Dr. Julie Ball reports that with the warmer temperatures trying to take hold of spring, anglers are in a rush to hook most any newly arriving species. The winner this week is flounder. Even with almost endless windy conditions, anglers are making their way to some decent flounder holes. Good catches of flatfish up to the 26-inches are coming from several areas around the lower Bay, with the best catches coming from the 8-mile marker along the Bridge tunnel while drifting gudgeons and squid. Anglers are also finding keepers around the 3rd and 4th islands, and within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets.
Puppy drum are providing some good action within seaside and bayside inlets, as well as the Elizabeth River. These young redfish are aggressive feeders and offer a great fight on light tackle. Rudee Inlet seems to be the hottest pup spot lately, where fish are hitting many offerings, with curly-tailed grubs working well. But there is no need for a boat to catch puppy drum. Angers working the inlet waters from the docks at Fisherman’s Wharf caught pups to 22-inches on Gulp Shrimp this week. Willoughby Bay is also holding puppy drum, and Lynnhaven River is giving up pups near the Great Neck Road bridges, as well as within the basin.
For a change of pace, several anglers are targeting shad within the nearby rivers and tributaries. These fish are a blast on light line, but be sure to check your regulations before you go.
Speckled trout action is sketchy this week, and the Hot Ditch bite is waning, but a few fish are still taking baits inside Rudee Inlet. Grey trout are still available within the Elizabeth River, as well as the HRBT and Willoughby. Greys up to 4-pounds hitting offerings intended for specks and pups near the discharge area in the Elizabeth River.
Croaker are becoming a more common occurrence with reports scattered from various locations. Hardheads pushing a pound reported from the Little Island Fishing Pier are inhaling cut bait. Medium-sized croaker are also showing at the Ocean View Fishing Pier, as well as the James and Rappahannock Rivers. With a few more warm days, the croaker action should really take off.
If striped bass is your passion, big fish are still taking baits at the High Rise, where nice fish estimated at over 50-pounds were released on the fly this week.
The inshore tautog bite is decent, but anglers are working for their limits. As water temperatures hover around the 50-degree mark, these wreck dwellers will continue to feed in bay waters and on coastal wrecks, with fiddlers becoming a favored offering. Right now blue crabs are also working. A few fish pushing up to12-pounds came from the Bridge Tunnel this week, and some keepers are hitting crab at the Concrete Ships and the High Rise section of the CBBT. When anglers can get out, expect big fish to come form deeper water structures such as the Triangle Wrecks.
Many folks are still taking the long trip to deep drop territory off the coast, but the wind is keeping most near the shore lately. Good catches of black sea bass and blueline tilefish are the norm with the Rudee Angler out of the Fishing Center at Rudee Inlet ready to address any deep dropping desire. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
