Angling along the mid-Atlantic coast is peaking! ….  Lots of cobias are being sighted along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. It looks like regulations put in place a couple of years ago are paying off for recreational anglers. Our cobia capture season opens June 1st with a minimum size limit of 40 inches, a 1 fish per person limit with a 3 fish per vessel maximum. Of the 3 fish only 1 can be over 50 inches. Each captain or vessel operator must have a Recreational Cobia Permit  from the Marine Resources Commission. You can visit an  Authorized Agent to obtain a permit …. Cobia will hit just about anything you throw in front of them, live eels, spot, menhaden, mullet, large spoons, white buck tails, plastic eels, swimming plugs or cut bait. They love hanging around buoys and other structure, such as the islands and pylons of the CBBT.

Our red drum bite continues along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. This time of year a hot spot for 25 to 50 pound feeding red drum is Latimer Shoal, at the mouth of the bay . Trolling spoons or bucktails over and around the shallows or by anchoring nearby and fishing fresh cut spot, menhaden or blue crabs are the best methods.

We have enjoyed an outstanding black drum seasons. Continue looking for them along the shallow channel ledge running from Fisherman’s Island to Cape Charles. Good spots are Kiptopeake, the Cabbage Patch and the Concrete Ships.

Spanish mackerel and taylor bluefish are feeding along the Virginia Beach oceanfront from Capy Henry to Sandbridge. Try trolling small spoons like the 0S Drone or Clark behind a small plainer.

Sheepshead numbers are increasing and fish will be available through September. The best baits are fiddler crabs, sand fleas or clams. The average size sheepshead is 3 to 8 pounds.  Some larger ones were caught this week.  Spadefish are here as well …. and hungry.

The flounder and croaker bite is slow, hopefully it will pick up soon. In the case of flounder It may be time to revisit the commercial regulations? They seem to be over fished?

This week Virginia Beach Pier anglers were catching a few citation sized spanish … some bluefish and roundhead.

To our south offshore anglers are enjoying one of the best big eye tuna bites in recent memory. This could be a great year for the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament. It’s just around the corner, June 19th – 22nd.  Along with big tuna, boats running south have been finding large gaffer dolphin, and billfish numbers are on the rise.

Sea Bass fisherman are reporting limits of Jumbo’s in short order! Another regulatory success story. Further offshore at the canyons deep-droppers are finding plenty of tilefish and a few snowy grouper along with other bottom dwellers. The Rudee Angler is advertising 17-hour offshore deep dropping trips on Thursdays, June 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th.

OBX, NC

Surf anglers in Hatteras are catching large citation pompano and sea mullet. There has been a good spanish bite near ramps 44 and 45. North of Oregon inlet anglers are catching small trout, spot, sea mullet and bluefish.

The OBX pier report goes like this; Avalon: spanish, bluefish, trout, flounder and mullet. Nags Head: bluefish, mullet, trout, flounder, spanish and red drum. Jennette’s: blues, spanish, puffers, flounder and sea mullet. Outer Banks: sea mullet, spot, trout and bluefish. The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported spot, black drum and trout.

Inshore boats are catching lots of spanish and bluefish with some king mackerel, false albacore and cobia available.

Offshore Boats are catching a lot of larger gaffer dolphin, some yellow fin tuna and lots of citation big eye tuna that are hitting the scales between 100 and 200 pounds.

If you plan to get in on the action … you need to book a VBSF.net sponsor ASAP! The good dates go fast!  

Luke Mooney and a nice Red Drum!

Red and black drum numbers are very good, look for them throughout the lower bay. Anglers have had a lot of success with reds on the shoals near Smith Island. Black drum are also feeding near the eastern shore … both sea-side and bay-side. Another good location to look for them is near the islands of the CBBT.

Large schools of cobia have been cruising the surface along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Anglers have been sight casting to them. Don’t forget our cobia season dosn’t open until June 1st. It’s a catch and release fishery until then, you can’t harvest them before June 1st. Also, each captain or vessel operator must have a Recreational Cobia Permit from the Marine Resources Commission. You can visit an Authorized Agent to obtain a permit. If you plan to charter a boat for a cobia trip … you better book ASAP!

The spanish mackerel season is off to a great start. Look for them along the Virginia Beach oceanfront from Capy Henry to Sandbridge.  Some nice fish have been caught off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier. Croaker and sea mullet are also being caught by pier anglers.

Sheepsheads and spadefish have arrived. Their numbers will increase in the coming weeks. Sheepshead are feeding along the CBBT and spadefish are showing up at the Chesapeake Light Tower, on buoys and at the CBBT. They will become more aggressive feeders as water continues warming.

Trout, flounder and puppy drum are scattered in our local inlets and tidal rivers.

Outta Line, nice Dolphin, plus a White Marlin and Mako release!

Boats running to the canyon for deep dropping are finding plenty of bluefish, tilefish and grouper. Closer to shore, sea bass fishing has also been very good. Some tuna and dolphin are showing up southeast of Rudee Inlet.

OBX, NC

Surf fishing on the northern beaches has been good for sea mullet, trout and bluefish. Anglers fishing Hatteras Island are catching some nice pompano, bluefish, sea mullet and scattered trout.

Soundside anglers are catching trout on the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway. A few have been keepers.

The OBX pier fishing rundown goes like this, Avalon: bluefish, spanish, puffers and trout. Nags Head: sea mullet, bluefish, spanish and trout. Jennette’s: blues, a few spanish. Outer Banks: blues and sea mullet.

Boats fishing inshore are finding lots of spanish, bluefish cobia and red drum. Those fishing inside the inlet are finding trout … and sheepshead under bridges.

The offshore fleet has been catching limits of large gaffer dolphin. Yellow fin tuna, big-eye tuna, blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish are in the mix. Sharks are making it difficult to land the tuna.

The Hatteras Village Offshore Open is underway!

The black sea bass season reopened May 15th and runs through 31st. The bite has been very good; with several boats catching limits of jumbos. The Triangle Reef is a popular spot. Sea bass will bite squid, crab, fresh cut fish, clam strips, shrimp or diamond jigs.

The spring black drum bite has been excellent. The best action is coming from Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where fish are being caught seaside and bayside. Some have topped 70 pounds, but the 20 to 25 ponders are best for the table. Whole clam, peeler crab, whelk, peeler crab/clam sandwich, buck tails and lead head jigs are all good baits.

Red drum are in their usual spots and now cobia have joined them. This week a couple of boats caught both. Cobia will hit just about anything you put in front of them. Live eels, spot, menhaden, mullet, large spoons, white buck tails, plastic eels, swimming plugs or cut bait. Look for them around buoys and other structure, like the islands and pylons of the CBBT.

Sheepshead are feeding on crustacean clinging to the CBBT pylons. They can be caught by fishing fiddler crabs, mole crabs or clam tight against the structure. Some large fish in the 12-pound range have been caught.

Flounder fishing inside Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets is picking up, some nice keepers have been caught. After a good start to the Eastern Shore flounder season things have slowed a bit. Most fish are in the 15 to 18 inch range; larger fish are rear. The best flounder baits are buck tails dressed with a Gulp or a minnow/squid sandwiches fished on a Sea Striker Fluke Killer.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught along the oceanfront. They will hit very small spoons like the 0S Drone or Clark pulled behind a small plainer.

Virginia Beach Pier anglers are catching nice spanish, blues, roundhead and keeper trout.

OBX, NC

Surf anglers are catching, bluefish, spanish mackerel, roundhead. Down in Avon and Hatteras some pompano. A couple of citation drum were beached near ramp 45.

Those fishing from the little bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway are catching lots of small trout, but few keepers.

The OBX pier rundown sounds like this. Avalon: blues, spanish, mullet and speckled trout. Nags Head: spanish, trout, blues and flounder. Jennette’s: bluefish and triggers.  Outer Banks: bluefish and spanish.

Inshore Boats are catching trout and sheepshead inside Oregon Inlet and spanish and bluefish near shore.

The offshore fleet is catching lots of mahi, some wahoo, blackfin tuna and a few blue marlin. The Hatteras Village Offshore Open is underway and several large blue marlins have been weighed. Pirates Cove has weighed some blues as well.

Spanish off Virginia Beach, Knot Wish’n Charters

Bluefish and spanish mackerel numbers are on the rise along the Virginia Beach oceanfront; Virginia Beach Pier anglers caught both this week …. Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle says bluefish have also entered Lynnhaven inlet …. Try trolling or casting to schools near inlets, along tide lines and over coastal wrecks in the lower Bay. So far the fish are averaging between 1 and 5 pounds. The VA state record bluefish is 25 pounds, 4 ounces and was caught at Bluefish Rock in the Bay in 1986 by Gayle E. Cozzens. And the record spanish is 9 pounds, 13 ounces and was landed off the Virginia Beach oceanfront in 1993 by Everett Cameron.

Large schools of red drum continue to migrate along the coast on their way to the Chesapeake Bay. Another large school was reported off the Virginia coast this week, anglers were able to sight-cast them. But your best chance at landing one of these beast is to anchor up near the shoals at the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Black drum are still a good possibility in the same area. Released red or black drum measuring 46 inches or more qualify you for a Virginia State citation award.

Our upcoming cobia season should be a very good one. Large schools are migrating along the OBX on their way to the Bay right now. Anglers to our south have been sight-casting cobia and drum swimming together.

Now that our nighttime air temperatures are remaining above 60 degrees the inshore flounder bite is starting … it’s off to a good start with most of the big fish coming from the inlets and tidal marshes on the Eastern Shore barrier islands. Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle is reporting flounder catches inside Lynnhaven Inlet and Knot Wish’n charters have picked up a few flounder inside Rudee Inlet as well. Generally large baits catch larger fish. The Virginia state record flatfish is 17 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 1971 by C.E. Cross.

Sheepsheads are arriving the Bridge Tunnel daily. Their numbers will peak in June and they will hang around until September. They love fiddler crabs, sand fleas or clams fished up against the pylons. Most fish are in the 3 to 8 pound class, but the state record is 20 pounds, 12 ounces. It was caught under the Seagull Fishing Pier, on the CBBT by Arun Nhek in 2005. The Sea Gull Fishing Pier was closed for bridge construction. The last I heard, they plan to reopen it around 2023.

Speckled trout are scattered along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, ocean and soundside  … and in the marshes along the lower Chesapeake Bay and on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Look for them in the surf and inside inlets near marshes.

Spadefish should start showing anytime now. The good bite will occur in June. They will be available all summer.

The tautog season closes the 15th. Better hurry!

Deep dropping on the Rudee Angler

The sea bass season reopens from May 15^th to the 31^st. Then it reopens again June 22^nd and runs through the end of the year. Deep-droppers are finding plenty of tilefish and a few snowy grouper along with other bottom dwellers. The Rudee Angler is advertising 17-hour offshore deep dropping trips May 18th, 23rd and 30th.

Boats running offshore to the south are finding some yellow fin tuna and dolphin.

OBX, NC

Sea mullet, bluefish, spanish, blow toads and a few trout are being caught in the OBX surf. Anglers fishing the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causway are catching trout. The OBX pier rundown goes like this; Avalon: bluefish. Nags Head: bluefish and a couple of spanish. Jennette’s: bluefish. Outer Banks: bluefish.

Inshore boats fishing around Oregon Inlet are finding bluefish and sheepshead. Sound side fishing for trout is good.

Offshore bluewater anglers are catching yellow fin tuna, dolphin (mahi mahi) and some king mackerel. Billfish are starting to show up.

Book your charter as ASAP …… the good dates go fast ….  CHARTERS

Some nice speckled trout have been caught between Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet NC this week. Scott Horton caught this nice one in Rudee inlet a couple of days ago.

The first red and black drum of the season arrived on the Virginia shoals a couple of weeks ago, and there’s more on the way. Massive schools of drum and cobia are migrating together along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Most of these fish will enter the Chesapeake Bay… soon! If you would like a chance at encountering one of these schools and get in on some world-class fishing, now might be the time.  No boat? … You need to contact a charter captain ASAP and pick a date.

Bluefish are feeding up and down OBX beaches … and are now in Virginia Beach waters. Some really nice sized fish, to 35 inches were landed in the Carolina surf. Spanish mackerel can’t be far behind! The tidal rips east of the CBBT should soon be a great place to hook up with both.

Flounder catches continue improving as our water temps warm, especially around Wachapreague and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. Flounder are also showing up in our local inlets (Rudee, Lynnhaven, Little Creek) and along the CBBT.

Sheepshead to 10 pounds have already been caught in the bay.

Tautog action continues to be good, especially on ocean wrecks. Catches along the CBBT and on Bay structure are improving. There are only a few more days left in the Virginia season, it closes May 15th.

The Virginia Beach pier has been catching some spot, roundheads, gray trout and small blues.

The Rudee Angler is advertising 17-hour offshore deep dropping trips for May 11th, 18th, 23rd and 30th. These trips usually catch black sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black belly rose fish and spiny dogfish. You need to call their booking desk to confirm these dates.

OBX, NC

Surf anglers are catching sea mullet near ramps 48 and 38. At the Point anglers are catching blues on metal spoons. South on the Point anglers have caught blues, spanish, citation drum, citation black drum and pompano.

Anglers on the northern beaches are finding croaker, spot, sea mullet and bluefish.

Those fishing from the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway are doing very well with trout.

The OBX pier rundown sounds like this. Avalon pier, bluefish, sea mullet and skate. Nags Head pier, mullet, bluefish, and trout. Jennette’s pier, bluefish, croaker, sea mullet and spot. Outer Banks pier, bluefish and spot.

Inshore boats are catching loads of bluefish and May 1st they encountered large schools of black drum, red drum and cobia.

Offshore boats are catching dolphin, yellowfin tuna, big eye tuna, black fin tuna and wahoo.

Tautog fishing remains good to excellent. Look for them around underwater obstructions like wrecks, reefs, rocks and the pylons of the CBBT. Captain Craig Paige and crew on the Paige II enjoyed good tog action this week (above). The Virginia season closes May 15th, so you need to go ASAP! The taugtog state record was set in 2012, a 24 lbs 3 oz fish caught by Ken Neill.

Flounder, speckled trout and bluefish are starting to bite inside local inlets. There were nice keeper size specks caught in Rudee Inlet this week. The best flounder catches are still coming from Wachapreague, Oyster and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. A few flounder have been caught along the CBBT. Numbers will continue to improve as the water warms.

Sheepshead are already being caught 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.

Red drum are on the shoals at the mouth of the bay, Latimer Shoal and the shallow bar near the north end of the CBBT. Next month as the water warms and the number of fish increases, anglers will begin having success sight casting near the islands of the CBBT.

Black Drum are still 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.

Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching some blues, trout, small black drum, roundheads and a few spots and skates.

Virginia offshore anglers are catching  sea bass, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black belly rose fish and dogfish sharks. Make sure to keep up with seasonal regulations for each. In May the Rudee Angler (headboat) starts offering 17-hour deep drop trips on weekends. You need to book early.

OBX, NC

Hatteras surf anglers are catching mostly sea mullet, sharks and blow toads. They are still picking up a few citation red drum at The Point in Buxton along with some puppy drum. There have been some very nice pompano caught in the surf to the south, I look for a good pompano season on Hatteras Island this year. Anglers fishing north of Oregon Inlet are catching sea mullet, trout and puppy drum.

The yellow fin tuna bite off Oregon Inlet remains very good and now you can add mahi mahi to the list. Captains are finding a nice class of fish with a few gaffers in the mix.

The charter boat Rock Solid ran across some cobia on the ride in from offshore. They were able to land the first reported cobia at the OI Fishing Center this year.

Fishing out of Hatteras Inlet, anglers are enjoying excellent mahi mahi and black fin tuna fishing. The wahoo and yellowfin tuna bite was scattered this week. Inshore anglers are finding bluefish and spanish mackerel. Spanish mackerel numbers are on the rise.

Red drum averaging 25-50 lbs are showing up on the shoals at the mouth of the bay. Latimer Shoal and the shallow water near the northern section of the CBBT are good spots. Their numbers will continue increasing into May and action will peak in early June. Trolling spoons like 3 1/2 Drones or similar, over and around the shallows or anchoring on top of the shoal and setting out lines are the best methods. When anchored use  7/0 or 8/0 long shank hooks with peeler crabs. Short shank hooks or circle hooks work well with cut baits like fresh spot and menhaden.

Black Drum are being caught along the shallow channel ledge running from Fisherman’s Island to north of Cape Charles. Good spots are Kiptopeake, the Cabbage Patch, the Concrete Ships, as well as the highrise and 2nd & 3rd Islands of CBBT. Running tides, late afternoons and evenings and full moons are considered the best time to fish for them. Whole clam, peeler crab, whelk or a combination is the best bait. The average size Virginia black drum is 40 to 60 pounds, but they can easily top 100 pounds.

Flounder numbers are on the rise in seaside inlets. Some nice catches are coming from Wachapreague and Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore. Drift fishing with live minnows, or fresh strip baits fished behind bucktails are a good choice. Live spot or small mullet are best for big fish in deep water around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The average size flounder in Virginia is 1 to 3 pounds, but the state record is a whopping 17 pounds, 8 ounces. It was caught at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

A few speckled trout and bluefish have been reported in Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. Numbers should increase.

Tautog fishing remains excellent. Look for them around underwater obstructions, wrecks, reefs and rocks. Many anglers like to pylon hop along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Blue crabs or fiddler crabs are the best bait, but some are caught using clam or whelk. The average size tog is 3 to 6 pounds, but in Virginia large ones can top 20 pounds.

OBX, NC

There was an impressive red drum bite at the Point in Buxton last week. Many citations were beached and one day the bite lasted all day, with more than 30 citations registered at local tackle shops. Anglers fishing near ramp 43 and 55 caught puppy drum. Bluefish, sharks, and blow toads are everywhere. There have been plenty of sea mullet near ramp 43 and some nice flounder were taken near ramp 55.

Offshore out of Oregon Inlet the tuna bite has been red hot, plenty of yellowfin tuna. Mahi numbers are increasing. Down in Hatteras there has been an excellent wahoo bite and they are still catching lots of nice sized black fin tuna over the rocks.

Inshore boats are catching albacore and bluefish.

Knot Wish’n Charters, Rudee Inlet

The first black drum were landed in the surf on Virginia’s eastern shore last week. Look for good catches to develop bayside near the Cabbage Patch, the Concrete Ships, near Buoy 13, the high rise of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, around 36A and off of Cape Charles. Best baits are clam and crab used separately or together.

Bay water temperature at the CBBT has reached the upper 50’s. Red drum usually show up by the time it hits 60 ….. and big red drum reports are already coming in! Their numbers will peak in May. Look for them around the islands, on the shoals at the mouth of the bay, Latimer Shoal, the shallows and near the northern end of the CBBT.

Flounder are starting to show up inshore. The best early season action usually occurs in the seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore. A few short flatties have been caught inside Rudee Inlet already. Remember large baits catch large flonder.

Some trout have been caught inside Rudee Inlet. Captain Todd and crew on the Knot Wish’n landed a couple this week. Captain Todd said the water temperature inside Rudee is 60F now.

Rudee’s Inlet Station Marina, 17 1/2 pounds!

Tautog fishing remains good. Look for them around structure like the CBBT, Back River Reef, the Cell, Tower Reef, the Concrete Ships, Cape Henry Wreck, the Santore, the Winthrop, and the Triangle Wrecks. Best baits are crab, clam or a combination.

OBX, NC

Bluefish, sea mullet and blow toads are scattered along Hatteras Island beaches. A few big drum and large sharks have been caught at the point.

The piers are catching blow toads, shad, trout and bluefish.

Nate Howard and crew from Virginia Beach, with Release Sport Fishing Hatteras, NC

Offshore, captains sailing from Oregon Inlet are finding plenty of hungry yellow fin tuna … and dolphin numbers are on the rise. Down in Hatteras boats are catching LARGE black fin tuna over the offshore rocks. Sharks have been a problem, taking many fish before they can be boxed.

With the water temperature at Thimble Shoal now at 50.9F black drum are starting to show up in their usual haunts along the bayside of the Eastern Shore. Good locations are the Cabbage Patch, near the Concrete Ships, Buoy 13, near the high rise of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, around 36A and off of Cape Charles. Look for boats anchored close together in these areas. Best baits are clam and crab, used separately or together on the same hook.

Our tautog bite continues. Look for them 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.

OBX, NC

A few red drum are being caught at The Point in Buxton, near ramps 48 and 55. There are plenty of sharks and skates around. Blow toads and sea mullet are scattered up and down the beaches. Some sheepshead and black drum have also been landed in the Buxton surf. There are reports of puppy drum being caught in the surf as far north as Nags Head, in the Jennette’s pier area.

The Oregon Inlet fleet is continuing to enjoy good yellow fin tuna catches. Out of Hatteras black fin tuna jigging has been hit and miss. Some captains have turned to bottom fishing. They are finding hungry sea bass and some nice triggerfish. They have also picked up some king mackerel and a few wahoo.

Striped Bass Concerns

Concerns about the striped bass stock has prompted Virginia Marine Resources Commission staff to urge for emergency action to eliminate the state’s Spring Trophy-size striper season in the Bay, coastal waters and Potomac River tributaries.

VMCR release, “On April 23, 2019, the Marine Resources Commission will consider an emergency staff proposal to eliminate the Bay, Coastal and Potomac River Tributaries Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fisheries described in Chapter 4 VAC 20-252-10 et seq. The justifications for this proposal include the status of the coastal striped bass stock that is overfished. This means the spawning stock is low and not biologically stable. Overfishing has been occurring for several years meaning the rate of striped bass removals from the stock has caused an overfished condition. The number of striped bass harvested recreationally by Virginia fisheries has declined markedly since 2010 when 368 thousand striped bass were harvested from all tidal Virginia waters. In 2018, preliminary recreational striped bass harvest is less than 52 thousand fish. The reporting rate for the trophy-size recreational striped bass fisheries has been low and ranged from 37 percent to 50 percent, from 2015 through 2018. All these factors have contributed to the staff proposal for these emergency actions, and section § 28.2-210 of the Code of Virginia authorizes these amendments for the protection of the striped bass resource.The emergency amendments proposed by staff include:1) elimination of the open season for the Bay spring trophy-size striped bass recreational fishery of May 1 through June 15, inclusive, whereby a 36-inch minimum size limit has been in effect; 2) elimination of the open season for the Coastal spring trophy-size striped bass recreational fishery of May 1 through May 15, inclusive, whereby a 36-inch minimum size limit has been in effect; and, 3) elimination of the open season for the Potomac River tributaries spring striped bass recreational fishery of April 20 through May 15, inclusive, whereby a 35 inch minimum size limit is in effect.Staff proposes an effective date of April 29, 2019 for the emergency regulation. If the Commission adopts the emergency regulation, a public hearing on this issue would be requested for May 28, 2019.”

Wes Blow

As water temperatures rise our tautog bite is picking up.  The water temperature is up to 49.1 degrees at Thimbles Shoals. Ocean wrecks usually produced first, but now the bite has moved into the bay. 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. Wes Blow and Captain Craig Paige (Paige II Charters) both got in on the action this week.

Paige II Charters

Down on the Outer Banks of North Carolina red drum have been caught at the point and near ramps 48 and 55 in Buxton.  As many as ten per day have been reported to local tackle shops. There are plenty of sharks and skates around. Blow toads and sea mullet are scattered up and down the beaches.

The Oregon Inlet fleet has been returning to docks with limits of yellow fin and now a few mahi are in the mix. There continues to be some giant blue fin around.

The Sea Breeze, with Captain Ned Ashby

It may be the slow saltwater season in Virginia … but it’s a great time to pull the cover off the boat and get things ready to go. Anglers have been hitting local flea markets and tackle shops for fresh line or a new reel or two.

It’s a different story in North Carolina. Things are really picking up offshore on the OBX’s …  March is tuna time! … There has been an outstanding blue fin tuna bit off Oregon Inlet. The commercial guys did well and now the charters are collecting their one per year limit. Anglers from around the world show up to charter and take advantage of the limit. The yellow fin and black fin tuna bite is also picking up, limits have been caught recently. Some large mako sharks (in the 300 lb class) have crashed baits as well.

The short Virginia black sea bass season has ended and lots of scientific data was collected. Don’t forget, if you were issues a special permit you must report even if you didn’t catch or fish. If you don’t you may not be eligible to participate next year. March 15th is the deadline for reporting your activities under this permit. Reports can be conveniently reported through the online Virginia Saltwater Journal (https://www.vasaltwaterjournal.com).

Virginia anglers have lots to look forward to over the coming weeks. By the end of March we should be enjoying some good tautog action. Atlantic mackerel will also be available. Local charter captains are taking advance booking for 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.

Lots to look forward to!