Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report

The first Red and Black Drum of the season arrived in Virginia last month and more will be arriving soon. Huge schools of Red Drum, along with a few Cobia have been spotted by airplane migrating along North Carolina’s Outer Banks heading for the Chesapeake Bay.

If you want to get in on some world-class fishing, you need to book a VBSF charter captain soon! Once the larger schools arrive and sight casting begins booking dates fill up quickly.

Puppy Drum are still actively feeding inside Lynnhaven, Rudee Inlet, and the Elizabeth River.

Bluefish are abundant on OBX beaches and have reached Virginia Beach water now. Large Hatteras Bluefish, up to 35 inches, were recently caught in the Hatteras surf.

Spanish mackerel are in North Carolina’s 70-degree water. As our water warms to 70°F we should start seeing them, along with Spadefish. Our Bay water is at 66 now.

Flounder catches are improving with warming waters, particularly around Wachapreague and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. They’re also appearing in Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Little Creek inlets, as well as along the CBBT.

Sheepshead are being caught in the Chesapeake Bay.

Tautog fishing remains strong, with best catches coming from along the CBBT islands and other Bay structures. Virginia’s tautog season ends May 15th.

The Virginia Beach pier reports catches of Puppy Drum, Black Drum, Trout and small Bluefish.

Speckled trout are hitting in the surf from Virginia Beach down to Oregon Inlet, NC.

Deep-drop anglers are landing Blueline Tilefish, Golden Tilefish, Snowy Grouper, Blackbelly Rosefish, and Spiny Dogfish. Offshore trollers are finding Tuna, Wahoo, and some early Mahi.

Our Bait Suggestions for Targeting Each Species:

Red and Black Drum: Cut mullet, bunker, or crab (peeler or soft) for larger drum; shrimp or bloodworms for puppy drum in inlets and rivers.

Cobia: Live bunker, eels, or spot; cut bait like mullet or squid also works well.

Bluefish: Cut bunker, mullet, or finger mullet; metal spoons or shiny lures for casting.

Spanish Mackerel: Small spoons, Gotcha plugs, or live minnows; trolling with Clark spoons is effective.

Flounder: Live minnows, mullet, or gulp baits (white or chartreuse); strip baits like squid or cut fish on a flounder rig.

Sheepshead: Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, or shrimp near structure like pilings or rocks.

Tautog: Marsh crabs, hermit crabs, or clams; fish close to structure for best results.

Spot, Roundheads, Gray Trout: Bloodworms, shrimp, or small squid strips on bottom rigs.

Speckled Trout: Soft plastics (like paddle tails) in natural colors, live shrimp, or topwater lures in early morning or evening.

Deep Drop Species (Tilefish, Grouper, etc.): Squid, cut fish (mackerel or bonito), or whole baitfish on heavy rigs.

Offshore Pelagics (Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi): Ballyhoo, cedar plugs, or skirted lures for trolling; chunked bait for tuna.

Match bait size and type to the target species and local conditions. Fresh or live bait often outperforms frozen. Check with Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle for real-time bait recommendations.

Good luck, get out there and catch’em up!