BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post, Sept. 12, 2025
Local angling action is transitioning from the summertime fisheries to autumn-like action. Red drum remains the most consistent fishery, while the cobia population has almost completely left local waters just as the season closes on Sept. 15.
Speckled trout and puppy drum numbers should increase with the falling water temperatures, though those fisheries have yet to meet expectations.
Upper Shore
Captain Matt Abell, at the Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that his customers and his charter clients have enjoyed the trophy red drum catch and release fishery on the bayside. Catches have come in depths of 15 to 30 feet around the artificial reefs, sloughs, and hills from the lower Pocomoke Sound down to Cape Charles. Chunks of crab, cut croaker, or cut spot fished on 8/0 circle hooks from a fishfinder rig late in the afternoon and evenings have been the keys to successful big red drum catches. Sheepshead and black drum have been some of the welcome bycatches of the crab baits intended for the red drum.
On the seaside, the autumn spot run has started, with large spot hitting bloodworm and pieces of Fishbites on small hooks with floats cast just beyond the breakers. A few red drum have also been caught and released from the beach.
Offshore, white marlin and dolphin (mahi mahi) have been encountered in the canyons. Dolphin have also been caught a little closer in near the 20-fathom line. Blueline and golden tilefish catches have come from anglers deep dropping from 50 fathoms out to the canyons.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, had just returned from a marsh hen hunting trip when I spoke with him. Captain Paul said the flounder are still biting when the winds subside, though most of the fish are undersized. He added that there are still a few nice-sized fish in the mix. Most of the flat fish are being caught on combinations of Berkley Gulp with live minnows or silversides.
No confirmed catches of puppy drum have been made, though some have been seen tailing in the shallows.
The ocean wrecks are still producing good numbers of large black sea bass and flounder. The White Bite released eight white marlin mid-week on a trip to the offshore canyons.
Lower Shore
Tyler Nestor, at Oceans East — Eastern Shore, reported that large spot and croakers have been caught off the Kiptopeke State Park Pier, as well as in the waters surrounding the nearby concrete ships. Bloodworms, shrimp, and Fishbites have been the baits of choice for these tasty panfish.
Bluefish have also appeared in the waters around Kiptopeke and have been attacking spoons, both trolled and cast.
Flounder catches have started to come from more shallow waters and have been hitting live minnows and Berkley Gulp.
Anglers have reported a slight increase in the number of speckled trout catches, with the majority of the fish being caught on Mirrolures and soft plastics.
Puppy drum numbers have also improved for anglers fishing shrimp under popping corks.
Sheepshead catches have come from around the pilings of the high rise section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Sandfleas and fiddler crabs have been the top sheepshead baits.
Large red drum continue to be caught on live and cut spot and croakers around the second and third islands of the bridge-tunnel.
Jeb Brady, at Bailey’s Bait & Tackle, told me that anglers have begun to shift their focus more inshore, specifically on speckled trout and puppy drum.
Speckled trout catches have been reported by anglers casting Mirrolures and soft plastics along the sandy beaches, creeks, and marshes on both the bay and seaside of the lower Shore.
Jeb said that a few puppy drum have been reported by anglers fishing popping corks, but their larger family members are “thick” along the reefs, as big red drum are being caught in the evenings on cut bait from Nassawadox to the bridge-tunnel.
Cobia season closes on Sept. 15. Anglers are still seeing cobia cruising the surface waters, but they seem more interested in their migration out of the lower bay than hitting a bait.
When clear water can be found, flounder fishing has been good along the bridge-tunnel and on the nearby lower bay and ocean wrecks. The lower bay piers are reporting catches of croakers and spot.
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.
