May 22 2021

Late May Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

  • May 22, 2021

The Chesapeake Bay’s world class big red drum season is heating up on the Eastern Shore shallows. The fish are increasing daily in both size and numbers. Captain Todd Beck of Knot Wish’n Charters says, “schools are also scattered along the oceanfront.”  While anchored for reds on shoals, peeler crabs or blue crabs are the best bait. When schools are spotted on the surface, lures and large bucktails will get their attention. The capture slot limit is between 18 and 26 inches. The limit is 3 fish per person per day.  Virginia Trophy Citations are only issued for released fish 46 inches or greater.

Black drum are feeding in the same areas. Black’s love fresh clam fished on the bottom.

Yes, a bunch of cobia have been caught and released already. The capture season doesn’t begin until June 15 though … and runs through Sept 15. The possession limit will be 1 per person, 2 per vessel; whichever is more restrictive. The minimum size limit is 40 inches total length, and one per vessel greater than 50 inches. Capture citation weight is 55 pounds and release citations are 50 inches or greater. The state record is 109 pounds, caught in 2006 by Joseph F. Berberich.  Don’t forget to get a cobia permit from VMRC.

The water temp is 67 degrees along the oceanfront and both spanish mackerel and bluefish are showing. There have also been some reports coming from inside the bay as well. As the water temps continue to rise the bite will become more consistent.

Local inlets are holding a few speckled trout, rockfish, flounder and puppy drum. Connie at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle said, “the flounder and bluefish are biting inside Lynnhaven inlet and puppy drum are still biting good as well.” Long Bay Pointe Marina now has ethanol free gas at the dock, 87 and 90 octanes.

Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching scattered puppy drum, spanish mackerel and  roundhead.

Captain Nolan Anger from Aquaman Charters  says, “offshore, deep dropping for tilefish is excellent and loads of seabass are being caught on inshore ocean wrecks.” Seabass season closes on May 31st but reopens again June 16th and remains open through December 31, 2021.

The head boats at Rudee Tours are running, half-day trips, primarily for croaker, flounder and small shark. 3/4 day trips for dogfish sharks and black sea bass. Full day trips for bluefish, flounder and black sea bass. And 17-Hour Deep Drops for black sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, blackbelly rosefish, dogfish sharks.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/05/22/late-may-virginia-beach-chesapeake-bay-fishing-report/

May 08 2021

Virginia Beach Mid May Fishing Report

  • May 8, 2021

The water temp along the Virginia Beach ocean front is up to 62 degrees. In May, look for the best bite to come from black drum, bluefish, flounder, grey trout, red drum, sea bass, speckled trout, striped bass and tautog. The offshore, boats will be targeting tilefish, sea bass and maybe the first tuna.

Black drum like squid, crab, fresh cut fish, clam, shrimp and metal jigs like diamond jigs. They’re bottom feeders and usually located near and over underwater obstructions like wrecks, reefs, rocks and rough bottom areas. Look for their numbers to increase inside the Bay around the CBBT, the Concrete Ships and the Cabbage patch.

Bluefish are caught by trolling and jigging around schools with spoons, tube eels, metal squids or surface plugs. They are also caught on the bottom using fresh cut baits, like menhaden, mullet or spot.

Flounder love live baits, like spot or small mullet. They will also go for frozen minnows, fresh strip baits, cut bluefish, shark belly, squid, a minnow/strip combination and artificial bucktails. They are caught drifting rigs along the bottom from a boat, or casting from beaches and piers. The best early catches usually come from seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore. A favorite spot and methods is trolling small bucktails dressed with strip baits along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Grey trout are caught on artificial lures like bucktails, lead jigs with plastic tails, metal jigs, live baits like spot and small mullet, peeler crab, and squid. Anglers Jig or cast artificial lures to schools of fish on the bottom or suspended just above the bottom. Look for them near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in deep water near the island rocks, especially the 4th Island and along the channel edge. Occasionally you can find them in the Eastern Shore seaside inlets. Along with puppy drum and speckled trout Captain Todd Beck, Knot Wish’n Charters caught a few grey trout at Rudee Inlet this week.

In May look for large red drum schools to show along the ocean front. Their numbers will increase on the shoals around the CBBT, the Inner Middle Grounds, Latimer Shoals, the Middle Grounds and the shoals off Fisherman’s Island.  Drum seem to feed best from dusk to dawn, though they are taken around the clock. A popular angling technique is anchoring and chumming over the shoals. The preferred bait is crab.  You want to remove the top of the shell and cut the crab into two pieces.  Run the hook through a leg hole and then into the meat of the crab.  You can also use fresh chunks of menhaden or spot.

Smaller puppy drum can be taken in local inlets and rivers on a multitude of lures, bucktails, top water plugs or spoons. Look for them along marshes, oyster beds, jetties, or pilings. Live fiddler crabs and shrimp are deadly.

Sea bass season reopens May 15 and runs through May 31 and again June 16 through December 31. They are caught using squid, crab, cut fish, clam, shrimp, diamond jigs fished over wrecks, reefs, rocks and on rough bottom areas. VBSF sponsors Rudee Tours and Aquaman Charters will be running sea bass trips.

Speckled trout are caught on artificial lures, peeler crabs, small spot, mullet, live shrimp. The best spring method is with peeler crabs fished near shore of marshy or grassy areas on flooding tides. Good fishing spots are inside Rudee Inlet, Lynnhaven Inlet, Little Creek Inlet. Mobjack Bay area and on the Eastern Shore bayside.

Dr Ken Neill released this early striper while fishing for puppy drum

The Chesapeake Bay striper season reopens May 16 and runs through June 15. The minimum size limit is 20 inches total length. The maximum size limit is 28 inches total length. The daily possession limit is one fish per person. You should find them mixed in with your puppy drum and speckled trout catch.

The recreational tautog fishing season closes May 16 through June 30.

Offshore sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black belly rose fish and dogfish are available this time of year to Virginia offshore deep droppers. Make sure to keep up with seasonal regulations for each.

The head boats at Rudee Tours are now running, Half-Day trips: primarily for croaker, flounder, occasional small shark. 3/4 Day trips for tautog, smooth/spiny dogfish sharks and black sea bass. Full Day trips for bluefish, flounder and black sea bass. And 17-Hour Deep Drops for black sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, blackbelly rosefish, dogfish sharks. Black sea bass season opens May 15th. VBSF sponsor Aquaman Charters will be running similar trips this month.

In a bit of dock news, there’s a rumor that Long Bay Pointe Marina will have ethanol free gas very soon. 87 and 90 octanes as well as their usual diesel, stay tuned!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/05/08/virginia-beach-mid-may-fishing-report/

May 01 2021

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Retention Limit Adjustment

  • May 1, 2021

NOAA Fisheries is adjusting Atlantic bluefin tuna daily retention limits for recreational fishermen. The adjusted limits go into effect on May 2, 2021, and extend through December 31, 2021, unless modified by later action.

NOAA LINK

What is changing?

The table below summarizes the changes to the bluefin tuna retention limits.

Who is affected

The changes apply to HMS Angling category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally. The daily retention limits are effective for all areas except for the Gulf of Mexico, where NOAA Fisheries does not allow targeted fishing for bluefin tuna.

Anglers may still catch and release or tag and release bluefin tuna of all sizes, subject to the requirements of HMS catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. All released bluefin tuna must be handled in a manner that will maximize survivability and without removing the fish from the water.

Catch reporting

Angling category and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessel owners are required to report the catch of all bluefin retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of landing or the end of each trip by:

This notice is a courtesy to fishery participants to help keep you informed about the fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register.

NOAA LINK

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/05/01/atlantic-bluefin-tuna-retention-limit-adjustment/

Apr 24 2021

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

  • April 24, 2021

Paige II Charters

Tautog fishing remains good to excellent. Look for them around underwater obstructions like wrecks, reefs, rocks and the pylons of the CBBT. The Virginia season closes May 15th, so you need to go ASAP!  VBSF sponsor Captain Craig Paige, Paige II Charters did some successful togging last week catching fish to 7 pounds.

The first red drum of the season are arriving on Latimer Shoal and the shallow bar near the north end of the CBBT. Anglers will be scouting inshore waters off Rudee Inlet this week in anticipation of more schooled bull reds. Next month as water temps warm and their numbers increase, anglers will begin having success sight casting near the islands of the CBBT.

I’ve heard very few black drum reports from inside the Bay, but they should be along the shallow channel ledge running from Fisherman’s Island to north of Cape Charles. Look for boats anchored close together near Kiptopeake, the Cabbage Patch and the Concrete Ships.

Knot Wish’n Guide Service

Flounder, speckled trout and bluefish are starting to bite inside local inlets. Captain Todd Beck, with Knot Wish’n guide service picked up reds from 17 to 27 inches this week. He is seeing nice size speckled trout, but said they have been reluctant to eat for some reason. The best flounder catches will come from Wachapreague, Oyster and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. Flounder should be showing along the CBBT. Numbers will continue to improve as the water warms.

This time of the year sheepshead start arriving in the bay. Their numbers will increase in May and peak in early June. The best baits are fiddler crabs or mole crabs, fished very close to structure.

Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching skates, rays and a few roundheads. The water temp is 57°. Anglers are using bloodworms, clam bites and gulps.

Sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black belly rose fish and dogfish are available this time of year to Virginia offshore deep droppers. Make sure to keep up with seasonal regulations for each.

The head boats at Rudee Tours are now running, Half-Day trips: primarily for croaker, flounder, occasional small shark. 3/4 Day trips for tautog, smooth/spiny dogfish sharks and black sea bass. Full Day trips for bluefish, flounder and black sea bass. And 17-Hour Deep Drops for black sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, blackbelly rosefish, dogfish sharks. Black sea bass season opens May 15th. VBSF sponsor Aquaman Charters will be running similar trips this month.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/04/24/virginia-beach-chesapeake-bay-fishing-report-2/

Apr 11 2021

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Rundown

  • April 11, 2021

The big news over the weekend was the sighting of schooled, large red drum off Rudee Inlet. Some have already entered the Bay. Anglers fishing the Eastern Shore breakers near Fisherman’s Island have caught the first of the year. There are many more fish on the way up from Carolina. Hatteras Inlet filled up with feeding fish on the surface several days last week.

Lots of black drum are being caught seaside in Eastern Shore inlets. Look for the black drum numbers to increase inside the Bay around the Concrete Ships and the Cabbage patch.

Inlets are warming and a lot of puppy drum are being caught. Rudee, Lynnhaven and Little Creek Inlets are hot spots and there’s plenty of fish in the Elizabeth River. Right now most fish are being caught on shrimp or crabs, they are deadly.  As the water continues to warm up, they can be taken on a multitude of lures, bucktails, or spoons. Look for them  along the marshes, oyster beds, jetties or near pilings.  Light spinning or casting tackle is used. Speckled trout are starting to be caught in the same areas as the pups. And some nice grey trout and small stripers have been mixed in.

Nice size tautog continue to be available on bottom structure. Baits for tog fishing include quartered blue crabs, marsh crabs, fiddler crabs. Clams, mussels and squid are okay during aggressive feeding periods. Clams or any soft bait is cut into strips. If using crabs, run the hook through a leg socket and out the back of the crab. Whole fiddler crabs can be used, blue crabs are cut into smaller sections. The tog season temporality closes May 15.

Flounder action is on the upswing. The best catches are coming from Eastern Shore sloughs and creeks.

The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier has reopened and anglers are catching small spot and croaker. Bluefish and sea mullet should show soon.

Yellowfin tuna continue to provide excellent action off the Outer Banks of NC. Many boats limited out over the weekend.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/04/11/virginia-beach-fishing-2/

Mar 28 2021

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

  • March 28, 2021

Stan Simmerman

Connie at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle says as Bay water temperatures rise, so do tautog catches.  The temperature is up to 54.7 degrees at Thimbles Shoals. Ocean wrecks usually produce first, but now the bite has moved into the bay.

Dr. Ken Neil

Look for taugs anywhere there’s structure. Popular areas include the CBBT, Back River Reef, the Cell, Tower Reef, the Concrete Ships, Cape Henry Wreck, the Santore, the Winthrop, and the Triangle Wrecks. The best bait consists of crab, clam, or a combination of both. Dr Ken Neill and several local charter crews got in on the action this week.

Tim Mullen

The puppy drum are hungry. There have been nice catches made inside all three local inlets and from the  rivers. Most are being caught in shallower water, back in creeks. Grey trout, speckled trout and small stripers have also been caught in the same areas.

In April the head boats at Rudee Tours will be running 6-hour trips targeting dogfish and tautogs. The deep dropping blueline tilefish season reopens May 1 and the black sea bass season reopens May 15.

Boats running out of Oregon Inlet NC are catching limits of yellowfin and blackfin tuna.

Nice tuna catch out of Oregon Inlet NC on the Sea Breeze with Captain Ned Ashby

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/03/28/virginia-beach-chesapeake-bay-fishing-report/

Mar 22 2021

Bluefish fishing community, VMRC wants to hear from you

  • March 22, 2021

VMRC will host a public hearing on Thursday, March 25, from 6-8. The Council and Commission are seeking public comment on management options under consideration in the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. The amendment contains several alternatives including, modifying the bluefish allocations between commercial and recreational sectors; modifying commercial allocations to the states; initiating a rebuilding plan, and more. The public is invited to attend a public hearing to provide input on these proposed changes.

Please check out their Agency News page for more information and see how you can attend electronically.

https://www.mrc.virginia.gov/calendar.shtm

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/03/22/bluefish-fishing-community-vmrc-wants-to-hear-from-you/

Mar 15 2021

Dr. Ken Neill Report

  • March 15, 2021

Wes Blow and I left my house dark and early this morning. We were met by a very bright UFO which turned out to be a Space X rocket launch.

Beautiful ride to the wreck and things started out fine. I caught 3 tog and a sheepshead while Wes caught some sea bass and an oyster toad. I did not say a thing, which those that have togged with me may not believe. No, “that’s OK, I’ll catch your limit for you“, or, “are you ever going to put a fish in the box?“. I’ve fished with Wes enough to save that stuff to the end. Good thing as his first tog of the day turned out to be our biggest, 13.5 pounds. My biggest, we did not even take a photo of, was maybe 8 pounds.

Really nice ride back in until we hit some chop in the bay.

 

Dr. Ken Neill, III
IGFA Representative
Past-President, Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association, Inc.
Associate Commissioner Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Commissioner Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/03/15/dr-ken-neill-report/

Mar 14 2021

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Rundown

  • March 14, 2021

Buxton, NC, the point

For a couple weeks puppy drum and sea mullet have been caught from the surf on Hatteras Island.  And now with 60 degree water, and a new moon on the 12th  , the big red drum arrived at The Point. Game on!

Giant bluefins are feeding off Oregon Inlet, it’s catch and release though. There have been some good yellow fin tuna catches as well.

There’s been some scattered speckled trout and puppy drum action in local inlets, Rudee, Little Creek and Lynnhaven. They will become more numerus and feed more aggressively as the water temperature rises. Porpoises made their way inside the inlet to feed over the weekend, let’s hope they left some for us.

Nice Tautog, Wes Blow on the Healthy Grin

Virginia anglers have lots to look forward to over the coming weeks. By the end of March we should be enjoying some great tautog action. VBSF.net charter captains are booking taugtog trips now, so if plan to go you should contact one asap.

As April rolls around the taug action will continue and flounder will become a possibility.

By mid-April the big black drum roll in. Bluefish and gray trout will also be a possibility. The flounder bite should continue improving and speckled trout will become more numerous. By the end of May plenty of large red drum will have made their way into the lower bay.

In June everything starts to peak, inshore and off! Black drum, red drum, cobia, croaker, flounder, gray trout, round head, sheepshead, spadefish, spanish mackerel, speckled trout, small striped bass, mahi, yellow fin tuna and school size blue fin tuna.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/03/14/virginia-beach-chesapeake-bay-fishing-rundown/

Feb 28 2021

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Fishing Rundown

  • February 28, 2021

The Virginia Special Black Seabass season is coming to a close. Fishing was great. Don’t forget ALL permit holders are require to report all fishing trips even if you didn’t catch. If no trips were taken you still have to report “no activity”.  This helps scientist understand the condition of the species and to maintain a healthy fishery. The reporting regulations are outlined in there entirety online at the VMRC website.

Many anglers will now turn their attention to “togging”. Tautogs are generally in the area the entire year, but the reason late winter and early spring is a good time to target them is because the bait stealing warm water fish haven’t arrived yet. Togs average in the 3-to-6-pound range, but the state record is 24-pounds, 3-ounces caught on March 25th by Ken Neill III. They hang around underwater obstructions like reefs, wrecks and rock piles on the lower bay and in nearshore coastal waters. Togs use a large set of front teeth to pick and crush mollusks, crabs and other crustaceans. Therefore, crabs are a favored bait. An easy to get to location to catch them is over the tubes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, or around its numerous pilings. The islands marking the entrances and exits of the tunnels are surrounded by rocks. These rocks extend out over the actual tubes for quite a distance. It’s in these rocks that Tog like to hangout. Other good spots include The Concrete Ships, Cape Henry Wreck, The Cell, Back River Reef,  the reefs around the Chesapeake Light Tower, the Triangle Wrecks, the Santore and several rock piles and drainage pipes along the oceanfront are also productive.

Despite very cold water temps a few speckled trout and puppy drum have been caught in the Hampton area, mainly from the James River and the Elizabeth River. This time of the year they are almost dormant, on warm sunny days they will come up in the shallows to warm themselves.

Offshore, the giant bluefin tunas have made their way north. Lots of fish in the 500-to-800-pound class were hooked off Oregon Inlet this week. If you want a chance at catching and keeping one of these beast you better go tomorrow! If history repeats the capture season will close quickly once a small number of fish are caught.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/02/28/17513/

Feb 15 2021

Virginia Beach Fishing Rundown

  • February 15, 2021

3 at a time!

Virginia’s sea bass fishery is open until the end of the month, it’s a special one-month fishery. A no-cost permit is required by the boat captain, reporting is mandatory and you must tell VMRC when you are fishing so they have the opportunity to have a biologist meet you when you return. Please do not overlook the recreational minimum size, 12-1/2 inches in total length.

Here’s the VMRC regulation: “It shall be unlawful for any person fishing recreationally to take, catch, or possess any black sea bass, from February 1 through February 28, without first having obtained a Recreational Black Sea Bass Permit from the Marine Resources Commission. It shall be unlawful for any black sea bass permittee to fail to contact the Marine Resources Commission Operation Station at (800) 541-4646 before returning to shore at the end of the fishing trip during the February black sea bass season. The permittee shall provide the Operations Station with his name, VMRC ID number, the point of landing, a description of the vessel, and an estimated return to shore time. Permits can be obtained online here or at an MRC Licensing Agent. Reporting can be done online through the Saltwater Journal or using forms provided by the VMRC.” All this is an effort to collect data on this wintertime fishery that was closed for several years.

VBSF sponsor, the Rudee head boats have enjoyed some successful sea bass trips. Fishing has been excellent, with everyone catching limits. They are running trips on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Saturday tips  filled up quickly so due to demand they have added some Friday trips.

Usually in mid-February someone finds some very nice tautogs. So far I haven’t heard any good news.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/02/15/virginia-beach-fishing-rundown-24/

Feb 06 2021

Healthy Grin Report

  • February 6, 2021

sea bass

We ran out for sea bass today during the special February season. It was just like the good old days. Fish were abundant and large. We had a 4-person limit by 8:30 AM and made it home by lunchtime. We also caught some bluefish. The head boat got there not long after we did. As we headed in with our catch, we passed through a small fleet of boats headed to the wreck. I think everyone caught all the sea bass they wanted. We did briefly stop on a couple of wrecks on the way in to try for tautog. No tautog, just some small sea bass but we did not try long. Gorgeous half February day on the water.

 Dr. Ken Neill

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/02/06/healthy-grin-report-5/

Jan 30 2021

February Sea Bass Season Opens Monday

  • January 30, 2021

Virginia’s February recreational black sea bass fishing season starts February 1st and ends on February 28th. The Feds and VMRC have done a good job managing this fishery, there are some really large ones available  now. Below is a link they’ve  provided to learn about the required permit and reporting requirements that are critical for Virginia to continue participating in this special recreational season.

(https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/public/mpermits/index.php)

Pictured above is a 8 lb 11 oz fish caught by M. Okonek off Virginia Beach onboard the Rudee Angler December 27, 2020. It’s the largest recorded Virginia Citation sea bass since 2000. The Rudee Angler will be running February trips on Wednesdays Saturdays and Sundays. If you would like to get in on the action you better book ASAP. It looks like their Saturday trip are sold out already.

Tautog and Flounder are are also available for those fishing ocean wrecks.

Speckled Trout were available in the rivers and near the east jetty at Little Creek a week ago. Captain Todd Beck, Knot Wish”n Charters said the Rudee Inlet bite has been unusually slow.

A number of Rudee Inlets crews are rigged and ready for giant bluefins just in case they come in range. A few guys have been out looking, but nothing yet. There have been some reports off Oregon Inlet, near the tuna hole.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/01/30/virginia-beach-fishing-report/

Jan 20 2021

Existing VA State Record Swordfish Crushed!

  • January 20, 2021

swordfish

A 597-pound swordfish, caught September 25, 2020 by Nicholas Kontodiakos of Norfolk, VA, has been certified as the new Virginia State Record by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Kontodiakos’ catch surpasses the existing record of 466-pounds, caught on August 16, 2019, by Tony Gower Jr. of Virginia Beach, VA.

The record setting catch was made off Virginia Beach while drifting along the southern edge of the Norfolk Canyon in 1,000 feet of water during a daytime deep dropping trip for swordfish. The massive swordfish hit a bait suspended at about 800-feet.

Kontodiakos, a rescue diver for the Navy, and fishing buddy Trey Wallace, with part time experience as a charter boat mate, left Rudee Inlet at 4:30 AM aboard the angler’s 2007, 29-foot SeeVee. After arriving at their designated location they made several long drifts and had a couple of bites that did not come tight. The lines were set for “one more drift” before they planned to head in for the day to arrive at Rudee Inlet shortly after dark. But at 3:30 PM those plans changed as the deep “buoy rod,” with a rigged dolphin belly on a blue and white skirt, came tight. After wrestling with the fish for nearly 5 hours it was clear it was a large swordfish, and when the fish was finally secured at the transom, they began to relax. But securing the fish to the transom was just round one. Round two would consist of couple of hours of stop and go, inching the fish onto the deck on each stop, tying it off and then running until they were recovered enough to resume their tug of war. Finally, with the fish on the deck and the tuna door closed, it was non-stop to Rudee Inlet.

Kontodiakos’ passion to land a swordfish began 10 years earlier while living on the east coast of Florida. He admits “I had no idea how to go about catching them.” After moving to Virginia Beach and realizing there were swordfish to be had off the Virginia coast some 60 miles plus, “I decided I needed a bigger boat.” Unfortunately, even with a bigger boat, his lack of success in Florida had tagged along to Virginia. It got so bad he sometimes had to settle for fishing alone. “No one wanted to fish with me because I never came back with any fish.” Relentlessly perusing information on the internet to aid in catching a swordfish plus talking to successful anglers along the east coast for additional insight eventually began to payoff and his success improved markedly in recent years. “I think I’ve caught a swordfish in every month of the year except maybe January.”

It was nearly midnight when the pair pulled inside Rudee Inlet. A call had already been made to alert the Virginia Beach Fishing Center of the catch and the boat’s bow was pointed straight to the Fishing Center’s main dock. Representatives from the Fishing Center were at dockside to assist and a small crowd of interested onlookers had already assembled despite the late hour.

The mammoth swordfish would weigh an incredible 597-pounds–besting the former state record by 131 pounds! The fish measured 180 inches total length with a lower jaw fork length of 111 inches while sporting a hefty girth of 69 inches. Kontodiakos used a custom Joe Leffler 80-pound class rod, teamed with a Shimano Tiagra 50 reel, spooled with 80-pound PowerPro braided line and topped off with a 25-foot, 250-pound Moni mono leader with a Mustad 7691, 11/0 hook, attached to the business end.

For more information, contact Lewis S. Gillingham, Director, Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 380 Fenwick Road, Fort Monroe, VA 23651, (757) 247-2013 or [email protected]

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/01/20/virginia-state-record-swordfish-crushed/

Jan 12 2021

Fishery News, Flounder, Black Sea Bass

  • January 12, 2021

Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Input on Summer Flounder Recreational Management

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is collecting public comments and suggestions regarding current and future management of the recreational summer flounder fishery. Input provided through their scoping comment form will help inform the development of a management strategy evaluation which will evaluate different management strategies designed to minimize discards in the recreational summer flounder fishery.

The Council is collecting this information as part of the continued progress and implementation of its Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) structured framework process.

See: https://www.mafmc.org/eafm for more information.

The Council encourages all stakeholders who have interest, knowledge, or experience related to the recreational summer flounder fishery to provide comments. The form should take 10-15 minutes to complete, and your answers will be kept confidential.

 

VMRC – Virginia Recreational Black Sea Bass Info

Virginia’s February 2021 Recreational Black Sea Bass fishing season will start February 1st and end on February 28th, 2021. VMRC has provided the link below to learn more about the required permit, information, and reporting requirements, that are critical for Virginia to continue participating in this special recreational season!

(https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/public/mpermits/index.php)

Or you can go through one of their licensing agents (https://mrc.virginia.gov/mrcagents.shtm). Agent locations may be closed to the public at this time; call ahead before picking up a permit in person.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2021/01/12/fishery-news-flounder-black-sea-bass/