BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post —
Yellowfin tuna numbers are on the increase, with some boats reporting double digit hookups during a single day of trolling the blue waters of the Washington Canyon. On the Chesapeake Bay side, cobia are drawing the attention of most anglers, particularly in the lower bay, as the fish can be found from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel up to Watts Island.
Upper Shore
Captain Matt Abell, at the Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that the shallow water fishery inside Pocomoke and Tangier sounds has slowed due to the high water temperatures. An abundance of cownosed rays and stingrays have made baitfishing for speckled trout, red drum, and rockfish very difficult. There are some fish still in the shallows, but the rays are often the first ones to find your baits. I would recommend fishing early in the morning or late afternoon/evening during the flood tide to find more comfortable conditions for both the fish and the fisherman.
On a more positive note, a larger group of cobia has pushed up the bay, particularly in the waters between Pungoteague Creek and Watts Island. These fish can be caught by chumming with ground menhaden and fishing chunks of menhaden on a fishfinder rig in the chum slick. Surface cruising cobia may be enticed by a live eel or a large jig with a twister tail cast ahead of it.
Chincoteague
Pete Vasiliou, at Captain Steve’s Bait and Tackle, reported that the Assateague Island surf has been producing catches of big red drum and large sharks, with smaller kingfish (whiting) and spot providing more consistent action for anglers looking to put fish in their coolers.
The back bays are producing good catches of flounder. Pennsylvania angler Wayne Heindel landed a 6-pound, 4-ounce citation flounder while fishing off one of the island’s many docks.
The waters around Chincoteague Inlet are producing kingfish (whiting), spot, and a few small croakers. In the ocean, wreck fishing was described as “great,” with catches of flounder, gray triggerfish, and Atlantic spadefish.
Schools of large bluefish have been appearing around some of the wrecks. The tackle shop has seen its first yellowfin tuna of the season. The fish were caught trolling in the Washington Canyon. Deep droppers have reported catches of golden tilefish.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, told me that the flounder bite out of Wachapreague continues to be a good one as long as the water remains clear, with most of the catches coming in the cooler water near the inlet. Berkley Gulp paired with a live minnow or silverside has been effective, with pink, chartreuse, and white with orange tails being the most recent popular Gulp colors.
Sand mullet (whiting) have been hitting small pieces of squid in the same areas as the flounder. The offshore wrecks are producing some large black sea bass and a few gray triggerfish, as well as increasing numbers of flounder.
The offshore trolling bite has been good inside the Washington Canyon. The Heat Wave was among several boats that caught yellowfin tuna over the weekend, with three fish weighing up to 65 pounds. Deep droppers have been finding good numbers of blueline tilefish.
Lower Shore
Tyler Nestor, at Oceans East — Eastern Shore said cobia catches have been made off the third and fourth islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel by anchoring up while chumming, as well as by sight fishing. The waters off Cape Charles have been even more prolific for cobia anglers.
The best flounder action in the lower bay has been occurring along Wise Point and along the high rise portion of the bridge-tunnel.
Sheepshead action remains good along the bridge-tunnel pilings.
Schools of spadefish have moved in around the third and fourth islands of the bridge-tunnel, though they have not been actively taking baits.
With the hot temperatures occurring this week, I expect the spadefish bite to improve for these semi-tropical visitors. The spadefish bite has been better out around the Chesapeake Light Tower.
Schools of large red drum have been randomly encountered in the lower bay, and they should soon take up residence on the shoals and around the rock islands.
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.
