Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

Paige II Charters

Tautog fishing remains good to excellent. Look for them around underwater obstructions like wrecks, reefs, rocks and the pylons of the CBBT. The Virginia season closes May 15th, so you need to go ASAP!  VBSF sponsor Captain Craig Paige, Paige II Charters did some successful togging last week catching fish to 7 pounds.

The first red drum of the season are arriving on Latimer Shoal and the shallow bar near the north end of the CBBT. Anglers will be scouting inshore waters off Rudee Inlet this week in anticipation of more schooled bull reds. Next month as water temps warm and their numbers increase, anglers will begin having success sight casting near the islands of the CBBT.

I’ve heard very few black drum reports from inside the Bay, but they should be along the shallow channel ledge running from Fisherman’s Island to north of Cape Charles. Look for boats anchored close together near Kiptopeake, the Cabbage Patch and the Concrete Ships.

Knot Wish’n Guide Service

Flounder, speckled trout and bluefish are starting to bite inside local inlets. Captain Todd Beck, with Knot Wish’n guide service picked up reds from 17 to 27 inches this week. He is seeing nice size speckled trout, but said they have been reluctant to eat for some reason. The best flounder catches will come from Wachapreague, Oyster and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. Flounder should be showing along the CBBT. Numbers will continue to improve as the water warms.

This time of the year sheepshead start arriving in the bay. Their numbers will increase in May and peak in early June. The best baits are fiddler crabs or mole crabs, fished very close to structure.

Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching skates, rays and a few roundheads. The water temp is 57°. Anglers are using bloodworms, clam bites and gulps.

Sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black belly rose fish and dogfish are available this time of year to Virginia offshore deep droppers. Make sure to keep up with seasonal regulations for each.

The head boats at Rudee Tours are now running, Half-Day trips: primarily for croaker, flounder, occasional small shark. 3/4 Day trips for tautog, smooth/spiny dogfish sharks and black sea bass. Full Day trips for bluefish, flounder and black sea bass. And 17-Hour Deep Drops for black sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, blackbelly rosefish, dogfish sharks. Black sea bass season opens May 15^th. VBSF sponsor Aquaman Charters will be running similar trips this month.