Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report

Dave Barnhart with a nice King!

Fall is a great time to enjoy fishing. The Bay water temperature has decreased to 68.0 degrees, which makes the fish more active.

The rockfish season opened in Bay and its tributaries on October 4th and will last until December 31st. You can find them near bridges, old piers and docks. Fishing under lights at night is an excellent option. The slot limit for the Bay and all Virginia tributaries is 20-31 inches and the bag limit is 1 fish per person.

Another fish you can target is red drum, they are still present in the bay and in the Sandbridge surf, where you can use cut bait or crabs to attract them.

Speckled Trout are also available in local inlets and rivers. They love live shrimp, which are exiting the marshes and Bay tributaries now. You can also use topwater baits or popping corks with fresh soft crab or other fresh cut baits to catch them.

Spot are moving in large schools along Bay and oceanfront beaches. They will bite on bloodworms, squid or shrimp. They are delicious fried or made into fish cakes.

The best place to catch flounder is in the lower part of the bay and the ocean. Spot are excellent bait for large flounder.

Sheepshead are still biting in the area of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT).

Some nice King Mackerel were caught off Virginia Beach last week. They require good tackle … and live baits are best. They are very strong and fast and will smoke your drag! They can weigh up to 50 pounds and offer a great challenge.

Captain David Wright, Keith Newman and crew getting it done on the High Hopes!

Offshore you can catch Tilefish, Dolphin, Tuna and Swordfish. Captain David Wright on the High Hopes had a fantastic day October 11th, pictured above.

If you fish the Triangle wreck, look for plenty of sea bass and a few trigger fish.

TOP VIRGINIA BEACH CHARTERS!