By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle)

September is just around the corner! And that’s peak fishing in Virginia!

The offshore waters will load up with white marlin. The whites school up off the Virginia coast until the first good autumn blow, or until a tropical storm stirs the cooler water to the surface and off they go. But until then the fishing will be outstanding. Many days charter boat outriggers will look like laundry lines as they return to port.

Our local offshore tournaments are currently underway. After some brutal offshore 20-30 knot winds at the canyons, things improved Friday for the Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament. 167 billfish were recorded Friday. The Katherine Anne boated a blue marlin. The 63” Paul Spencer is owned by local Brad Wachowiak and Captained by Daniel Davis. That blue weighed in at 440 pounds. Saturday is the finale day. We’ll list the results next report.

Inshore, spot are becoming numerous throughout the bay and its tributaries. Spot fishing for the big yellow bellies should peak mid September. Small to medium croakers are available all over the bay.

The spadefish bite is slowing while the sheepshead bite picks up.

Spanish mackerel and small bluefish are plentiful along tide rips and along the oceanfront. There are a few kings around. Paul McCallum picked up a nice 47 pond king while chumming off sandbridge.

Cobia and big red drum action continues and should peak in September.

Some doormat flounder are being caught; the lager flounder seem to be coming from ocean structure.

Tarpon are still inside Eastern Shore seaside inlets.

Spanish Mackerel Season Is Peaking

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle)

Only a few more days remain until school starts and the college football season kicks off.  As the end of  summer approaches, GREAT opportunities continue for local anglers! In fact some of the best fishing of the year is happening …. now!

Lots of Spanish mackerel and taylor bluefish are feeding in Chesapeake Bay tidal rips near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The spanish mackerel fishing has also been especially good along the oceanfront near sandbridge where there have also been reports of some nice kings! …. Keep an eye out for cobia,  the brown suites are hanging around the same areas.

Spadefish and sheepshead are on Chesapeake Bay structure.

Some nice flounder have been caught, the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament recently registered a 10-pound 4-ounce flatly, caught inside Lynnhaven Inlet. Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets are also holding some speckled trout, puppy drum and large bluefish.

Dr Ken Neil and a nice 50-inch cobia

Cobia and big red drum catches remain good. Both are on the shoals over on the Eastern Shore. Croaker, sea mullet and flounder are in Eastern Shore seaside inlets and on the bayside as well. Tarpon are being caught in their usual Eastern Shore holes.

Croaker are available throughout the lower bay and more small spot are starting to show. Look for spot and croaker sizes to increase as September approaches.

The coastal wrecks are holding flounder, spadefish, triggerfish, sea bass and sandtiger sharks.

Pier and surf anglers are finding sea mullet, pompano, spadefish, small flounder, and a few spanish mackerel. Cobia and red drum are a possibility.

Offshore billfish action is heating up just in time for the local tournament season. Mahi mahi are being found around inshore seamounts like the hot dog and a few wahoo are being caught along with an occasional tuna. Swordfish are available to those targeting them.

There should be plenty of amberjack holding on the Chesapeake light tower and south tower. Deep-droppers are finding excellent numbers of both golden and blueline tilefish, along with sea bass.

Great Spadefish Action On Knot Wish’n Charters

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle)

The weather finally gave us a break and anglers taking advantage were rewarded! Those fishing the lower Chesapeake Bay found plenty of sheepshead along the CBBT. Spadefish are on just about all structure. Nice Spanish mackerel are feeding in the tide rips. Big red drum, cobia, croaker and small spot are all available throughout the lower bay.

Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets are producing some speckled trout and puppy drum. Look for feeding bluefish to invade at anytime.

Paige II Charters On The Flounder!

The coastal wrecks are holding sea bass, flounder, triggerfish and spadefish. Spanish mackerel fishing is very good along the oceanfront.

Eastern shore anglers are finding croaker and flounder inside the seaside inlets. Tarpon are in the deeper holes. The shoals are producing big red drum and cobia.

Offshore Deep-droppers are finding excellent numbers of both golden and blueline tilefish, along with sea bass.

Mahi-mahi tops offshore trolling action. Billfish and wahoo numbers are on the rise just in time for local tournaments! We have a great lineup of big money tournaments ready to roll! The Virginia Beach Invitational Marlin Tournament just wrapped up. Next is the 45th annual White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, Md. This is the biggest billfish tournament on the East Coast. Teams can fish out of Virginia Inlets and points north, but must return to Ocean City if they have a fish to weigh. Then comes the 29th annual Alice Kelly Memorial women’s only event out of Pirate’s Cove Aug. 11-12 followed by the 35th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament Aug. 13-17. After that the parties move to Rudee Inlet. The 16th annual Wine, Women and Fishing women’s only event falls on Aug. 17-19, followed by 15th annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament Aug. 22-25. Even if you are not participating these are great events to checkout. Hundreds gather at the scales each evening to watch the Weigh-ins.

Knot Wish’n Charters

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle)

The weather hasn’t been our friend recently. The rainy breezy conditions have slowed fishing activity.

There are plenty of cobia around but they are hard to spot in choppy, overcast conditions. Chumming was the most effective method last week. A few nice fish were reported, some topping 50 pounds.

Flounder action remains excellent on ocean wrecks. Flounder are also in the bay and in local inlets. Look for them around structure and on rough bottom. Remember, big baits for big flounder.

There are plenty of spadefish hanging around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and The Cell. Sheephead are also hanging around the bridge.

Some really large red drum are in the area. Anglers fishing at night are having good success.

Boats trolling the oceanfront have been catching limits of spanish mackerel.

Pier anglers are enjoying typical summertime action, spot, croaker, flounder and trout.

Before the weather went downhill the offshore mahi-mahi fishing was excellent. Overnight charters had been returning with mahi, tilefish and seabass. Billfish action is heating up with the Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament fast approaching August 22-25.

Paige II Charters

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle)

Flounder catches are on the rise! They’re being boated along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and on rough bottom in the Bay. Many of the larger fish are being taken around near-shore wrecks and artificial reefs. Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets are also holding flounder, along with speckled trout and puppy drum. Captain Craig Paige, Paige II charters enjoyed impressive flounder catches last week.

Cobia are being found throughout the lower Bay. Both sight-casters and angler anchoring and chumming are catching, some fish have topped 70 pounds. Remember the 2018 Virginia recreational cobia regulations. A 40-inch, total length, minimum size limit; 1-fish daily possession limit or 3-fish-daily vessel limit, whichever is more restrictive; only one fish per vessel per day may be greater than 50 inches in total length; the season runs through September 30. All anglers, captains, and guides fishing for cobia must obtain a Recreational Cobia Permit from the Commission and report all harvest and cobia fishing activity. Permits can be obtained online here ,

Red drum remain plentiful on the shoals at the mouth of the bay. Occasionally anglers have encountered large schools on the surface.

Sheepshead are hanging around the pilling of the CBBT now. Small crabs are your best bait. Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle usually has them in the live tank.

Spadefish remain plentiful. Look for them around buoys, pilings and over wrecks. The Chesapeake Light tower is a favorite spot but some of the larger fish are being found in the Bay, at the Cell near Cape Charles.

Boats trolling the oceanfront off Sandbridge are catching limits of Spanish mackerel. Anglers working coastal wrecks are catching lots of triggerfish.

Croaker are available throughout the lower bay now. Virginia piers are reporting croaker, sea mullet, pompano, spadefish, flounder and a few spanish mackerel and cobia.

The Eastern Shore shallows are holding some tarpon. Catching a tarpon in Virginia waters is special.

The offshore fleet has been finding good numbers of white marlin and a few blue marlin and sailfish. Mahi-mahi numbers are good but our tuna bite is almost non extant.

Deep-droppers are enjoying excellent catches of golden and blueline tilefish, along with sea bass.

Look for amberjack around the south tower.

Ryan Rainville and buddy with a couple of Cobia

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour

Cobia Cobia Cobia! Just in time for the Monarch Cobia Classic! There’s lots of big ones in the lower bay, some topping 70 pounds! Anglers are chumming up fish and then using live eels or croaker as bait. Some of the best action is coming from York Spit and the Windmill Bar area.

There’s still plenty of large red drum around. Occasionally sight casters are finding schools on the surface and casting to them. Others are being caught using live bait while anchored up. And flounder anglers drifting live bait are catching some as well.

Our flounder fishing has picked up and a larger class fish is available. Ocean wrecks have been holding the biggest fish. Drifting live baits or jigging wrecks or the pilings of the CBBT with buck tails tipped with cut bait or Gulps has been doing the trick. Robert A. Bradshaw JR. caught a 9 lbs 4 fish jigging at the CBBT to take the lead in the Virginia Saltwater Citation Tournament.

Large spadefish are here again! For the past couple of years the size had been decreasing but this year anglers are landing nice fish in the 7 to 8 pound class. Spades can’t resist clam bits floated in front of them.

Spanish Mackerel are available along the oceanfront and in the lower bay.

Croaker, spot, and white perch are available in the rivers and estuary feeding the Bay. Cobia, flounder, speckled trout, are a possibility in the same area.

Offshore anglers are catching mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, white marlin, blue marlin and spearfish. Deep dropping remains good for blueline tilefish, black bellied rosefish and golden tilefish.

There should be good amberjack action around the south tower.

Nice flounder for Paige II Charters

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour

Doormat flounder have arrived in the lower Bay. Large flounder are also being caught around seaside wrecks. Remember when fishing for flounder the general rule is large baits attract large fish.

The coastal wrecks are also holding sea bass and triggerfish.

Spadefish and sheepshead are holding on structure. The spadefish can be spotted around buoys, over wrecks or near the tower. They like fresh clam strips floated in front of them. Sheepshead hang around bridge pilings and jetties, they prefer small crabs.

Spanish mackerel are in the area. Look for them along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Most are caught slow trolling small spoons behind a planer or inline sinker. Remember the clearer the water, the longer your leader should be and the larger your sinker or planer, the longer your leader.

Cobia and big red drum are available along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. A favorite place to look for drum is on the Eastern Shore shoals. Anglers are finding cobia throughout the lower bay. Check around all the buoys, cobia love to hang close by. Don’t forget the Monarch Cobia Classic is coming up July 19-21. In addition to being a fun tournament, fishery scientists will be gathering information to further increase our understanding of cobia and Virginia’s cobia fishery.

Offshore, tuna continue to be caught at the canyons but the hot bite is for mahi-mahi. Lots of mahi have made there way up from the south. Last week a potential new world record mahi-mahi weighing 72 pounds, 14 ounces was caught off Hatteras by angler Lucas Duke age 14. If approved his catch will qualify for the Male Junior world record and potentially a line class world record depending on the tackle used.

Deep dropping remains good for blueline tilefish, black bellied rosefish and golden tilefish. There should be good amberjack action around the south tower.

Justin Wilson and crew had a nice day on tile fish!

Flounder activity is improving, some nice fish have been caught on inshore and ocean wrecks. There has also been an upswing in flounder catches at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, but the wrecks have been much more consistent. Sea bass are also on coastal wrecks.

Sheepshead and spadefish are around structures like the CBBT, the tower and buoys. Fresh clams are the key to success.

Croakers are being encountered throughout the bay.

Spanish Mackerel are along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and their numbers are on the increase inside the bay.

There is a tremendous number of small cobia in the bay with enough larger fish around to keep things very interesting. Don’t forget the Monarch Cobia Classic coming up on July 19th.

Big red drum continue to be caught on the eastern shore shoals and tarpon are now a possibly in their usual holes.

Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets have been known to produce speckled trout at this time.

The North Carolina Outer Banks surf is producing sea mullet, pompano, and bluefish.

Offshore, the tuna bite has been a little slow at Norfolk Canyon lately, the best action has been up around the Washington Canyon. Dolphin fishing is good at the Norfolk Canyon and a number of both white and blue marlins have been caught. There’s scattered grass lines at 50 fathoms loaded with dolphin.

Oregon Inlet NC boats have been finding some yellow fin and big eye tuna but mostly dolphin these days.

Look for amberjack at the towers.

Deep dropping is excellent for tilefish and the occasional grouper.

With the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament playing out over the weekend 97 boats turned their attention to tuna.  Here are the tournament results from their website. First place went to Reel Emotion with 172.4 lbs, second to Wired Up with 160.2 lbs and third went to Reelin’ N’ Dealin’ with 154.8 lbs.

Largest single tuna was caught by team Reelin N Dealin at 104.9 lbs. The largest wahoo was caught by team Le Grande Slam II and weighed in at 23.0 lbs. And the largest mahi went to team Rebel at at 21.3 lbs. Congratulation to all!

VBTT LEADER BOARD 

Golden Tilefish on the Rudee Angler!

Along with the good offshore tuna fishing mahi numbers are on the rise and billfish numbers should follow. Bottom fishing remains good for tilefish and grouper.  Amberjack have arrived at the southern towers.

Inshore a few nice flounder are being taken inside the lower bay now. Spanish mackerel, cobia and schools of red drum are being encountered along the oceanfront and on the bay. There should be some king mackerel available near shore. The cobia and red drum hot spot seems to be the eastern shore shoals. Sheepshead are holding on structure and the spadefish are at the Chesapeake Light Tower and over most all wrecks.

Down in Carolina, OBX surf anglers are catching sea mullet, pompano, spanish and bluefish. Soundside fishermen are catching trout and spot. The OBX pier reports go like this, Avalon: spanish early and sea mullet. Nags Head: spanish. Jennette’s: spanish, flounder and spades. Outer Banks: trout, sea mullet, flounder, black drum and taylor blues.

Inshore boats are having good luck with ribbon fish, spanish, bluefish and amberjack.

Offshore Captains are enjoying outstanding catches of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo and mahi.

By TH Spangler | Connie Barbour

There are plenty of options for Virginia saltwater anglers at this time of year!

The spadefish and sheepshead are on structure now. Most of the big spades are coming from the Chesapeake Light Tower, an 11-pound fish was weighed in this week. 9 pounds is the minimum size for a state trophy recognition citation. The sheepshead are hanging around bridge pilings. Look for both these fish to thicken up at the Bay Bridge Tunnel and The Cell.

Red drum and cobia are available through out the lower bay. The cobia action is outstanding. They are being caught from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Windmill Point. Catches have also been made along the oceanfront, in the surf and on the Buckroe Pier. Anglers are chumming and sight casting, but sight casting seems to be how most fish are encountered. There should be plenty of cobia around for the Monarch Cobia Classic.

Schools of Red Drum are being spotted while searching for Cobia. Anglers fishing the bottom with cut bait are picking up the drum as well. The area around the Bridge Tunnel Islands and the Eastern Shore shoals are hot spots.

Flounder action is picking up inside the bay. Large flounder are showing up near the bridge tunnel. An 8-pound fish was weighed last week. There have been some catches coming from inside Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets as well.

Speckled Trout catches are on the rise. Gulp baits and paddle-tailed plastics are producing best. But top water baits seem to be producing  a larger class fish.

Anglers trolling the oceanfront are catching spanish mackerel and encountering cobia and red drum.

Virginia’s offshore tuna action has picked up just in time for the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament. Yellowfin and bigeye tuna catches are showing up on local docks. To the south boats have found tuna busting on the surface and were able to catch them by casting. There have been some good tuna catches reported to our north, by boats fishing from Ocean City, MD. So now Virginia captains will have to decide which way to run each morning. Dolphin are available and our first billfish have been caught.

Offshore bottom fishing remains good. Some of the VBSF charter sponsors run these trip on request. The Rudee Angler has been running trips. You need to book early!

The OBX/Hatteras surf is providing pompano, bluefish, and sea mullet. There has been some large sharks landed in the Nags Head and Hatteras surf.