Reports

Aug 29 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

August 29, 2022

Paige II Charters

Flounder catches have been excellent along the coast and throughout the lower bay. Look for them around the CBBT pilons, near the rocks that cover the tunnels and around coastal reefs and wrecks. Brian Hostetter weighted a 6 lb. 1 oz. 25 inch flounder at Long Bay Pointe. Captain Craig Paige, Paige II Charters has been putting his guest on flounder recently.

Dr Ken Neill

Sheepshead are still plentiful at the CBBT. Long Bay Pointe registered several citations, Jayla Caraco 11 lb, Melissa Fichter 11 lb. 14 oz and Enrique Olivar 10 lb. 3 oz.

Cobia are on the move and offering top water action. William Buckley registered a 51″, Chris Bailey a 57″, Jimmy Shaddeau 59″ and Steve Jaffe 54″.

Big red drum are still roaming about the lower Bay and around the shoals of the barrier islands. Chris Bailey registered a 48″ release, Ben Boudaoud 47″ and 49″ releases and Wayne C. Merricks a 52″ release.

High Hopes Sportfishing

Spanish mackerel and ribbonfish trolling remains productive for charter boats.

Buoys and wrecks are holding triggerfish and spadefish

Speckled trout, puppy drum, spot and croacker are inside the inlets.

September is Virginia’s peak king mackerel season. Smoker kings have already been landed.

The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier reports roundheads, spot, blues, a few Spanish and flounder.

The 19th Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament was held over the weekend. A total of 84 teams competed in the invitational charity event. This year’s winner was the boat Cuttin’ Up, captain Nick Jones with a 612.5 lb. blue marlin. Second place went to the Sea Toy, captain Bull Tolson. Third went to the Weldor’s Ark, captain Dale Britt. Fourth to the Quick Sweep, captain Jimmy Werling. And fifth to the Mister Pete, captain Alan Neiford.

https://vbbt.com/2022/08/head-shot/

Starting next month, throughout the fall, fishing reports will be published twice each month. But be sure to check in more often, because we will post breaking news and trophy fish reports as soon as they come in.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/08/29/virginia-beach-fishing-report-34/

Aug 22 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

August 22, 2022

Kings are showing!

Our fall fishing pattern is right around the corner, but don’t dismiss the summer favorites yet. Intercepting them as they prepare to depart can provide great action.

The most exciting news at the oceanfront is the start of what is hopefully an incredible king mackerel run. September is Virginia’s peak king mackerel season. Smoker kings have already been landed.

Ribbonfish

Spanish mackerel, bluefish and ribbonfish trolling remains productive. The spanish mackerel are still chasing trolled spoons off the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

Cobia will prepare to head south soon and offer outstanding top water action as they do. Several boats reported cobia exceeding 50-pounds last week. The Virginia cobia season closes September 15th. Don’t forget your VMRC reporting requirements.

Slot Red Drum

Big red drum are still roaming about the lower Bay and around the shoals of the barrier islands. It is time for reds to begin showing more around the artificial islands of the CBBT. Fresh cut bait and live bait work well for this area. A northerly blow in September will jump start some drum surf fishing action.

Flounder catches are improving along the coast and throughout the lower bay. Look for them around the CBBT pilons, near the rocks that cover the tunnels and around coastal reefs and wrecks. Many are caught around the jetties at Rudee and Little Creek.

Buoys and wrecks are holding triggerfish and spadefish.

Tagging Specks

Speckled trout, puppy drum, spot and croacker are inside the inlets. Trout are available along the Poquoson Flats and in bay-side creeks of the Eastern Shore.

Surf fisherman and those fishing off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier are catching spot and some croaker, sea mullet, ribbonfish, sand perch and flounder. Red drum, puppy drum, speckled trout and cobia are also a possibility.

Billfish release flags are showing up around Rudee Inlet! The 19th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament is taking place August 24-27. You can follow the action at https://vbbt.com/

Until next week, remember to book a VBSF sponsor and send us your pictures for our next report.

RUDEE INLET CHARTER BOATS

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Aug 15 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

August 15, 2022

Ocean Pearl Charters, Long Bay Pointe Marina

Summer is winding down. Parents and kids have a couple more weeks to enjoy the water before school begins. The vacationing crowds will start to thin out, but not the fish. Good opportunities continue for local anglers.

Paige II Charters

Flounder did not disappoint this week and their numbers and size should get better through September. The CBBT, the Cell, artificial reefs and ocean wrecks are holding fish. Bucktails and strip baits work well, but live spot is best for larger flounder. Pictured is a nice flatfish caught onboard the Paige II with Captain Craig Paige. Craig is one of the best flounder guides in Tidewater.

Spanish mackerel are still available along the oceanfront and in the Bay. Trolling with a Drone or Clark spoon behind an in-line sinker or diving planer works well. Using a surface bird in front of a spoon will attract bites. Anglers trolling larger diving plugs are picking up some monster size ribbon fish in the same areas.

Look for nice king mackerel to show up anytime. They are most likely feeding on the large number of ribbonfish.

Cobia fishing is peaking. Late August through September is best. This is when some of the largest fish seem to be weighed. Many charters are reporting limits. Sight casting with live eels is the most effective method.

Nice little black drum

Red drum are still around but catches of large fish seems to have temporarily slowed. Black drum are being caught in the same areas as the reds. Dr Ken picked a nice little black drum on his last outing.

Spadefish, sheepshead and a few triggerfish are hanging around the CBBT pilings and islands.

Schools of large yellow belly spot will start showing up in local waters soon. They provide great action for families with young anglers. When they are biting you can catch them two at a time as soon as your bait hits bottom. Bloodworms seem to work best but bloodworm flavored fishbites will do the job as well.

The speckled trout bite has picked up slightly in bayside creeks along the Eastern Shore.

We have a winner!

Offshore fishing is good. Anglers are catching tuna, wahoo, dolphin and blue and white marlin. Congratulations to angler Jeremy Duffie and crew of the boat “Billfisher for their 77.5 pound white marlin caught in the Ocean City White Marlin Open. While not a world record fish, the winning payout was! The Billfisher crew took home over $4.5 Million.

The 19th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament is taking place August 24-27. You can follow the action at https://vbbt.com/

Until next week, remember to book a VBSF sponsor and send us your pictures for our next report.

RUDEE INLET CHARTER BOATS

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/08/15/virginia-beach-fishing-report-32/

Aug 09 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Rundown

August 9, 2022

Lots of Chesapeake Bay pompano? Yep, you read that right. Last week, Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle recorded a bunch of citations for pompano caught near the CBBT Islands. Garland Anderson 3lbs 1oz, Robert G. Whitten 3lbs 9oz, Preston Cochran 3lbs 7oz, Kaleb Underwood 2lbs 8oz, Jack Limroth 3lbs 3oz and William Watts Blomdahl 2lbs 4oz.

Dr. Ken Neill

The cobia bite is still red hot and large schools of red drum continue cruising the lower bay. Catch a school on the surface and you can catch and release a bunch.

Spadefish catches are good. Most catches are coming from around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Sheepshead are feeding on the pilings of the Bridge Tunnel.

Ocean Pearl Charters

Spanish mackerel and ribbon fish catches continue to keep the inshore guys and gales busy. Captain Steve Wray and the Ocean Pearl crew was on them last week. It’s almost time for some king mackerel to show up along the oceanfront.

Some nice flounder limits were had this week. Jigged buck tails are producing, but drifting with live bait entices larger fish. The hot spots are along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and near the Cell. There are some keepers inside local inlets as well.

Gray Trout should show in their usual holes over the next few of weeks. Look for larger fish deep near the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and along channel edges. Most grays will be in the four to eight pound range.

The backwaters of the Eastern Shore barrier islands are holding some tarpon.

Speckled trout are in inlets and on grass flats. Topwater action will pick up next month.

We are getting closer to the yellow belly spot run. It usually occurs the end of August or during the first part of September. They love blood worms.

High Hopes Sportfishing

Offshore anglers are finding dolphin, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, blue marlin and white marlin and a few sailfish.

Deep dropping for tilefish has been productive. On a recent trip Captain David Wright and crew onboard the High Hopes caught 6 citation blueline tiles. They also picked up a nice yellowfin tuna and lost a white marlin.

Until next week, remember to book a VBSF sponsor and send us your pictures for our next report.

RUDEE INLET CHARTER BOATS

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/08/09/fishing-report-2/

Aug 02 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

August 2, 2022

This is prime billfish season along the mid-Atlantic coast. White and blue marlin, sailfish, spearfish and swordfish are all available. Dolphin, wahoo and tuna fishing is excellent many days.

The 26th Annual Virginia Beach Open Marlin Tournament was held last week. Congratulation to the winners. Here’s the run down.

1st Place– Sniper

2nd Place– Short Rigger

3rd Place– Freestyle

Top Tuna (65.1)- Sniper

Top Dolphin (16.5)- Mercenaria

Top Wahoo (39.6)- Desperado

Top Lady Angler– Alexise Congdon (Short Rigger)

Now everyone is looking forward to the 19th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament August 24-27 at Rudee Inlet. And to our north, the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland starts Aug 8^th and runs thru the 12^th. The WMO tournament awards prize money for white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin and swordfish. Last year the event drew 444 boats, over 3,500 contestants, and paid out over $9.2 million dollars in prize money including the top individual awards of $3.2 million. Good luck to all the Virginia Beach crews fishing the Open.

cobia

Inshore, outstanding cobia catches are being reported throughout the lower bay. Some really large ones have been landed recently, a few approaching 80 pounds. Live eels, live croaker are your best bait but they will hit artificial baits when spotted on the surface.

Ocean Pearl Charters

Spanish mackerel and blues are keeping charters busy. A gold Clark or Drone spoon seems to be working best. Mixed in with the spanish and blues are large numbers of ribbonfish. And don’t be surprised to pick up a nice king now.

Our flounder season is officially on now, quality fish are being weighed. Jigging bucktails dressed with strip bait or a scented Gulp work well. But remember big fish like big bait. A live spot should do the trick.

Connie at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle says red drum are available along the channel above the 3rd and 4h islands of the CBBT. They should continue to be available the rest of the summer.

Spadefish are around buoys and structure, Connie said they started biting much better in recent days.

Sheepshead are feeding on most bridge structures. Marsh crabs attached to a jig head will do the trick.

Dr Ken Neill

Speckled trout catches have been good recently on the flats and in rivers.

Good numbers of spot are starting to be caught in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Spot fishing peaks in August and September.

The Virginia Beach Pier reports a nice variety of fish. Roundheads, rays, spot, blues, flounder and spanish.

Until next week, remember to book a VBSF sponsor and send us your pictures for our next report.

RUDEE INLET CHARTER BOATS

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/08/02/virginia-beach-fishing-report-31/

Jul 26 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

July 26, 2022

High Hopes Sportfishing

Water temperatures are peaking in the low 80’s with lots of species available, the outstanding fishing continues along the Virginia coast .

Hooked on Hope Virginia Beach had a great day on the Ocean Pearl!

Spanish mackerel provided great action again last week. Fantastic numbers and some nice size fish. Bluefish and ribbonfish are mixed in with them. Brian Dunn and crew had a great day catching spanish with Captain David Wright on the High Hopes and “The Hooked on Hope Virginia Beach” crew had a great day with Captain Steve Wray and Cheryl on the Ocean Pearl.

Paige II Charters

Flounder fishing is picking up steam. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, bay and coastal wrecks, artificial reefs and inside Lynnhaven Inlet are good spots. Captain Craig Paige and crew on Paige II Charters saw good action.

Anglers continue catching cobia throughout the bay and along the coast. Chumming and using live or cut bait is working well. When fish are spotted near the surface anglers are sight-casting to them.

Stan Simmerman

Catch and Release Stripers

Large red drum are around the CBBT and along the coast. Puppy drum and small stripers are feeding inside local inlets, Little Creek, Rudee and Lynnhaven. Speckled trout numbers are decent throughout the lower bay and inlets.

Limit on the Healthy Grin

There’s large sheepshead to be had along the CBBT. Dr Ken Neill caught a limit on a recent trip.

Look for spadefish around the CBBT islands and navigation buoys. Triggers and spades are hanging around coastal wrecks.

Tarpon have shown up on the Eastern Shore in the barrier islands backwaters.

The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier reported roundheads, rays, spot, blues, spanish, flounder and hound fish.

AquaMan, Game On Charters

Virginia bluewater action is fantastic from now until mid-September. White and blue marlin, sailfish, spearfish and swordfish are showing in good numbers. Dolphin fishing is good. AquaMan Charters had a good day on the mahi!

Everyone is looking forward to the 19th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament on August 24-27 at Rudee Inlet. The Tournament was started in 2004 to raise funds for youth charity and marine conservation and to highlight the phenomenal fishing off Virginia Beach.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/07/26/virginia-beach-fishing-report-30/

Jul 18 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

July 18, 2022

62.3 pound cobia caught in the Monarch Cobia Tourney

Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 70’s everywhere and there are lots of Cobia throughout the bay. Sight casting is the most productive technique now. Live eels or live spot are your best baits but bucktails will work as well.

Spanish mackerel schools were harder to locate last week. The fish are scattered along the oceanfront from Sandbridge to Cape Henry and in the bay up to Reedville. Anglers are trolling Drone and Clark spoons behind line sinkers or planers.

Anglers are catching lots of ribbonfish on diving plugs.

Schools of red drum have been surfacing in the lower Bay. As long as no one spooks them angers can sight cast them.

Spadefish and Flounder on the Paige II

Flounder fishing is good. Fish in the 4-6 pounds range have been caught near the CBBT, the Cell and around wrecks.

Dr Ken Neill and a nice sheepshead

Sheepshead continue to bite on structure. Use marsh crabs on a jig head near bridge pilings.

Spadefish are hanging around the CBBT, many ocean buoys and the Light Tower. Anglers are floating fresh clam morsels to them on small hooks. If they are not aggressively feeding, try putting some chum in the water.

Ocean structures are holding flounder, spadefish, and seabass. The deeper wrecks hold seabass, tilefish and grouper. Amberjack are around the towers. If you are heading to the windmills you can check out the following link to get real time weather: http://rt.eolosconnect.com. There are two weather buoys you can click on to get real-time condition info.

Golden Tile, Barrellfish, Black Sea Bass and a limit of Blueline Tilefish on the High Hopes

The charter boats are bringing in yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, big eye tuna, and mahi. White marlin releases are on the rise.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/07/18/virginia-beach-fishing-report-29/

Jul 11 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

July 11, 2022

Our summer fishing pattern is at the half way point. Water temps range from 81 up the bay, 75 near Fisherman’s Island and 78 along the oceanfront. At the canyons its in the mid 70’s.

47 pound cobia weighed at Long Bay Pointe Marina

Cobia action is still very good and should continue through the summer. Live eels and live spot are the best baits now. Try chumming in areas where fish are known to hang out. Look for them near ocean and bay buoys and along the CBBT.

Schools of red drum are popping up near the third and fourth islands. If you can’t find fish to sight cast try anchoring and chumming near shoals.

Ocean Pearl Charters On The Spanish

Spanish mackerel fishing is good! Drone or Clark spoons pulled behind a planer or an in-line sinker will do the trick. Watch for breaking fish under birds ,work tidelines and shoal edges.

Spadefish are around structure and fall for pieces of clam. Once they are spotted chumming can draw them off the structure and keep them near the boat.

Hunter Southall

Sheepshead fishing is outstanding right now. Fish in the 10 to 15 pound class are available. Anglers are attaching a marsh crab to a medium size bottom sweeper jig head and fishing it tight against structure like pilons of the CBBT.

Good reports of flounder are coming from the CBBT area, the Cell and all the artificial reefs.

The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier is reporting spanish, blues, flounders and small roundheads.

High Hopes Sportfishing Offshore Catch

Boats deep dropping on shallow ocean wreck are catching flounder and Sea bass. Deeper wrecks are holding sea bass and tilefish.

Offshore bluewater anglers are catching yellowfin tuna, big eye tuna, dolphin, wahoo and swordfish.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/07/11/virginia-beach-fishing-report-28/

Jul 05 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

July 5, 2022

Beautiful day on the water for Ocean Pearl Charters, and the fish decided to cooperate as well. The Spanish were no problem. Visibility was perfect. They saw 15 cobias, 13 didn’t want to bite, but 2 did. 1 was a short and 1 was a beautiful 48 incher.

The Cobia bite in the bay remains strong. Most are being caught in chum slicks on live eels. Sighted on the surface 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. Keep a lookout for them around buoys and other structure, like the islands and pilings of the CBBT.

Knot Wish’n Custom Charters. Quality and quantity now!

A nice class of spanish mackerel are available along the ocean front, near the CBBT and as far north as the York Spit area. Taylor blues are mixed in. Charter boats are trolling small Drone or Clark spoons behind small planers. With so many large mackerel around the Virginia State record of 9 pounds, 13 ounces could be in jeopardy!

Many are returning with both spanish and spadefish. Look for spades around the Chesapeake Light Tower, ocean and bay buoys and the pilings and rock islands of the CBBT. Spades fall to fresh clam. Float a small piece on a small hook in front of them. Once sighted many anglers like chumming the fish up behind the boat.

Randy Morton

Sheepshead are hanging around structure. They feed on barnacles and crabs that live on the columns. On May 30, 2022, Randy Morton fishing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel landed a 4.14-kilogram (9-pound, 2-ounce) sheepshead. Randy can potentially set the IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8 lb) Line Class World Record for the species. This large sheepshead fell for a fiddler crab on a jighead and was landed after a short fight. Randy took it to Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle for an official weight on a certified scale. This record is currently pending and under review. Congratulation Randy!

A number of anglers found large schools of red drum this week. Anglers are having success sight casting and bottom fishing.

Captain Paige, Paige II Charters reports good flounder fishing now!

Flounder catches are on the increase. Some of the larger fish are being caught jigging bucktails tagged with strip baits or Gulps near the CBBT.

Virginia Beach Pier and surf anglers are finding bluefish, spanish, flounder, croaker, sea mullet and small spot.

Look for seabass on offshore ocean wrecks and reefs. Tilefish are also available in the same areas. There should be plenty of amberjacks around the towers and on offshore structure.

Keith Newman brought his father n law out for a day of offshore fishing on the High Hopes. They pulled the hook on a swordfish, caught a few bottom fish in addition to three pretty yellowfin tuna!

Offshore bluewater anglers are catching dolphin and tuna. Add to that a few big eye tuna, wahoo and swordfish. Our marlin bite is increasing. Offshore fishing is really good right now!

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/07/05/virginia-beach-fishing-report-27/

Jun 27 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

June 27, 2022

Virginia Beach’s offshore Bluewater action is getting better by the day, white marlin; yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo and gaffer dolphin. Blue marlin encounters will increase in July and peak in August … just in time for the Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament.

Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament Winner Marlin Maniac

The 18th annual Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament took place over the weekend. Over one hundred teams competed for more than $290,000.00’s in prize money. MARLIN MANIAC took first place at 258.3 pounds, LULU finished runner up at 222.4 and third went to LORIEV at 173 pounds. Final leaderboard.

High Hopes Sportfishing

Offshore deep droppers are still catching plenty of tilefish and sea bass.

Spanish mackerel and ribbonfish continue to bite along the oceanfront. Spanish should be available near tide rips in the Bay.

Dr Neill tagging cobia

Cobia action remains excellent. Most are falling to live bait fished in chum slicks.

Spadefish are around buoys, pylons of the CBBT and the Chesapeake Light Tower.

Connie Barbour at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle said there are a lot of sheepsheads hanging around the CBBT.

Big red drum are still plentiful throughout the lower Bay.

Catching flounder on the Paige II

Flounder catches are on the rise at the CBBT, around inshore wrecks and artificial reefs throughout the lower bay and along the coast. Coastal wrecks are also holding bluefish, amberjacks and triggerfish.

Pier and surf anglers are finding bluefish, spanish, flounder, croaker, sea mullet and small spot.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/06/27/virginia-beach-fishing-report-26/

Jun 20 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report, VA Beach Crew Wins Big Rock

June 20, 2022

Virginia boat the Mercenaria, Captain Neil Sykes and angler Matthew Brown captured the overall title at the 64th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament held out of Morehead City, NC . The 6-day event featured 266 teams and a total prize payout of $5.9 million. The Mercenaria a 72-foot Viking is home ported in Cape Charles and fishes out of Rudee Inlet. Their 572.6-pound marlin caught on day 1 held the top spot on the leader board all week. The winning fish earned more money than any single Marlin in history, $3,489,813.00. Congratulations!

Virginia Fishing Report

Good Spanish mackerel fishing continues along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Most fish are being caught using Clark or Drone spoons tie directly to a 20-30 foot mono leader run behind a planer or in-line trolling sinker.

Michael Cawley, Nice one!

Cobia season is open. Most anglers are fishing live bait in chum slicks. But always have a rod ready to sight cast.

Spadefish are around buoys, pylons of the CBBT and the Chesapeake Light Tower.

Sheepsheads are hanging around structure. Look for them around the Cell, CBBT, Plantation Light, York Spit Light, the buoys at the mouth of the bay, the Chesapeake Light Tower, Tower Reef, and any wreck you can find.

Big red drum are still plentiful throughout the lower Bay. Latimer Shoal and the shallow water near the northern section of the CBBT are where most of the fish are caught.

Paige II Charters

Flounder catches are on the rise. Look for them along the CBBT, around inshore wrecks and artificial reefs throughout the lower bay and along the coast. Captain Craig Paige on the Paige II put his crew in the meat this week.

Pier and surf anglers are finding bluefish, spanish, flounder, croaker, sea mullet and small spot.

Big amberjacks are at the south tower and should be at the Chesapeake light tower.

Coastal wrecks are holding bluefish, amberjacks and triggerfish.

AquaMan Charters, tuna and tiles

Offshore boats are catching dolphin, yellowfin tuna and an occasional big eye tuna. The Virginia Beach Tuna Tourney takes place June 22nd – 25th, 2022. Weigh stations are Long Bay Pointe Marina and The Virginia Beach Fishing Center. https://vbtuna.com/location/

Deep droppers are catching plenty of tilefish and sea bass.

Be sure to book a VBSF sponsor boat and then send us your pictures for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/06/20/virginia-fishing-report/

Jun 12 2022

Virginia Beach Fishing Report

June 12, 2022

Knot Wish’n Charters

Water temperature along the oceanfront and near the CBBT its approaching 75 degrees. At the mouth of the Elizabeth River, it’s a warm 77. Offshore at the Norfolk Canyon its hovering around 68. That means just about everything’s biting now! Inshore, red drum, cobia, spadefish, sheepshead, flounder, bluefish and spanish mackerel. Offshore, tuna, dolphin, marlin, tilefish and seabass.

High Hopes Sport Fishing Charters

Anglers trolling the ocean front are catching spanish mackerel. Bluefish and ribbon fish are mixed in with the spanish.

Spadefish are around buoys, the pylons of the CBBT and the Chesapeake Light Tower. Also hanging around the pylons are hungry sheepshead.

Big red drum are throughout the lower Bay. Anglers are having success sight casting and bottom fishing.

Cobia action remains good. Most anglers are fishing live bait in chum slicks. But you never know when they’ll pop up on the surface, so always have a rod ready to sight cast. We’ll be able harvest some for the table after the season opens June 15^th. Until then you can earn a Virginia Release Citation for any released over 50 inches. Don’t forget your VMRC cobia permit and recordings.

Flounder catches are picking up. Look for them along the CBBT, around inshore wrecks and artificial reefs throughout the lower bay and along the coast.

Pier and surf anglers are finding spanish, bluefish, flounder, croaker, sea mullet and small spot.

Coastal wrecks are holding bluefish and triggerfish. Big AJ’s (amberjacks) should be arriving as well.

Tuna on the docks at Rudee Inlet!!!

Offshore, yellowfin tuna action is excellent which is great news for the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament. This week a couple of boats caught tuna limits. Dolphin fishing should take off any day. The Virginia Beach Tuna Tourney takes place June 22nd – 25th, 2022. Weigh stations are Long Bay Pointe Marina and The Virginia Beach Fishing Center. https://vbtuna.com/location/

Anglers bottom bouncing the edge of the canyon continue catching blueline tilefish, golden tilefish and sea bass.

Good luck to the Virginia Beach boats fishing in the Big Rock this week!

Book a VBSF sponsor and send us your pictures for our report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/06/12/virginia-beach-fishing-report-25/

Jun 09 2022

State Record Atlantic Tripletail Certified

June 9, 2022

A 16-pound 12-ounce Atlantic tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis), caught on July 23, 2021 by Richard H. Stuart Jr, of King George VA, has been certified as a new Virginia State Record for the species by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. The record-setting tripletail measured 28 inches (TL) and sported a 23-inch girth. Richard Jr. and his dad, Richard Stuart Sr., were primarily sight fishing for cobia in the vicinity of York Spit Light, when Richard Jr. saw a flash at a distance. Instinctively he piloted the family’s private vessel, Fish-On, over to take a look. The pair were able to approach close enough to identify the “flash” as a tripletail and Richard Jr. pitched a 2-ounce cobia jig near the fish. That initial offering was ignored. A second cast put the jig on a path closer to the fish and as jig passed the tripletail the response was a solid hookup. After a spirited 10 minute back forth tussle the fish was brought boatside. The catch was made on gear suitable for cobia, a Shimano Tetramar XX spinning rod mated with a Shimano Twin Power SW 5000 spinning reel spooled with 40-pound Power Pro braided line. The fish was officially weighed at Grafton Fishing Supply in Yorktown and viewed and positively identified by VSWFT Committee member Dr. Ken Neill.

Tripletail are not a new arrival to Chesapeake Bay waters but, with the rise in the popularity of sight fishing for cobia, encounters seem on the increase. Along the Atlantic Coast tripletail have been collected as far north as Massachusetts but are only rarely found north of the Chesapeake Bay. In more southern states, and especially in Georgia and Florida and the Gulf States, tripletail are highly esteemed by recreational anglers for both the challenge they offer and as a table fish. Their flesh has been compared to other mild tasting white fleshed fish as snapper and grouper.

Tripletail were added to the list of eligible species for state record consideration in 2020 with an initial qualifying weight of 8 pounds. No entries were submitted that first year. Stuart Jr.’s fish replaces the initial state record tripletail, an 8-pound 9-ounce fish caught by Hayden Head earlier in July and caught in the same vicinity.

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/06/09/state-record-atlantic-tripletail-certified-2/

Jun 06 2022

Summertime Fishing Report Virginia Beach

June 6, 2022

Hunter Southall

This week water temperatures rose to 72-73 degrees in the Bay and warm water extends all the way out to the Norfolk Canyon. There’s some 75-degree water along the beach at Sandbridge.

Cobia action remains good along the oceanfront and inside the Bay. They should be available for the rest of the summer. Watch for fish on the surface. Chumming is effective, create a chum slick and use live eels, live spot or croaker for bait. The fishery is all catch and release until June 15^th.

Knot Wish’n Charters

Spanish mackerel are available to trollers from Sandbridge to Cape Henry. A large class of fish has arrived along the oceanfront and some smaller ones were caught in the tidal rips inside the bay. Captains are trolling small spoons like the 00 Drone or a 00 or 01 Clark behind a small plainer. Spanish mackerel average between 1 and 3 pounds but the Virginia state record is 9 pounds, 13 ounces. VBSF sponsors, Knot Wisn’n, Ocean Pearl, Paige II, AquaMan and High Hopes will be targeting spanish over the next few weeks.

Red drum schools have been popping up along the oceanfront and around the shoals at the mouth of the bay. Some captains reported catching and releasing dozens last week, it’s just a matter of finding a large school. Remember, approach schools slowly, so not to spook them.

Sheepshead are around the pilings of the CBBT.

The spadefish bite turned on this week. Look for spades around buoys, the pylons of the CBBT and at the Chesapeake Light tower. They tend to draw a crowd; divers, snorkelers and anglers, so pack some patience.

Anglers are picking up a few flounder and speckled trout inside Lynnhaven, Little Creek and Rudee Inlets. Specks are also being caught in the Elizabeth River. Look for small stripers inside Rudee Inlet.

Anglers fishing off the Virginia Beach Pier have caught some nice spanish mackerel, small croaker, spot and sea mullet.

Virginia’s offshore, summer-time bluewater action is kicking in. Over the past week yellow fin tuna were caught, look for gaffer-sized dolphin numbers to increase. Captain David Wright on the High Hopes had a good offshore trip last week.

Deep dropping action remains good, crews are catching nice tilefish bottom bouncing. VBSF sponsor AquaMan Charters is running charters targeting blueline tilefish, golden tilefish and snowy grouper.

Be sure to book your VBSF charter boat sponsor and then send us your photos for our next report.

Tight-lines!

The VBSF crew will be out of town to take in the sights and sounds of the Big Rock Marlin Tournament down in Carolina.

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May 31 2022

Great Fishing Off Virginia Beach

May 31, 2022

AquaMan Charters And A Nice Cobia Release

Anglers enjoyed outstanding fishing over the long weekend!

Water temperatures hit the magic 70 degree mark and lots of cobia arrived along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Our cobia capture season opens June 15th, until then anglers are releasing them. 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 hang around buoys and other structure, such as the islands and pylons of the CBBT.

AquaMan Charters On The Red Drum

The red drum bite really took off. Schools of fish were encountered along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. When encountering schooling fish on the surface, you should approach slowly and not spook them.

Another hot spot for 25 to 50 pound feeding red drum will be near Latimer shoals. 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 season. 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.

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 have arrived on the buoys, look for them at the light tower and around the CBBT as well.

Boats looking for spanish mackerel are still finding mostly ribbonfish.

This week Virginia Beach Pier anglers were catching puppy drum, roundhead, trout, rays, skates, spot, blues, drums and a few spanish.

Great Tuna Catch Out Of Rudee Inlet

Offshore anglers are enjoying a great tuna bite. Hope the bite continues until the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament June 22nd – 25th. Boats running out of Oregon inlet have been finding large gaffer dolphin, and billfish numbers are on the rise.

Tilefish On The Dock At Long Bay Pointe Marina

Sea Bass fisherman are reporting limits of Jumbo’s in short order! Further offshore at the canyons deep-droppers are finding plenty of tilefish and a few snowy grouper along with other bottom dwellers.

If you want to get in on the action, give a VBSF charter boat sponsor a call. Then send us your picture for our next report!

Permanent link to this article: https://vbsf.net/2022/05/31/great-fishing-off-virginia-beach/