The Local Fisherman

World-renowned angler Dr. Julie Ball dropped us a line and told us that cobia are now available all over the lower Chesapeake Bay. Cobia are making their presence known as they take chummer’s offerings.

Boats using the chumming technique are having good results from the Buckroe area off Hampton, to the Inner Middle Grounds and the Nine-foot Shoals closer to the mouth of the Bay. Sight casters are having the best success, with many boats scoring with double-digit hook-ups while cruising the lower Bay and CBBT areas. Anglers fishing on the Ocean View Fishing Pier are also landing a few small cobia lately.

The red drum bite is still very good as big reds continue to hit along the surf and at buoy 10 near Fisherman’s Island, and the Nine-foot Shoals area. Many anglers are finding top water action as schools of red drum continue to cruise near the 3rd and 4th islands off the CBBT.

The black drum have shifted to the islands of the Bridge Tunnel, where various lures can prove effective. Julie recommends taking the time to revive these fish when releasing them, as they tend to tire, leaving them unable to recover without assistance.

Pier anglers are also getting in on some of the black drum action. Arthur Hoylle of Norfolk released two blacks up to 52-inches while fishing from the Seagull Fishing Pier at the first island of the CBBT.

Spadefish are showing up on lower Bay structures, inshore wrecks, and the Chesapeake Light Tower. Anglers have hooked a few fish, with most weighing around 6-pounds. The larger spades will come from the inner Bay hot spots soon, such as the Cell and Wolf Trap Light. Sheepshead action is not much yet, but a few fish are cooperating along the CBBT, with one fish pushing to over 13-pounds boated last week.

There is finally good news on the flounder front. The bite is still improving, with more anglers reporting limits of nice fish. The folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that flatfish pushing 9-pounds are taking drifted minnows and cut bait near the islands of the CBBT. Anglers jigging and working live bait along the pilings and over the tubes of the Bridge Tunnel are also scoring with nice fish, with the 1st and 2nd islands most productive lately.

Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets are still giving up above average numbers of keepers. Chris’ Bait and Tackle reports that the seaside area of Oyster, the Cell, and the buoy 36 area are producing big flounder for drifters, with a few doormats in the mix.

Many anglers are reporting the recent arrival the Spanish mackerel into local waters. These fish provide quick action, and are easy to catch. Boats are encountering good numbers of Spanish while trolling off Cape Henry and along the Virginia Beach Ocean front. Taylor size bluefish are also in these same vicinities.

Reports of speckled trout and a few puppy drum are still coming from within Rudee Inlet, Lynnhaven Inlet, and Mobjack Bay.

Anglers are catching small bluefish and croaker all over the lower Bay. The HRBT, the Hampton Bar, the Monitor-Merrimac, the James River Bridge, Little Creek, and the southern small boat channel at the CBBT are providing the best action on a range of sizes of hardheads. Sea mullet are also biting along the ocean front, where pier anglers had a good run of small to medium sized fish this week. Small spot are also hitting within lower Bay inlets.

Deep dropping boats are finding decent catches lately. The head boats out of The Virginia Beach Fishing Center are finding good numbers of black bellied rose fish, and some nice blueline tilefish. On a recent trip, one lucky angler boated the new state leader for the year, weighing in at 19-pounds, 5-ounces. Scattered golden tilefish, grouper, and wreckfish are also in these same areas. Boats targeting seabass are finding some nice fish on a few offshore wrecks, and as a by catch while deep dropping.

For more information on fishing Virginia Beach, visit Dr. Julie’s website at www.drjball.com.