Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, April 28 Update:
The magical fishery that can be found in the sounds and Eastern Shore of Virginia is starting to provide some great fishing. Surf fishing has been excellent this spring and we are seeing a variety of fish caught this week on the sea side. Big rockfish are becoming more frequent in the surf as they migrate back north. The bite hasn’t been red hot but anglers who put in the time are catching a few of the big ones over 40 inches along with the schoolies. Black drum are still being caught but anglers are having to spend more time soaking baits to get the fish they are after. Along with the stripers and black drum, we have seen a few bluefish, some puffers, clearnose skate, and sharks this week. The flounder fishing also continues to be productive for anglers fishing in the coastal bays of Chincoteague and Wachapreague. Shallower waters and fishing during the ebb tides is where you will find the best bite. The combination of gulps and silversides paired with pink skirts seems to be the hot lure.
The sounds have been holding some big fish including red drum, black drum, and big rockfish. Captain C. L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters has had a good week catching all three of these bay monsters. Last weekend he was out with clients searching for early reds and specks but instead found some trophy sized rockfish in the shallows near Crisfield. They caught fish up to 48 inches while throwing out chunks of peeler crab. Captain C. L. has also been catching big black drum and a few bull reds in the shallows on fresh cut menhaden and peeler crab. One of the better catches of the week came from one of his clients who landed a 75-pound black drum in the Tangier Sound. What a catch!
The first of the specks have also been reported from anglers fishing the shallows of the sounds. The fish still aren’t around in numbers and there’s a much higher ratio of stripers hitting jigs and swimming plugs, but the early fish are often large ones and we had reports of two specks over 24 inches this week.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, April 21 Update:
We have been blessed with a warm start to spring which has warmed water temperatures and brought many fish back to our region. Action on black and red drum in the shallows and near oyster rocks of Chesapeake Bay waters has been fairly steady. Clam, crab, and sand fleas on fish finder rigs will be the best baits to throw for these big bottom dwellers. Otherwise the bay side has been fairly quiet but on the sea side Dave Moore checked in from the beaches of Assateague to let us know that the drum bite slacked off for a few days and only a couple bit over the weekend, but on the bright side he and Mike tied into 38- and 45-inch stripers in the surf. These early birds were the first of the season we know of to hit the beach on Assateague, and both fish ate sand fleas. Dave also wrote in to let us know that he caught the first known bluefish of the season. It was a biggie at 38 inches. A slower drum bite was also reported by a few other anglers fishing on the Virginia side of Assateague over the weekend. One angler fished Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, catching a few skates with skunks on drum except for Saturday. He was able to land a 33-pound drum in the morning, and a 14- and 18-pound drum in the evening. All were caught on bottom rigs with sand fleas.
Sea Hawk Sports Center let us know that one of the top stories for the area recently has been the hot flounder bite, also on the sea side. The best fishing has been on the ebb tide, but the warming waters are just starting to get a few fish biting on the incoming tide. Many anglers are catching the flatties on a Gulp! and silverside combo presented on a chartreuse or pink jig. Sea Hawk says that clear water has still been the most critical component to ensure success. Most of the flounder are being caught in four to 15 feet of water though some anglers have been catching a better grade of fish in deeper depths of 25 feet.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, April 13 Update:
The warm spring temperatures have been bringing more fish to the coastal areas along the Eastern Shore. Black drum are becoming the talk of the town this week with fish being caught along the coast and in the Chesapeake Bay sounds. Sea Hawk reports that the waters of the Chesapeake have produced a “spotty bite” for both black drum and a few bull reds. The fish have been mainly cruising the shallows of the Pocomoke and Tangier Sounds. Chunks of blue crab have been the most effective bait in these areas.
We haven’t heard of any speck reports from the sounds yet, but they should be showing up soon if not already. Once water reaches the 60-degree mark, the specks will move into the shallows. Rock jetties, island points, and grass beds are all areas these fish tend to frequent. Many area anglers are focusing on the improving flounder fishing along the coast and Sea Hawk Sports Center says that these fish have readily taken Sea Hawk flounder rigs paired with pink and white chartreuse Gulp! Swimming mullets and tipped with silversides. The best fishing has been on the ebb tide and clear water has been key for catching.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, April 7 Update:
The fishing has really sprung into action this week along the lower Eastern Shore areas. Surf fishing for black drum has kicked off along the coastal areas. Areas up to Assateague and Chincoteague have seen drum catches this week and it should continue to pick up. Sea Hawk Sports Center said that some black drum and even a few early spring bull red drum have been caught in the Pocomoke Sound as well. Baits that work well paired with top-and-bottom rigs include sand fleas, crab flavor Fishbites, surf clams, and fresh peeler crab.
White perch are still being caught in the Pocomoke, Wicomico, and Nanticoke rivers on bloodworms. The Pocomoke still seems to be the most productive for a variety of species such as bass, pickerel, crappie, yellow perch, and white perch. Crappie fisherman are doing particularly well trolling small minnows on jigheads. Fishing opportunities are steadily increasing, and it should only get better as we move further into spring.
More flounder reports came in from the sea side this week, and it seems that this bite is really picking up. Down in Chincoteague, guide service Chincoteague Bay Adventures has been putting anglers on the fish. During one outing this week, their boat landed a limit of flounder with the top four fish all coming in at 20 inches. They even threw back a keeper sized fish because it was “too small.” Flounder are also being caught in the Wachapreague and Ocean City coastal bays. This time of year, the outgoing tide is usually best as the shallow waters on the flats and in the marshes are warmed by the sun. The flounder will move into these shallow areas near creek mouths and wait for the outgoing tide to bring bait out of the marshes. When they are shallow, cast out a jig paired with a paddletail or curlytail soft plastic (Gulp! baits work well) and bounce it along the bottom to get these fish to strike.