BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post —
Large red drum remain plentiful along the Chesapeake Bay channel edges, with most boats reporting multiple catches during the late afternoon/evening hours.
Flounder fishing along the lower portion of the peninsula has been very productive, especially along the Fisherman Inlet and Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel pilings.
Schools of cobia cruising the surface in preparation for their seasonal migration have kept many of the sight casting anglers busy in recent days.
There are plenty of small mahi mahi offshore. It’s a good time to be out on the water enjoying the area’s late summer/early autumn angling action.
Upper Shore
Captain Matt Abell, at Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that the trophy catch and release fishery for big red drum has been “hot” from Watts Island south along the channel edges and hills into the lower portions of the Chesapeake Bay. Most of his charter’s actions have come on fish finder rigs baited with cut spot on 8/0 circle hooks.
He said that his charters have been averaging five to seven big reds an evening, with many meeting the 46-inch size minimum to qualify for a Virginia citation plaque. Smaller drum, aka “puppies,” have been active in the shallows of Pocomoke and Tangier sounds. Popping corks with suspended light jigheads and baited with Berkley Gulp paddletails, Gulp Swimming Mullet, or chunks of peeler or soft crab have proved irresistible to the smaller red drum.
Sheepshead have made a late season appearance on several of the upper bay sunken structures such as the target ships, the sunken barge, and several upper bay lighthouse foundations. Chunks of peeler presented on sweeper jigs have resulted in hookups with large sheepshead.
Chincoteague
Flounder catches continue to be made inside of Chincoteague Bay and along the Chincoteague and Assateague channels.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish continue to be taken by anglers trolling spoons just outside of the barrier island breakers.
The near-shore ocean wrecks have produced a few nice-sized flounder.
A good cobia bite has developed on some of the shoals scattered between Assateague and Ocean City, Md., with several fish caught by sight casting into schools of surface cruising fish.
Farther offshore, there has been a good white marlin bite from the Washington Canyon north, with small dolphin (mahi mahi) abundant around sea bass pots, buoy balls, and anything floating along the surface.
The 2024 tuna bite continues to be disappointing. Deep dropping for blue-lined and golden tilefish remains productive.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, said that the flounder bite continues to be active with lots of undersized fish, plus a few limit catches in the mix. The best flounder action has occurred on the flood tide with Gulp and minnows or silversides.
Croakers and sand mullet (whiting) are scattered about, especially near the inlet.
The offshore wrecks are producing black sea bass and small dolphin (mahi mahi). Small mahi are reported to be under just about anything floating, from the ocean’s inshore waters all the way out to the canyons.
The offshore trolling bite remains slow. The White Bite released a blue and a white marlin in Bob’s Canyon. The Miss Molly also released a white marlin. The Heat Wave reported a good catch of tilefish and dolphin.
Lower Shore
Jeb Brady, at Bailey’s Bait & Tackle, described the recent angling action as “excellent” and credits the seasonal transition for the good bite.
He said that the flounder fishing during the last week has been “on fire,” with anglers seeing large numbers of quality fish. Productive flounder spots have included inside the “Ditch” and along the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and Fisherman Inlet Bridge. Cut bait and Berkley Gulp remain the most often used bait combination. The shop weighed in a 9-pound, 9-ounce flounder caught by Sergi Taranovich.
Cobia are schooling in preparation for their migration out of the Chesapeake Bay, and sight casting anglers have been able to take advantage of that behavior as they intercept large groups of the fish cruising on the surface. Big red drum are being caught during the evening hours by anglers soaking fresh cut bait from Buoy #42 all the way down to the waters around the bridge-tunnel.
The pilings of the bridge-tunnel are producing catches of small black drum and sheepshead for anglers dropping chunks of crab.
The lower bayside creeks and seaside marshes are producing catches of speckled trout and puppy drum for anglers casting Mirrolures and grubs. Catches off the lower bay piers have included mostly spot and ribbonfish.
The writer was the first Eastern Shore resident to achieve Virginia Saltwater Master Angler status. He has been named Virginia Saltwater Angler of the Year and Virginia Saltwater Release Angler of the Year. He has won numerous Virginia Press Association awards for his columns.
