Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report

If you are looking for some exciting saltwater fishing action in Virginia, here’s the latest rundown.

King mackerel are showing up in the near shore ocean waters, where they can be caught by trolling large spoons or live bait. These fish are fast and strong, and when they strike will smoke your drag. Pictured is a 52-pound beast caught by David Cooper, fishing on his boat the reCooper8 out of Fisherman’s Wharf Marina.

Red drum are making a splash in the lower Bay, where anglers can spot schools of these powerful fish on the surface. The best way to catch them is to cast topwater lures or live bait near the feeding frenzy.

Flounder fishing is also heating up, with some trophy-sized doormats being caught near structure and drop-offs. A live spot or croaker on a flounder rig is a sure way to entice these flatfish.

Cobia are still around, but they can be picky about what they eat. Sight casting is the best method to target them, using live eels, bunker or crabs. Look for them near buoys, channel edges or bait pods.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are providing steady action for anglers trolling spoons or small plugs. The fish are getting bigger as the season progresses, and some citation-sized specimens have been reported.

Puppy Drum are available in Broad Bay. Speckled Trout and pups are biting in shallower water.

Offshore, the charter boats are finding a mixed bag of pelagic and bottom fish. Yellowfin tuna, mahi, swordfish and tilefish are some of the species being landed. Marlin fishing is also improving, with more white and blue marlin being released.

OBX, NC Report

Surf and Pier fishing have both been productive with the clear warm waters, sea mullet, spot, pompano, small bluefish, spanish mackerel, and other small bottom fish species have come from both the Piers and the Surf zone. A handful of large king Mackerel have been landed off of the piers from Nags Head down to Avon.

With the water temps in the sound very warm, the fishing on the flats has slowed down a little. However, channel edges and deeper areas with moving water have continued to produce. Anglers are finding some large, speckled trout, puppy drum, black drum, and flounder from the sound side. Good catches of Sheepshead are coming from the Bridges.

The nearshore fleet is catching king mackerel, amberjack, spanish mackerel, and ribbonfish.

Offshore, there has been pretty good dolphin fishing with a handful of nice yellowfin and some billfish mixed in.

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