Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report

Knot Wish’n Charters

There’s lots of bait and warm water on the beach. And there’s some good Spanish mackerel fishing happening, with better than average size fish being caught. Most are trolling Clark or Drone spoons behind plainer boards or inline sinkers.  Smoker, king mackerel should start showing up anytime. Live bait such as menhaden or spot are excellent choices for larger Spanish and kings. These baits mimic the natural prey of the mackerel and can entice them to bite.

High Hopes Charters

Red drum and cobia can be found throughout the area. Sight-casting for them is popular. Live bait such as crabs, eels, or spot can be effective, especially when presented near buoys or the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) where cobia are frequently found.

Black drum can be found around the islands of the CBBT, black drum are often caught using peeler crabs, clam or sand fleas as bait, which are favorites of the black drum.

19.3-pound Sheepshead! Congratulations!

The sheepshead action is good, with many nice-sized catches reported. Fiddler crabs, oysters, or mussels make the best bait for sheepshead, especially when fishing along the CBBT and The Cell off the Eastern Shore.

Spades are available on inshore structures especially along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and The Cell off the Eastern Shore. For spadefish, small pieces of clam or squid work well. These baits should be presented on small, sharp hooks to match the spadefish’s small mouth.

Stan Simmerman

Speckled trout and puppy drum are in all southside inlets, the Elizabeth, Lafayette and Back rivers. Live bait such as mullet or soft plastics that mimic shrimp or small fish are effective for these species.

Nice cooler full, Craig Irwin

Flounder fishing is good around structures and sharp drop-offs where these fish tend to congregate. For bait, a chartreuse, white, or yellow Fluke Killer rig, weighted with an ounce or two of lead and baited with a bull minnow, squid strip, or a combination of these, known as the “flounder sandwich,” is highly effective. Live baits like bull minnows, finger mullet, pinfish, or shrimp are also excellent choices to attract flounder.

Small croaker and spot can be found throughout the lower bay.  Bloodworms or small pieces of shrimp are the go-to baits for these species.

Anglers fishing at the Virginia Beach Piers and along the beach are catching a variety of species, spot, croaker, spanish, roundhead, flounder, blues and spanish. For flounder, live minnows or strips of squid can be effective. Rays, and skates are often caught on cut bait or squid, while Spanish  blues prefer small metal lures or spoons. The water temp is in the upper 70’s near 80.

Kevin Bremer and his daughter caught on Oblivion

OFFSHORE BLUEWATER

Tuna, dolphin, shark and billfish are available to offshore trollers. Nice dolphins were caught at Norfolk Canyon recently. Many are choosing to troll early, then deep-drop for swords, tilefish, grouper with squid or cut baits.

Offshore wrecks and navigation structures are holding amberjack.

VBSF reports brought to you by Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle. Long Bay Pointe Marina and Coastal Fiberglass.