Coastal Fishing Report, July 2020

Coastal Fishing Report, July 31 Update:

Multiple reader reports that the chunk bite at the Dog was much tougher over last weekend than it had been, with zero to three fish the range and just a single yellowfin in the box the norm. The Ocean City Fishing Center confirmed this, noting that fewer boats were flying multiple yellowfin flags than last week. But then there were also some good days mid-week, with a handful of boats landing on the fish and bagging up to a dozen or so. The Fishing Center also mentioned that mahi remain difficult to come by, unless you locate them under a weed line. One angler who headed to the Hot Dog reported that after a half a day of nada they pushed a bit farther out, and had no problem loading up on blueline tilefish plus a half-dozen mahi found near a weed patch.

yellowfin tuna
Nick and Scott tied into this beautiful yellowfin while fishing out of Wachapreage, VA, on the Heatwave.

Meanwhile out in the deep, it was big billfish that produced big bucks for anglers in the Big Fish Classic — including multiple swordfish over 200 pounds (a 255-pounder on the Roll Groove topped that species – congrats, captain Jon!) and a blue just under the 400-pound mark.

Inshore, there are sea bass and flounder to be found on the wrecks and reefs up and down the coast with Delaware anglers reporting the best numbers. As more flounder move into the area, you've got a pretty good shot of landing them. In general, the Fishing Center reported that the wreck flounder have been a *slightly* better grade than those coming from the inlet. That’s a good thing because a good portion of the bay-caught flounder aren't hitting the keeper mark. Same goes for the reports from Indian River, although a few legal stripers are also coming from that inlet for night fishermen casting live eels. The inlet also has a few small blues, which are hitting spoons.

Blues are also present in the VA inlets, although the anglers fishing in that zone are reporting a better mix of species with some specks and puppy drum in the mix. They’re also enjoying more variety when pulling spoons and medium-sized plugs in the waters just off Virginia Beach, with Spanish mackerel making up the bulk of the catch but bluefish, ribbonfish, and a few king mackerel all chewing.

Anglers fishing from surf in the region have been hooking up on the small blues as well. Their primary catch has been kingfish, with some croaker in the mix. Coastal Correspondent John Unkart reports a steady stream of the kingfish on small doodlebug rigs with various baits plus a few (small) flounder. We also hear that a couple sandbar sharks were pulled out of the Assateague surf this week, much to the dismay of passing beach-goers.


Coastal Fishing Report, July 24 Update:

Note: Anglers catching tilefish now need a permit (yep – another permit!) starting August 17. NOAA announced you’ll also have to file catch reports. Go to their Final Rule for Private Recreational Tilefish Vessels page, to get the full scoop and then apply for the permit.

happy anglers with yellowfin tuna
The Rudow crew came home happy, after chunking for yellowfin last weekend.

The tuna bite was absolutely stellar this week, with a huge fleet popping up at the Hot Dog to get in on the yellowfin. Angler-in-Chief Lenny Rudow headed out on Saturday and reports that the Hot Dog was totally packed, with boats stretching off into the horizon. Rudow and crew landed five out of 11 yellowfin hookups and watched multiple other boats around them with bent rods. He mentioned that the low hook-to-catch rate was due in no small part to the fish being very finicky and refusing to hit fluoro leaders any larger than 30-pound test. (He noted that in the glassy conditions, the fish were on the spooky side and they watched several tuna eat chunks and approach baits, then turn off at the last second). Chunking was the primary mode of operation and letting chunks of butterfish or squid freefall on feeder lines produced the majority of hookups. Rudow also reports catching three mahi along a small weed line, along with the tuna actively feeding on chunks next to the boat. Multiple readers also reported success chunking and also while jigging on bottom at the Hot Dog, with average catches between two and five fish in the 40- to 50-pound range and a few of the big boats racking up larger numbers. There were also a few reports of a mid-week slow-down on a couple of days, so the action isn't necessarily quite as consistent as it might be (or maybe a few folks just had off-days). One reader also let us know that he headed up to Poor Man’s where he found a white marlin and some hefty mahi on the troll. Tuna action at the canyons hasn't been impressive, though anglers deep dropping continue to catch all the tilefish they can handle.

In the surf, Coastal Correspondent John Unkart has been encountering a steady stream of kingfish bites at Assateague, sometimes to the tune of a dozen-plus, on Doodlebug rigs with FishBites and squid bits. Casting a white bucktail dressed with a three-inch Gulp! Swimming Mullet into the surf triggered a nice change of pace one morning, producing an 18.5-inch flounder to add to the box.

Inshore, Captain Monty on the Morning Star reports a steady pick at the sea bass, though action not quite as hot as it’s been to date. He also mentioned that with flounder numbers picking up, he plans to start looking harder for them in the coming weeks. We also had a reader report from Indian River and one from OC of the Old Grounds producing good numbers of flatties on Gulp! Swimming Mullet. The Virginia Beach inshore fleet is more focused on the good numbers of Spanish mackerel hitting spoons on the troll, with dozen-plus catches common. A few king macks, bluefish, and ribbonfish have also been in the mix. Word from the Light tower is that high pressure has dampened the spadefish action a bit, though fish are still being caught there on clam bits drifted back with a split-shot, or suspended under a float.


Coastal Fishing Report, July 17 Update:

Thick into July, fishing off the coast is heating up. The Ocean City Fishing Center is getting daily reports of yellowfin, but bigger news recently has been a spate white marlin bites from the canyons with some boats—not everyone, but some—reporting double-digit days. The Ocean City Tuna Tournament took place this past weekend, so naturally that altered the focus a bit, and quite a few boats returned with multiple yellowfins. This week they also saw a few bigeye hitting the docks. Possibly due to the high number of boats fishing the tournament, it appears that the bite was better than last week. Now that the tournament’s done more boats are also beginning to chunk, with some reports of success. Outside the tournament, we’re stills seeing boats coming in with tilefish hauls supplementing the tunas. Additionally, some boats are (finally!) returning with mahi. They’re still not showing up in impressive numbers, but they’re around more than they have been to date. A few wahoo have also now showed up for boats running from Virginia Beach, so this species will hopefully become more of a player in the near future as well.

fishing for flounder
The flounder bite on the wrecks is picking up steam. Photo courtesy of Capt. Cook, First Light Charters

Inshore, Captain Monty Hawkins on the Morning Star reported that the sea bass bite has been great, especially for summer. He had occasional keeper doubles leaving the water, with flounder in the mix here and there. The flounder bite in the inlets has been exciting this week, from Delaware to Virginia. The Ocean City Fishing Center reported that multiple anglers got into good ones in the inlet and just outside of it, with bites on drifted squid and jigged white, pearl, and pink soft plastics. Captain Charles Cook of the First Light reported that flounder fishing at the Old Grounds has been productive, with some sea bass mixed in. On night fly fishing and light tackle trips, they’re getting into some small striper and bluefish action, as well.

Back on the beach, Coastal Correspondent John Unkart let us know that there’s an awesome run of kingfish going off at Assateague with some spot in the mix, too. Unkart had multiple double-digit keeper kingfish days this week and let us know that the best bait was a small piece of cut spot with a piece of Fishbites bloodworm added to the hook.


Coastal Fishing Report, July 10 Update:

Offshore guys from Indian River down to Virginia Beach have been alternately singing praises and singing blues, when it comes to the tuna bite. We had readers check in after trips to Poor Mans and Washington Canyons this week, with tilefish commonly saving the day but a couple reports of onsie-twosie yellowfin catches. In one interesting catch of note, the Gone Phishin came into Sunset with a fat snowy grouper in the boat – nice job, on that one guys! Virginia Beach boats were also seeing fewer yellowfin this week, though a few bigeye have come in to the docks and the billfish bite has heated up significantly with at least one boat registering a double-digit day on whites.

big redfish on the beach
Jonathan Pistoals landed this big bull red in the surf, while casting bunker chunks off the beach at Assateague. NICE fish, Jonathan!

Back on the beach, there was a serious catch of note this week – just look at the pic of that redfish! We also got reports of an extensive “fleet” of shark anglers casting and paddling out baits from the beach in Assateague in recent weeks. While this can certainly make for some exciting times, we want to remind everyone that dragging a shark up onto dry land can have a very negative physical effect on the shark and regulations dictate that they be released immediately. While we certainly don’t recommend diving into the water with the beast, we hope all anglers will take this into account and try to make sure the shark’s body is supported by water as much as possible as it’s un-hooked.

Inshore, Capt. Monty on the Morning Star said early this week that the sea bass fishing on the wrecks and reefs out of Ocean City was among the best summertime fishing he’s seen since 2002, with multiple anglers in the crew limiting out. He also noted that one of his party brought sand fleas for bait one day, and that it made a difference. We also had a couple of reader reports from those opting to target flounder instead of bass at the wrecks, with a so-so bite but a few real doormats showing up for those drifting Gulp! Swimming Mullet on Fluke Killer rigs. There are also large numbers of monster chopper blues still prowling the inshore lumps, off the Maryland coast. Up off Delaware the inshore fleet seems a bit more focused on the flounder at the wrecks and reefs with similar reports of okay numbers but some very nice fish in the mix. And down the coast there’s been a flurry of action recently in Virginia’s nearshore waters — the ribbonfish are back! Trollers have been catching a mix of ribbonfish and Spanish mackerel, which are also around in solid numbers, plus a few snapper blues. Hampton Correspondent Chuck Harrison checked in this week and let us know that trolling around the CBBT didn’t produce them on a recent trip, so pushing outside of the Bay and working the coastal waters is probably a good move if you want to target these fish. Meanwhile, by all accounts the big spadefish in residence at the Light Tower are still a solid bet as well for those chumming clam and baiting with small clam bits.

In the coastal bays and inlets: Delaware anglers are also still reporting some keeper (and a few over-slot) stripers, mostly being caught on live eels at night in Indian River. The daytime bite is slow, though, with few flounder being reported and a snapper blue here and there. In the OC inlet, reports are of throwback stripers at the bridges with an occasional keeper here and there, and lots of tailor (mid-sized) blues. Flounder fishing in the Thoroughfare has been fairly good for those drifting Gulp! Swimming Shad and minnow/squid sandwiches on Fluke Killers, though many of the fish are throwbacks. At the Virginia inlets flounder and a few puppy drum are being caught, but most anglers are still focused on speckled trout. A mix of four- to six-inch soft plastic paddle-tails and Mir-O-Lures are reported to be doing the trick and one reader reported a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 in pearl was a killer on the specks last week.


Coastal Fishing Report, July 3 Update:

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP - Attention Anglers: Everyone should be aware that there's currently a bit of a bloodworm shortage, and you may have trouble locating this uber-expensive but uber-effective bait. Anglers around the dial are reporting that Fishbites Bloodworm flavor has been the next best thing. So if you call around and come up blank on the bloodies, reach for the Fishbites. We now return you to our regularly scheduled fishing report. - BEEP-BEEP-BEEP

angler with a tuna fish
Emily Cann poses with her catch, a beautiful yellowfin tuna caught trolling near the canyons on the Double J.

Happy Fourth, anglers! Get out and enjoy the holiday on bluewater. We can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend celebrating. The Ocean City Fishing Center let us know that boats headed to the canyons are enjoying slow but steady yellowfin and bigeye bites. Trolling a spread of skirted ballyhoo and plastic lures has been the primary mode of operation. Coastal Correspondent John Unkart reported that the Jackspot has been loaded up with big chopper bluefish. If you missed it, be sure to check out Unkart's feature article about fishing there, Hit the Jackpot Fishing at the Jackspot, in our July edition (or just click on the preceding link - it'll take ya there!). Additionally, the Fishing Center heard that while cruising the Atlantic blue, multiple boats sighted mako sharks this week. Quite a few boats located scattered mahi offshore as well, although no outstanding catches were reported. Boats that were further in provided the first reports of triggerfish we’ve heard this year, under floating objects and pots. When you encounter something floating in the water, from a beachball to a hunk of wood, toss some squid chunks and look for that flash of silver to see if they’re there.

Inshore, the sea bass bite has tapered off a bit and gone from fantastic to just good. Flounder are still accessible on the wrecks and reefs, however, and in numbers good enough to make targeting them more than worthwhile. Speaking of flounder, they bite has marginally picked up in the inlets with reports going from okay up north (Indian River and Massey’s) to fair at the Thoroughfare in OC, to good in the VA inlets and at the CBBT. Drifting squid chunks or bumping pink, white, pearl, and chartreuse soft plastics along bottom is the ticket to bringing ‘em in right now. The inlets and backbays in Delaware and Maryland are also holding some stripers, caught primarily on soft plastics. Few are keepers, but they do pop up now and again.

From the surf, we’re hearing that the kingfish bite is good. Coastal Correspondent John Unkart continues enjoying the steady stream of kingfish biting in the Assateague surf - although ponies bathing in the surf did get in the way of a cast or two this week. He also reeled in several stripers this week, fish that didn't make the 28-inch coastal minimum but one that looked like it would have been a keeper in the Maryland portion of the Bay. Anglers fishing the surf from VA's piers are reporting blues, kings, and an occasional trout in the mix.