Tangier Sound and Lower Eastern Shore Fishing Report, June 28 Update:
There still are croaker and spot on hard bottom, with some rockfish and a few speck bites for shallow-water casters in the Sound, but Sea Hawk Sport Center reports that all of the above is spotty. Bloodworms on bottom rigs is the way to go for the bottom fish, and those searching for specks and stripes are tossing four- to six-inch plastics and Gulp!s in white and chartreuse. Some people have instead shifted their focus to the cobia that have spread up the Eastern Shore and into the Pocomoke. The best bite for this species continues to be from Pungoteague south to Cape Charles and the CBBT, but a few have been caught as far up as the southern Tangier. Chummers have continued to catch more than sight-fishers to date, but more and more rays are in the mix daily making bait fishing tougher and the most effective bait seems to have changed from fresh bunker to live eels.
The uber-popular snakehead option continues to distract anglers from saltier waters and bring them to the Eastern Shore tribs, where the fish have settled into a summer pattern. It’s getting harder to reach them with some anglers reporting big fish being located in heavy cover in just inches of water, where weedless topwater lures are by far most effective. Anglers are also still getting them on minnow, at the bridges and just off the banks. We didn’t get any of those huge number reports this week but we did hear of catches up to a half-dozen fish with more large ones in the mix these days.
Coastal Correspondent John Unkart spent a few days at Cherrystone this week, but reported that the waters were riled and dirty and fishing was on the tough side. Small spot and kingfish were all that was willing to bite.
Crabbing Report: This is the zone to be in; unlike areas to the north crabbing is solid in these parts.
Tangier Sound and Lower Eastern Shore Fishing Report, June 21 Update:
Sea Hawk Sports Center told us that there are both speckled trout and rockfish to be caught on the flats of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds. Although they are not in the best of numbers right now, with better weather and a little time the fishing should heat up. Sea Hawk also reminded us that soft crab is a good bait to use right now if you’re fishing around the islands for specks, but as the summer prevails, plastics will take over as the best way to get the job done. They also mentioned that cobia have been caught all the way up to Watt’s Island, with a much better bite this far north on the east side of the Bay than on the west. In fact, fishing in 18 to 28 feet of water there has been a great bite using cut bunker on a fish-finder rig while chumming.
Bottom fishermen have been finding a mixed smattering of so-so croaker, spot up to eight inches, white perch, and a few very small weakfish and flounder in the sound. Dropping bottom rigs baited with bloodworms or Fishbites has been the ticket. A sharp increase in the croaker fishery was reported from Way South this week, so hopefully some of those fish will head north and give bottom fishing in the Sound a shot in the arm soon.
While the improved saltwater fishing has certainly taken some of the pressure off the snakehead fishery, snake-lovers are still putting in plenty of time in the Sound’s tribs. We heard a lot of up-and-down reader reports this week, with some anglers reporting skunks one day and others catching a half-dozen the next. Topwater and chatterbaits were the top producers.
Tangier Sound and Lower Eastern Shore Fishing Report, June 14 Update:
Anglers: we apologize for the technical difficulties experienced last week. Unfortunately it caused our website to crash multiple times over multiple days, but the computer wizards assure us that it’s now completely fixed. We sure hope they’re right!
The Tangier has been a possibility for anglers looking to fight both red and also a few black drum, or bring some speckled trout aboard. Clam has been a great bait for the drum, which are scattered throughout the Sound. Meanwhile, four- to six-inch swimbaits have been killer for the specks and (mostly small) rockfish. Although mostly stripers are being caught their numbers have dropped a bit recently, while more speckled trout are being landed each day. Still, on the whole it's not what one would call a reliable bite and anglers need to work hard to find a speck or three. The areas around Hoopers Island, the stumps, and areas of slightly deeper water along edges of the marsh islands have all been good areas to search. A few croaker are hanging out in the Sound as well, and although their numbers and size would best be described as disappointing, dropping down bloodworms on a bottom rig over shell bottom is sure to end with something on your line, be it a catfish, croaker, or white perch.
Farther down the Shore cobia are the focus, when the wind and rain take a break long enough to fish open water. Numbers have been best from The Cell south with significantly more throwbacks than keepers, although we did have one report of a fish as far north as the Onancock so they might be encountered just about anywhere at this point. Chumming edges with a drop from 20 or so feet to 30-plus with fresh bunker has been the best bet, though we also heard rays have become an issue in some areas when using this tactic.
Crabbing report: it's now game-on, with good numbers of larger crabs around although many of the biggest are light at the moment. Clam and necks are both getting the job done.
The Tangier has been a common destination for anglers looking to bring home speckled trout and red drum. Although most of the anglers flipping out soft plastics and swimbaits in the four- to six-inch range are landing rockfish, Sea Hawk reported that both specks and reds are being caught with increasing frequency by the day. The areas around Hoopers Island, the stumps, and areas of slightly deeper water along edges of the marsh islands have all been doing well.
The Tackle Box noted that croaker are slowly beginning to file into these waters, and are most commonly being caught on bloodworms. When croaker aren’t around, catfish will often take your bait without hesitation. There have also been some rumors of a few flounder popping up for anglers working Gulp! in slightly deeper water, though we didn’t have any photo-verified reports of keeper-sized fish.
Farther down towards Cape Charles the opening of cobia season started off well, but most of the fish remain in the Bay’s southern reaches so we’ll cover that ground in the Way South report.