Virginia Saltwater Water Citation Updates

February 5, 2010   

Fishing reports are starting to sound more like weather reports lately. This week, the worst winter storm in twenty years stomped the Mid Atlantic coast, leaving local anglers staring out their windows at snow drifts, instead of drifting in a boat on the water. Needless to say, the big winter wallop deflated many anglers’ hopes of accessing most fishing holes. And if that’s not enough, another weather system is on its way to usher in more wintery conditions, sure to hold anglers onshore.

Speckled trout and puppy drum are basically the only game in town lately. Anglers who broke through the ice and braved the snow this past week found that the best speck catches are still coming from Rudee Inlet and the Elizabeth River, especially inside the hot ditch. Boats sitting in the cove with live bait are catching a few fish, but anglers casting with lures are catching better numbers of nice sized fish. The popular orange and black (TT808) Mirrolure is working well for casters. Surf anglers are also hooking big specks while casting from the banks and wading near the Chesapeake Yachts boat ramp, and near the I-64 High Rise Bridge. Jimmy Robinson of Virginia Beach had a good week in the ditch while casting Mirrolures this week. He registered four specks for state citations, with the largest fish pushing to just over 6-pounds. Eddie Monroe of Virginia Beach also released a nice 24.5-inch citation while working the same area. Puppy drum measuring to around 30-inches are making a good by-catch on light tackle in both Rudee Inlet and the Elizabeth River.

When anglers can get out, a few reports indicate that Tautog catches are still scattered on inshore and offshore wrecks. Wrecks and hangs beyond the Light Tower, as well as structures further south are good places to try. One boat of novice anglers reported that they lucked into a few small tog at the Triangle wreck area recently while using clams, with one fish pushing to almost 25-inches. For good numbers and larger fish, crabs (of most any variety) are the bait of choice for experts who target offshore tautog with good success. Most Virginia Beach tackle shops offer crabs, although you need to call ahead, and be prepared to pay for them. Seabass will also take your offerings in some of these same locations, but they are still out of season.

 Striped bass are still available for boats willing to travel for them. Most reports indicate that the schools off rockfish are 20 miles or more south. Most fish are staying out past the 3-mile demarcation line, where targeting striped bass is illegal.

Once a weather window presents, boats venturing out to search and scour the deeper ocean floors will find limits of nice blueline tilefish up to around 17-pounds. Bluelines pushing to the10-pound mark will reward anglers with a citation from the state of Virginia. Although spiny dogfish are also in the same vicinities, persistent anglers are also finding barrel fish and blackbellied rosefish mixed in with the tilefish. Other species such as grouper and wreckfish can also provide some variety along the Canyon walls. Other than deep dropping trips, there is not much interest expressed by anglers to run offshore right now.