BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post, Sept. 19, 2025
A 5-pound, 14-ounce pompano caught on Sept. 13 off Goose Island by angler Scott Patey, of Delmar, Md., has been submitted to the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament for recognition as a new Virginia State Record for the species. If the application is approved, the catch will replace a 5-pound, 10-ounce pompano that was caught by beloved late local angler Robert T. (Bob) Long in 1992 off Scarborough Island, near the mouth of Onancock Creek.
Upper Shore
Captain Matt Abell, at the Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that the recent strong easterly winds have sent a lot of the bayside anglers scurrying for more sheltered fishing locations.
The shallows have been relatively quiet for the most part. Puppy drum catches are fairly nonexistent, with only a fraction of the number of fish that we normally see. Larger speckled trout have also been on the scarce side, though there are decent numbers of smaller fish.
A paddletailed Gulp under a popping cork is as good of a setup as you need for the smaller trout. Suspended Mirrolures have been landing much fewer but larger fish.
Large red drum are still providing action during the evenings from just south of Watts Island down to the Cell. Cut bait fished on 8/0 circle hooks have been the baits of choice.
Bluefish, rays, and sharks have been active bycatches of the red drum fishery.
A few sheepshead and black drum have been landed on crab baits fished on the structures and creeks. Cobia seem to have already left the bay for more southern waters.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, told me that a few flounder continue to be caught out of Wachapreague despite the recent windy conditions. Most of the flounder, however, have been undersized.
Captain Paul had not received any reports of puppy drum or speckled trout catches in the last week, though he said it is time for them.
The windy and rough sea conditions have also kept the offshore fishing fleet in port.
Lower Shore
Jeb Brady, at Bailey’s Bait & Tackle, said that the fishing has been slow over the last week, but with the arrival of cooler temperatures, everyone is hoping for an improvement with the inshore action.
Big red drum are still available during the evenings from Nassawadox Creek down to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel for anglers soaking chunks of cut bait.
The waters around the concrete ships have started to produce a larger class of spot.
Speckled trout catches have been scattered, with some fish coming from the bayside creeks; however, large numbers of fish are not being seen. Brady is hoping that the lower water temperatures will result in an increase in the trout population.
The offshore wrecks have produced some good flounder action when sea conditions are favorable. The cobia season closed on Sept. 15, and it seems that most of the fish have already exited the bay.
Tyler Nestor, at Oceans East — Eastern Shore, reported that more speckled trout have begun to show up. Other than that, he said that the fishing hasn’t changed much over the last week.
Spot and croaker catches have come from the waters off Kiptopeke.
Bluefish have been caught while trolling spoons off Kiptopeke.
Large red drum are still hanging around the second and third islands of the bridge-tunnel.
The bridge pilings are still holding some sheepshead.
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.
