Way Southern Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Fishing Report, January 25, 2019 Update:
High winds kept anglers off the water the past week, and most were unable to leave the docks. We have a grand total of zero verified reports from the Bay’s open waters. Those who did fish typically stayed near shore, fished from shore, or headed to local creeks or ponds, for a brief period of time before retreating back to a warm living room. Yellow perch have been present but not plentiful in tributary creeks, and are taking bull minnow on a bobber. As the weather clears up this weekend, it should be worth checking out the upper James and Rappahannock rivers, where catfish had been biting and should remain a good bet when conditions allow folks back out on the water.
Way Southern Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Fishing Report, January 18, 2019 Update:
The Southern waters of the Chesapeake have been providing some lackluster fishing this week, with few anglers reporting in, and even fewer catching. Naturally, the recent weather has seriously cut down on the number of people venturing out onto the water. As a result, the volume of recent reports is quite thin. And although fishing has been dismally slow for many, yellow perch did pick up for those willing to brave the snow and travel to local creeks and freshwater lakes. Bull minnow suspended by a bobber have been the name of the game.
Some catfish have been present in the rivers, near bottom. Using cut bait set on bottom in the upper Potomac, Rappahannock, and James has been the best way to land them. Considering the weather and the success rate for other area options this week, those cats probably represent one of the best options for good action at the moment.
Way Southern Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Fishing Report, January 11, 2019 Update:
Although there are still a few reports coming in of large catch-and-release striper being caught in the southern waters of the Chesapeake - and a very few of keepers outside the Bay but inside the three-mile limit - the large rock have been caught by a small number of boats. Jiggers up towards Smith Point have found some catch and release action on mostly smaller (but still very fat) fish, but many making the attempt recently encountered little to no luck. Birds haven't been cooperating much recently and it's often become a hunt with the fishfinder.
Up inside the Potomac, the Rap, and up the James there's been some action on blue cats (particularly near Tappahannock) but it's an on-again, off-again bite with the recent weather systems moving through. Cut mud shad, herring, and chicken livers are top baits.
Farther to the south trolling seems to the most reliable way to hone in on the rockfish, and most are striking umbrellas or eels. Eels have seemed to have more success recently than artificials, however, those still using umbrellas are having success pulling them close to bottom in 35 to 45 feet of water, using white, pearl, or chartreuse, or black and purple on overcast days. Most fish this week were caught off of Cape Charles, which has continued to be a (relatively) consistent area this season but still a shadow of some years past.
Aside from rock, the waters of the southern Bay have been relatively quiet, with no current reports of tautog and sea bass season closed. That said, there should be a shot at tog for anglers willing to brave the cold and drop crab baits close to the structure of the CBBT and they are the "star" of the Coastal Report this week.
Way Southern Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Fishing Report, January 4:
Editor’s Note: We’d like to say a special thank-you to Parker Martin for compiling the fishing reports these past few months. Now he’s getting ready to study abroad, and starting this week the reports are being compiled – once again – by none other than Mollie Rudow. Parker, as we bid you adieu we rest assured in the knowledge that the FishTalk fishing reports will be in good hands moving forward!
Fishing didn’t seem to pick up much from the slow week around Christmas, with the majority of boats coming back to shore without having much action. Still, there’s some success to report and reader Mason Hearn checked in from Windmill Point to note that a long-shot trolling trip closed out 2018 with eight or nine schoolies, including a keeper. A few larger fish were being caught a bit farther south, however, they’ve been anomalies and aren’t typical for most of the anglers leaving the dock recently. Those who have gotten lucky catching them have stuck to trolling, primarily pulling live eels or umbrellas with white and chartreuse spreads in good light conditions, and dusty purple or pearl on cloudy days. Those fishing with eels do seem to be doing the best. Most of the reports we confirmed this week were off of Cape Charles and in the channel, moving away from The Cell. With the end of the year the Bay’s now closed, of course, so fingers are crossed that some stripers stay inside the three mile limit on the oceanside – keep your eyes on the Coastal report in the coming weeks.
Aside from the rockfish, few fish have been confirmed caught in the lower waters of the Bay. However, white perch are making their typical cold-weather showing, holding around docks up creeks and in the tributaries. And although we didn't hear about any catfish catches this week, it's a safe bet that the blues are still on the feed in the upper tributary holes and channels.