BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post —
Windy conditions put a damper on local fishing opportunities over the last week, with rough seas almost completely shutting down what little of the offshore fishery that was occurring. Perhaps stirring up the blue water is what the fishery needed to get it rejuvenated.
The declining water temperatures of the Chesapeake Bay will also hasten the departure of the cobia population, although a few stragglers will remain for a while.
On the bright side, the cool, crisp morning temperatures of late will help usher in an increase in the population of speckled trout, even more puppy drum, and small rockfish, with the larger class of rockfish not expected to begin showing up until November.
Upper Shore
Captain Matt Abell, at Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that the red drum action on the Chesapeake Bay side of the peninsula continues to garner most of the local anglers’ attention. Over the shallow water grass flats, undersized and slot-sized puppy drum continue to hit artificial scented soft plastic lures, such as Gulp paddletails and Swimming Mullet, fished under popping corks.
Speckled trout — mostly on the small side — and small rockfish are often a bycatch of the shallow water fishery. Large red drum continue to patrol the deeper channel edges, where they are being caught and released during the late afternoons well into the evenings. Cut spot or croaker fished on 8/0 circle hooks and presented on fishfinder rigs are the preferred terminal tackle choice for the big reds.
Chincoteague
Recent flounder catches have consisted of mostly undersized fish, with just enough keepers to hold the anglers’ interest. A few larger flounder are starting to show up on the inshore ocean wrecks.
Puppy drum numbers have started to increase, both along the marsh lines and feeder creeks inside the inlet, as well as in the surf. Anglers targeting puppies inside the inlet have enjoyed success with popping corks and Berkley Gulp shrimp or bait fishing with pieces of fresh shrimp or peeler crab. Surf fishermen are targeting puppies off the beach with pieces of cut bait or crab, presented on fishfinder rigs or top and bottom rigs.
The offshore bite continues to be made up primarily of small dolphin (mahi mahi). A few catches of wahoo and some billfish releases have been reported by vessels trolling inside the canyons, while tuna action continues to be on the slow side. Most vessels are spending a portion of the day deep dropping for tilefish or wreck fishing for black sea bass to put meat into the cooler.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, told me that the last week of flounder fishing out of Wachapreague was hampered by windy conditions on most days. The winds subsided some over the weekend, which resulted in clearer water and better fishing, including catches of flounder up to five pounds.
Croakers are being caught as a bycatch of the flounder fishery, but most of the “hardheads” continue to be on the small side. Captain Paul had received reports of puppy drum catches in the area. The offshore fishery has been virtually non-existent due to the recent winds.
Lower Shore
Jeb Brady, at Bailey’s Bait & Tackle, said the flounder fishing continues to be “excellent” along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, with anglers reporting a nice class of fish. Berkley Gulp and cut bait continue to be the flounder baits of choice.
Medium- to large-sized sheepshead and small black drum are being caught around the bridge-tunnel pilings on crab baits.
Anglers are reporting that large schools of cobia are making their way out of the lower bay.
The catch and release fishery for trophy-sized red drum is still happening during the evening hours from Buoy #36 down to Latimer’s Shoal.
Schools of puppy drum are showing up in the shallow waters on both the bayside and the seaside.
The shop weighed in a 5-pound, 8-ounce speckled trout for Tyler Charnock. The citation-sized fish was caught on the lower bayside.
The lower bay piers are reporting a larger class of spot and ribbonfish as their primary catches.
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.
