Way South Fishing Reports

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 10 Update:

The southern Chesapeake Bay is once again turning into the world-class fishery it is so very well known for. Many of our warmer weather species are returning and fishing opportunities are increasing by the day. The inshore speckled trout and red drum bite has been great as of late. The Elizabeth River, Lynnhaven Inlet, Rudee Inlet, and James River have all been productive areas. Keeper trout and slot reds have been enticed by soft plastic paddletails fished on light jigheads. Fishing near docks and oyster bottom has been a good bet when targeting the drum. One angler reported that he caught over a dozen pups while night fishing. Only two of which were slot, but a few were over. The fish were caught fishing under the lights near a bridge on the Elizabeth River. Night fishing can be a good bet in this area as it is very developed with a lot of lights shining down into the water. This will attract bait and fish, so keep that in mind when fishing once the sun goes down.

The big bluefish along the bayfront and in some of the tributaries have been a treat to enjoy this spring. Anglers are still catching big bluefish in the surf and at Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets this week. Smaller bluefish are also moving into the area but fish up to 35 inches were landed this week. One surf angler reported catching a 33, 31, 28, and 21-inch fish from the surf while throwing big metal spoons. The schools of Spanish mackerel aren’t far behind and a few are already starting to show up at the Virginia Beach fishing pier. They will soon make their way inside the CBBT and make for fun action on both trolling and light tackle gear.

Red and black drum are still hanging around the ledges and shoals in this region. More schools of red drum are showing up each week and their numbers will continue to increase until June. Boats have been finding success for these fish by anchoring up and dropping down chunks of crab on fish finder rigs. Fishing near the islands of the CBBT can yield good results and there have already been good reports of red drum coming from around them this week. Oceans East Bait and Tackle also confirmed that the first few cobia of the year have showed up. This will add another exciting option to the already diverse fishery of the southern Bay. As more show up, they can be targeted around the CBBT or by searching for them in towers as they cruise just below the surface of the water.

Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 3 Update:

It was a nice change of pace to have summerlike temperatures visit the region this week. Fishing activity responded well to the nicer weather and it may have been the best week of spring fishing so far this year. Drum are a main target right now with red drum and black drum running up the Bay. The black drum have been more concentrated around the Eastern Shore of Virginia from the CBBT up to the shallow grassy areas of the Pocomoke. They have also been a common catch in the surf and sand fleas on fish finder rigs are consistently getting bites for anglers.

Reader reports of redfish continue to grow, and this week we heard of some action on slot fish in the Nansemond, the inlets, and the Elizabeth. The schools of bull red drum are finally making a bigger push into the Bay, too, after a slow start to the spring. Fisherman’s Island has been a hotspot along with channel edges running up to Cape Charles on the east side and Mobjack Bay on the west side. Anchoring up near reefs and shoals to drop down chunks of crab is a popular way to lure in these big fish to your line. Make sure you have a medium heavy to heavy setup because both species of drum can get over 50 pounds.

Big news for southern Bay anglers has been the arrival of chopper bluefish running along the beaches and making their way into the inlets. It has been quite some time since we have seen a good run of big bluefish, and this is a bite you won’t want to miss out on. One angler reported in after landing four bluefish ranging from 32 to 34 inches which were all caught on Z-Man jerk shads. Most of the bluefish have been in the 25- to 35-inch range which will definitely start screaming your drag once you hook into one.

Lynnhaven continues to be a hotspot for both speckle trout and redfish, and some keeper sized flounder are now also being pulled out of the inlet. The Elizabeth River has also been a great location as water temperatures are pushing into the low 60s. Anglers have reported that there is a lot of bait in the smaller creeks, but that the main stem of the river is seeing better action now. One kayak angler caught a few slot puppy drum while fishing around lighted docks at night. Speckled trout are moving into areas with grass and are also moving into shallower water in the industrial zones of the tributaries. Soft plastic paddletails are the go-to bait for catching just about everything in the Bay, but soaking pieces of fresh cut bait or chunks of crab on fish finder rigs will also produce fish if you prefer a more relaxed style of fishing.

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