Milder weather this past week allowed some boats to get out. The biggest news is on the deep dropping front. Two boats, the Rudee Angler and the Rudee Whaler, sailed out of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center and headed for deep water this week. Captain Skip Feller reports that the water was calm until they hit the 50-nautical mile mark, where the boats were then greeted by 25-knot winds. Although fishing was difficult, Captain Skip and Captain Mark Sterling held anglers on good areas of fish in 50 fathoms of 49 degree water. In spite of strong currents and seemingly endless dogfish, the crews hit the docks with coolers full of nice blueline tilefish. They weighed in twenty blueline tile citations, with the biggest pushing over 16-pounds. Captain Steve Wray out of Long Bay Pointe Marina also had a good day deep dropping this week, with similar conditions. The crew of the Ocean Pearl hoisted a good selection of blueline tilefish and blackbellied rosefish from the depths. Black seabass also supplemented the catches, but were basically thrown to the seagulls due to the continued closed season.

Tautog is always a good choice this time of year. The best locations are in water deeper than 60-feet, or further south where the water temperature is sitting in the mid to high 40’s. I hear of many folks catching smallish fish. It is common to catch smaller fish on clam. If you are interested in larger fish, all expert tog anglers know you must put your time into securing the right bait. Clam is an excellent choice in the spring with the closer inshore wrecks. For hard core winter toggin, crab of any variety is the premium bait. Since crabs are hard to come by right now, planning for your trip is involved, so research and call ahead to secure your bait. Crabs such as blue crabs, frozen peelers, hermit crabs, green crabs, Jonah crabs, or stone crabs work well. Some fish in excess of 10-pounds are available on many offshore locations, with the Triangle Wrecks a favorite.

Folks are still finding a few agreeable speckled trout within the hot ditch and hot water discharge area in the Elizabeth River. Angers are reporting various swim baits and Mirrolures as the best choice, which are also attracting both puppy drum and striped bass. Some specks are also hitting trolled lures. One boat scored with a nice fish in excess of 8-pounds using this method lately. James Monroe of Virginia Beach had a good day of fishing in the discharge area when he landed a nice 7lb, 5oz beauty from the shoreline on a Mirrolure.The speck action is on the down- swing in this area, and once the croaker show up in the Elizabeth River, consider the trout bite done.

With the more temperate temperatures, striped bass are showing a more positive trend. Boats are reporting more catches within legal waters this week, although the fish are still hanging in warmer Carolina waters near Corolla. Working birds reported within 2-miles of the beach are giving up rockfish up to around 40-pounds. Hopefully this trend will continue to move northward as these fish head closer to the Bay as they think more about the impending spawning season.       

The 2010 flounder regulations are now looking as if they are set at no closed season, with a bag limit of 4 fish at 18.5-inches. This should seem like an upgrade from last year’s limit of 5-fish at 19-inches.

Folks are getting excited about the bluefin tuna coming from the Carolina coast right now. These fish are basically on time, and will make their way up north to Virginia waters into April or May. Carolina reports also tell of a few blackfin tuna, as well as makos and bull sharks in the mix.

Many of us from Virginia Beach joined thousands of commercial and recreational sportfishing anglers in Washington D.C. this week to show support for members of Congress who are working to gain sponsorship to pass two bills that will encourage more flexibility in the unyielding  Magnuson-Stevens and Management Act. This conservation act currently pushes arbitrary fish stock recovery timelines, which are not supported by valid scientific data or research, prompting haphazard closures and over restrictive management of healthy fisheries. The current unwarranted black sea bass closure is the main concern along the Mid Atlantic coast affected by this act. Anglers showed up on Capitol Hill to rally under the “United We Fish” demonstration for more realistic guidelines, accurate data prior to implementing severe regulations which heavily impact the fishing community as a whole. Most every coastal state was represented, including Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, California, and Alaska. It was first time in history that both the recreational and commercial sectors of the fishing community joined forces to rally for a common cause at the Capitol. Perhaps history will also be made within Congress for the betterment of our fishing rights as a result.

I am helping organize an IGFA Certified Observer Training Class (OTC) to be hosted at Virginia Beach’s Ocean’s East 2 tackle shop, on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 9 a.m.  The class instructs experienced anglers, boat captains and crew members as observers for fishing tournaments held across the globe. The IGFA OTC covers topics such as species identification, IGFA saltwater fishing rules and tackles regulations, safety at sea and boating etiquette. Space is limited to 40 people and IGFA OTC applications are available online at http://www.igfa.org/PDF/COP_Application2008.pdf. Pre-registration is required and the $150 fee covers the cost of the training class, course materials, and a one-year IGFA membership. Please contact IGFA Conservation Director Jason Schratwieser at 954-924-4320 or email: jschratwieser@igfa.org for additional information. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
 

Speckled trout and puppy drum are still available in the popular hot spots. Most trout are hitting lures, with the proven Mirrolure working well. Trolling is also an effective method right now. Puppy drum is a mainstay in these same areas, with anglers finding pup action in Rudee Inlet.

Tautog are a good choice for those looking for variety and a challenge. These wreck dwellers are hitting on many offshore structures, with the Triangle wrecks a favorite area, and easy to locate.  Fish topping the 10-pound mark are coming from several offshore wrecks and hangs on crabs, but most folks are finding smallish fish.

Deep dropping is becoming a topic of interest as anglers look for other species to target during the cold winter months. When boats can make it out, depths of 300-feet or more are holding good numbers of blueline tilefish. These fish have become a favorite with anglers over the years. They are easy to catch and offer a hearty battle, and are excellent table fare. Other species of deepwater fish can also make these long range trips a success. Blackbelly rosefish are small, but they are one of the best kept secrets of the deep. Rosefish are by far one of the best tasting fish in the ocean, followed closely by the rare golden tilefish, also found in these same areas. A variety of big grouper, wreckfish, and barrelfish are also lurking along the deep bottom, which will certainly make any angler’s day. Metal jigs are a good alternative to bait for catching deep water bottom dwellers, and can help keep the annoying dogfish at bay.

The black seabass closure, which was implemented without warning in October by NOAA, affects the entire Mid Atlantic coast as well as all other saltwater fisheries. The fishing community is now banding together to make a difference in Washington, DC on February 24th. Many marinas and angling organizations are gathering resources to send local anglers to join thousands of commercial and recreational anglers to demonstrate their displeasure with the current Magnuson Stevens Act. The Virginia Beach Fishing Center and Rudee Tours is sponsoring a bus leaving from the marina on the 24^th to attend the stand in. For more information on the bus, call 757-491-8000. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.

Although windy weather is not allowing much opportunity for fishing on the open water, few anglers are complaining since sheltered waters are providing remarkable speckled trout action. Plenty of fish averaging to around three pounds are keeping casters content, while the numbers of citation fish are also on the rise. The most consistent speck action is happening in Rudee Inlet, Little Creek, Lynnhaven River, Back River, the Eastern Shore shallows, the Poquoson flats, and the Elizabeth River. Jason Darca of Virginia Beach scored with a 9-pound, 3-ounce whopper he hooked while jigging in Little Creek Inlet. The best lures are chartreuse or red and white Mirrolures, with smoke-colored grubs and Gulp grubs also producing. Trolling with lures and grubs in the Elizabeth River is also effective lately.

Puppy drum are still generating a lot of interest within backwater areas, where anglers are scoring with nice pups up to 30-inches long in both Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets. Surf anglers are also experiencing good puppy drum encounters on cut bait from Fort Story to Sandbridge.

The inshore and Bay tautog bite is generating a stir, with limits of keeper fish ranging from 5 to 7-pounds becoming the norm. Several nice keepers were boated from around the artificial islands of the CBBT this week on fiddlers and blue crab. Kaleb Hanna of Chesapeake enjoyed his first tog catch, with a 9-pound citation he enticed from the 3^rd island tube to show for his efforts. Wreck action is also taking off nicely with ample numbers of respectable trigger fish still available in the same areas.

As water temperatures begin to cool, striped bass are becoming more active. Casters are scoring with schoolie-sized rockfish between 18 to 22-inches along the Monitor Merrimack, the James River Bridge, the HRBT, and the CBBT. The bite is especially good during the night time hours along the light lines. Wire liners are also boating fish ranging from 22 to 24-inches from the tubes of the CBBT this week. Lots of bluefish to around 5-pounds are rounding out most catches.

Spot reports are now scarce within the lower Bay, but surf and pier anglers are still catching good numbers of nice sized spot off of Sandbridge as the fish make their way south. Scattered pompano and speckled trout are also showing in the Sandbridge surf.

Although the bull red action off Sandbridge slowed up this week, red drum are still a possibility along the ocean front, along the Eastern Shore shoals, and near the 3^rd island of the CBBT.

Even though anglers are finding a few cooperative fish, the flounder bite is sluggish due to the muddy water right now. Drifting strip baits along the Baltimore Channel, near buoy 36A, and along the small boat channel are good places to try when the wind breaks. Working bait and jigs around the CBBT structure can also prove effective for big flatties. These fish are plump right now as they fatten up in preparation for their migration offshore. Some of the deeper water wrecks are also giving up a few decent flatfish mixed in with many shorts.  

The fall dazzler, bull red drum, commenced their long awaited run off the Little Island Fishing Pier this past week. Pier anglers are hoisting up big reds from the end of the pier, with the best action still to come. Bull reds are also still providing action along the breakers of the Eastern Shore barrier islands and inlets. Don Snare of Virginia Beach had a big surprise when he hooked a 50-inch red drum while casting for specks off Chick’s Beach. The 8-pound test line held up long enough for a healthy release after the bull towed the angler several hundred yards down the beach. Cobia are also still available for sight casting opportunities along the ocean front, but not for long.

Puppy drum are still coming on strong in the shallows and inlets on suspended mullet and cut bait, while good numbers of smallish speckled trout are hitting lures and live bait in the Eastern Shore creeks, Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets, and the Poquoson flats area.

The fall spot action continues to thrill anglers of all types. Whether fishing from a boat, from the surf, or from a pier, chances are good for decent sized spot. Rudee Inlet, the HRBT, and the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier are the hot locations for big spot this week. Blood worms and “Bag-o-Worms” Fishbites work great for these hearty panfish.

Horse croaker are still hanging on the Hampton Bar, the deeper holes around the HRBT and the CBBT, and Lynnhaven Inlet. Mark Roberts of Virginia Beach, scored with a hefty 3-pound, 6-ounce hardhead on crab while fishing the small boat channel at the CBBT this week.

Flounder are still stacking along the lower bay channels and shoal edges. The Baltimore and Thimble Shoal Channels, and the Hampton Bar are productive areas for drifting for big flatfish. Offshore and inshore wrecks are also good options for flounder, along with some big seabass and triggerfish.

On a less positive note, one of the Mid Atlantic’s favorite fall species will become off limits on the 5^th of October outside of 3-miles. NOAA issued an emergency closure of the black sea bass fishery until spring.

Bottom bouncers are experiencing a boost in tautog action along the CBBT and inshore structures. Folks are catching limits of tog ranging to around 6-pounds on fiddler crabs from the tubes and pilings of the CBBT.

October can be a good month for king mackerel, where these aggressive fish are a possibility trolling around the Chesapeake Light tower and down to False Cape. Spanish mackerel and false albacore are also available in these same areas. Amberjack are still circling the South Tower, while jack crevelle are also a possibility at the Chesapeake Light Tower.

Although the marlin bite seems to have cooled from last week’s incredible blitz, billfish are still providing plenty of opportunities for releases of white and blue marlin when boats can get out. A few spearfish have also been released in the same vicinity. This is also the time of year for swordfish. Wahoo are still making a stir, with plenty of bailer and gaffer sized mahi available to round out catches. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.

The predicted decent weather paired with cooperative fish could make this Memorial Day weekend a great lead-in for the summer fishing season. The chance at a red or black drum bite continues to draw anglers to the Eastern Shore side of the Bay. After a brief lull in the black drum action this week, most catches are coming from around buoys 10, 13 and 16, where sea clams and chowder clams are working well.

Red drum action is not anywhere near the level it was for the past two years. Smith Island Inlet is producing a hand full of red drum for boaters in anywhere from 6 to 10 feet of water, with peelers and blue crabs working the best. Puppy drum, on the other hand, are out in force in Bay and coastal inlets. Mary at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center reports that anglers are catching a few puppy drum and speckled trout in Rudee Inlet, as well as bluefish to 8-pounds from the jetties; as well as some striped bass right outside the mouth of the inlet.

The next big news is the arrival of the first summer species. The graceful spadefish took residence in local waters this week, with a six-pounder caught at the CBBT this week. Expect these popular fish to turn on soon. Look for big spades to show on the Cell soon, where the largest fish of the year are routinely landed. Sheepshead are next. Cobia are going strong in Carolina right now, so we should see our first local cobia catches soon.

 Surf and pier anglers along the ocean front are hooking croaker, spot, roundhead, and bluefish. The bluefish are hitting top water plugs, with Gotcha plugs working best.

 Striped bass were making up for the slow flounder bite, but folks are finding sluggish rockfish action right now. The 3^rd and 4^th islands of the CBBT were producing the best striper catches earlier in the week, where top water plugs were working well.

With the nice weather on the horizon for the weekend, some boats will venture offshore in search of tilefish, grouper, and seabass. The seabass will not disappoint, with good hauls of jumbo fish coming from inshore and offshore wrecks.

Bluewater anglers are watching the water to the East. Folks making the run to Carolina are finding yellowfin tuna, dolphin, and some Mako sharks. Captain Mike Standing, skipper of the Waterman out of Rudee Inlet, tried his luck at the South East Lumps, where he scored with a Mako shark this week.

With a steady parade of evening thunderstorms this week, the spring Mid-Atlantic fishing scene has taken a slight detour from the usual trend.

With the recent muddy water and excess fresh water from the abundant rain, the flounder scene is still slow within Bay waters and around the CBBT. A few keeper flatfish are also coming from within both Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets.

Healthy puppy drum ranging to 33-inches are still hitting inside Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets, where anglers are also finding bluefish up to around five-pounds and scattered speckled trout. Peeler crabs, live bait, and Mirrolures are a good choice for the specks right now.

Many are taking advantage of the Bay’s Spring Trophy Striped Bass season. Striped bass are providing a good alternative for those looking for some solid action right now. Anglers working top water lures along the rocks at the islands of the CBBT are content with steady hits from fish exceeding the 32-inch minimum size requirement. Storm Lures cast around the pilings of the CBBT are also working well. Reports of school-sized fish are coming from around the HRBT, and larger fish are hitting cut bunker near the mouths of the lower Bay Rivers.

Tautog are still lurking on lower bay and inshore structures, but these fish are only available for catch and release until late June.

The black seabass are beginning to migrate closer to shore, where the Triangle Wrecks will provide good numbers right now. Remember that seabass must now stretch to 12.5-inches to keep them. Blueline tilefish, grouper, and other deep water species are still available in water over 50 fathoms when the weather allows boats to reach them.