Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report

If you are looking for some exciting fishing, Virginia Beach is the place to be. With the water temp at 80 degrees there are plenty of opportunities to catch a variety of fish, from flounder to marlin. Here are some of the highlights of what’s biting and where to find them.

Flounder are being caught around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) as well as in local inlets such as Lynnhaven and Rudee. Try larger live bait for the bigger flounder, such as finger mullet or spot. You can also work jigs, bucktails, or gulp baits on the bottom.

Trout and Redfish are biting in Broad Bay and in the rivers. You can catch them on artificial lures, such as soft plastics, topwater plugs, or spoons, or on live or cut bait, such as Spot, Shrimp, minnows, or peeler crabs. Pictured above, are some very nice puppy drum caught in Broad Bay on fresh Spot available at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle.

High Hopes Charters

Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish are fast and furious fish and available along the oceanfront and well up into the Bay now. Target them with trolling spoons, Clarks, Drones, behind in-line sinkers, or diving planer boards. Pier anglers can cast metal jigs, jerk jiggers, or gotcha plugs to them when they are feeding on the surface. Also pier anglers can use baitfish on a float rig.

Cobia is one of the most sought-after fish in the bay, and they are biting well up and down the bay. Early mornings many anglers are chumming and once the sun gets high they start moving around looking for them on the surface. Eels, live croaker and spot are the best baits. Shallower water is typically better for chumming, while sight casting is the way to go in deeper water.

Red Drum schools are popping up, especially around the islands of the CBBT. If you see them approach slowly and don’t spook them. You might be rewarded with numerous hook-ups. You can use spoons, jigs, or live or cut bait to catch them.

The Spadefish bite has slowed some, but they are still around. Look for them around the Light Tower, buoys, the CBBT, and the Cell. Use small pieces of clam or squid on a small hook and chum lightly to attract them.

Sheepshead are at the CBBT and on the Norfolk side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Fish next to the pilings with fiddler crabs or sand fleas on a strong hook and leader.

Tautaug are a possibility on the reefs. Blue crabs are the best bait. Use a bottom rig with a heavy sinker and a short leader.

Spot and Croaker are being caught from the piers. Use bloodworms, squid, or shrimp on a two-hook bottom rig.

Tarpon are usually caught by anglers fishing for other species, but they are targeted in their summer feeding areas, such as behind Cobb Island on the Eastern Shore, or in our southside rivers. The best way to catch them is to use live bait, such as mullet, menhaden, or spot, and fish near the bottom with a heavy-duty rod and reel. Tarpon can be very elusive, so you need to be patient and persistent.

AquaMan Charters

Offshore fishing is very good right now. There are plenty of Blue Marlin, White Marlin, and Sailfish to be caught on trolling rigs with ballyhoo or artificial lures. There’s also been a good run of yellowfin tuna in the last week. Mahi catches have been steady as well. You can also find wahoo, king mackerel, tilefish, grouper, and sea bass on the offshore grounds.

OBX NC, Report

The billfish bite is on fire, with many boats flying multiple flags at the end of the day. You can also expect to find plenty of Dolphin, Tilefish, and Yellowfin tuna in the offshore waters.

The sound side is also producing some quality fish, such as big Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Bluefish, and slot Red Drum. These fish are great for light tackle and fly fishing enthusiasts.

The surf anglers are not left out either, as they are catching Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Sea Mullet, Spot, and Pompano along the beaches. These fish are tasty and fun to catch.

The piers are also hot spots for fishing action, with a variety of species being landed. Some of the catches include Sea Mullet, Spot, Flounder, Croaker, Pigfish, Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, Sea Bass, King Mackerel and Cobia. You never know what you might hook on the pier.

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