the ...