Virginia Marine Resources Commission's THE SALTWATER REVIEW

Funded by NOAA and VMRC.

August 27, 2010 

Chincoteague -

According to Donna, at Captain Bob’s, flounder catches have increased in Chincoteague this week. The best catches were found in the Canal, directly in front of Inlet View Campground, in the Assateague Channel, in front of Tom’s Cove Campground, and by the Assateague Bridge. Several triggerfish were also reported from Queen’s Sound. The croaker bite slowed, but those that were caught were large. They were found in the Chincoteague Channel near Buoys 19 and 20 and outside the Inlet, by Buoy 10. Chincoteague has also been experiencing the best crabbing in over 4 years, according to staff. The best crabbing hot spots were the Assateague Bridge and on Assateague Island. In the surf, spot, kingfish, croaker, and a few bluefish were biting. Offshore, flounder, spadefish, and bluefish were caught at the wrecks. Anglers had to travel to the Washington Canyons to get the minimal action to catch a few scattered dolphin and an occasional wahoo or marlin.

Wachapreague -

According to staff at Captain Zed’s, a 66.5-pound yellowfin tuna took first place in the 17th Annual Chick Charter Ladies Club Tournament last weekend. The largest dolphin reported was 21.5 pounds. Inshore, anglers were catching flounder and croaker. Flounder were mostly undersized (around 18 inches), but some keepers were mixed in. The best place for the keepers was right outside of the Coast Guard Station.

Cape Charles -

Mark, at Chris’ Bait and Tackle, reported that anglers were catching a few croaker around Oyster and Wise Point last week. Flounder have been found around the High Rise and bridge pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and also just north of Cape Charles. Sea mullet were reported at Kiptopeke and the Fisherman’s Island Bridge. A few sight casters also weighed in cobia that were almost 80 pounds.

Captain Ray Cardone, charter boat captain from Cherrystone, reports that flounder fishing has been good this week. While the throwback ratio was high, there have been trips with limits of flounder. Croaker were found in the area as well.

Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel

Several cobia release citations were reported from Cobb’s Marina this week. Most came from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Keeper flounder were also reported this week.

Staff at Sunset Boating Center reported flounder catches at the Hampton Bar this week.

Staff at Salt Pond’s Marina registered a citation cobia weighing 63 pounds, 3 ounces this week. The fish was hooked at the 4th island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Kathy, at Wallace’s Bait and Tackle, reported that five cobia were weighed in this week. Flounder catches were reported as well, and staff has begun to see numerous triggerfish being brought in from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

York River Fishing Center staff reported no citations this week, but numerous cobia and flounder were reported. A lot of anglers have had success sight casting for cobia lately. No spot have arrived yet, but staff is expecting to hear about them soon.

Ken Neill, of the Peninsula Anglers Club and IGFA representative, contributed the following:

Offshore, it is billfish and more billfish. If you need meatfish, there are plenty of dolphin around as well. Dolphin have been showing up everywhere—there were good catches as close as 10 miles to Virginia’s coastline. The marlin action was mostly around the 100-fathom curve. A few yellowfin tuna were caught as well, and bigeye tuna generated a lot of excitement. Some wahoo were also brought back to the dock. It is a good time to be an offshore sport fisherman in Virginia right now. Tilefish and black sea bass are available for the bottom bouncers out there. Amberjack are at the South Tower, the Chesapeake Light Tower, and can be found on wrecks in between the two (that is a lot of structure).
Cobia fishing remains excellent. Sight casters are catching numerous fish. When conditions hamper sight-fishing, chumming has been very productive. York Spit has been a good hot spot for chummers. Anglers looking for cobia continue to find schools of large red drum roaming the lower Bay and in the coastal waters. Spanish mackerel are falling to trolled spoons in the Bay up to the Windmill Point area. Flounder fishing is very, very good with limits of keepers being the norm. All of the flounder spots are producing with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel being particularly good. Sheepshead and spadefish are also available at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. In addition to flounder, large croaker are biting up in the Cell/Buoy 42 area.

Virginia Middle Bay -

According to staff at Jett’s Hardware, Spanish mackerel have started to show up around Windmill Point and the Great Wicomico Light. Plenty of croaker, spot, and numerous taylor bluefish were also reported.

Dan at, Smith Point Marina, reported Spanish mackerel, croaker, and small bluefish catches. Numerous spot and a few red snapper were caught close to sure.

Jerry Thrash, of Queen’s Creek Outfitters, contributed the following:

Flounder fishing slowed again this week, and the catches were hit or miss. Croaker were available in the Buoy 42 and Buoy 40A areas. Over the weekend, croaker, speckled trout, spot, and puppy drum were caught. Spot, averaging around ½ pound, were caught near Gwynn’s Island, Butler’s Hole, and the Spike. The first reported yellow-bellied spot were caught around .

New Point on Sunday. Spanish mackerel and bluefish were hit or miss from Windmill Point south, due to huge areas of red tide coming down the Rappahannock and affecting the waters out beyond R1 and south to Gwynn Island and the Hole-in-the-Wall.

Jerry Thrash, of Queen’s Creek Outfitters, contributed the following:

Flounder fishing slowed again this week, and the catches were hit or miss. Croaker were available in the Buoy 42 and Buoy 40A areas. Over the weekend, croaker, speckled trout, spot, and puppy drum were caught. Spot, averaging around ½ pound, were caught near Gwynn’s Island, Butler’s Hole, and the Spike. The first reported yellow-bellied spot were caught around

New Point on Sunday. Spanish mackerel and bluefish were hit or miss from Windmill Point south, due to huge areas of red tide coming down the Rappahannock and affecting the waters out beyond R1 and south to Gwynn Island and the Hole-in-the-Wall.

Virginia Beach -

Numerous bluefish and Spanish mackerel were caught last week, according to staff at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center. Nice-sized cobia and small blacktip sharks were also hooked. Offshore anglers had great success with white marlin, blue marlin, and sailfish along with numerous dolphin and nice-sized bigeye and yellowfin tuna.

According to staff at Fisherman’s Wharf Marina, plenty of white marlin were around this weekend. Some nice dolphin were hooked as well. Inshore, fishing was slower this week, and anglers reported catching a few cobia and undersized flounder.

Virginia Piers -

At the Ocean View Pier, anglers caught mostly spot, croaker, flounder, and numerous blue crabs last week.

A hit or miss week was reported from the Virginia Beach Pier this week. Catches consisted mostly of spot, scattered bluefish, pompano, flounder, and croaker. A 19-pound striped bass was caught over the weekend as well.

Spot, roundhead, small croaker, and blue crabs were reported in the catches from the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier last week.

At the Buckroe Fishing Pier, numerous spot were reported. A few croaker, an occasional bluefish, sea mullet, and a few grey trout (at night) were also reported. Staff also noted that blue crabbing has been excellent from the pier with very large crabs being pulled up.

Outer Banks, NC -

Offshore fishing out of Nags Head continued to see decent catches of tuna (yellowfin, blackfin, bigeye, and skipjack) and wahoo. The king mackerel bite was strong in the eight-to ten-mile range. Billfishing showed some improvement over last week with blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish all represented.
Blueline tilefish, assorted snapper, snowy grouper, and gag and yellowedge grouper were caught by bottom fishing in the deeper waters. Bottom fishing closer to shore on the artificial reefs produced sea bass and triggerfish in decent numbers. Nearshore boaters saw intermittent catches of bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Pier and surf fishermen caught bluefish, Spanish mackerel, spot, coaker, and pompano in good numbers. A few flounder, puffers, black drum, and sea mullet were in the mix as well. Inshore waters produced the usual suspects, including speckled trout and flounder, with the early morning hours being the best times.

South of Oregon Inlet, Spanish mackerel and bluefish were caught at the Point on metal spoons and Stingsilvers in the morning hours. Puppy drum were around Rodanthe along with a few sea mullet.

Offshore fishing out of Hatteras Inlet saw good action on the dolphin and wahoo. Billfishing was slower, but a few boats did mange to catch a grand slam (blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish). Inshore action included speckled trout, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.