Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 30 Update:
Way South anglers got a break from the brutal cold as temperatures trended milder this week. It is a good thing too because the cold weather has been taking a toll on our speckled trout. Several anglers reported finding dead trout over the past two weeks, and several others saw fish moving into very shallow water trying to warm up in the sun. The fish that made it this far should be okay for now so let’s hope we don’t get any more extended periods of cold weather this winter.
The red drum were still biting throughout the cold spell this month and the bite was better this week with the warmer temperatures. Anglers fishing Rudee Inlet have been doing well catching slot fish and under slot using artificial lures or cut bait. The reds can also be found in the other Virginia Beach tributaries such as the Elizabeth River and Lynnhaven Inlet. When we have warm days in the winter, the reds will often move into the shallow mud flats to feed on baitfish. When it is cold, focus on deeper holes and areas with structure.
Virginia anglers should note that the Special February Black Sea Bass Season will open on Saturday and remain open for the month. Special permitting and reporting are required to participate. This is a great recreational opportunity to take advantage of during the dead of winter.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 23 Update:
Winter fishing is on the slower side right now, but we have a few species willing to bite. Virginia Beach Sport Fishing reports that tautog are being caught in both the Bay and at offshore reef sites. Since crab is mostly unavailable, shrimp and clam are the two baits that are proving effective right now. Virginia anglers also have black sea bass to look forward to next month. The special February Virginia recreational black sea bass season will be open again this year. The free permit is now available online. Anglers can find out more about permitting and reporting requirements on the recreational reporting fact sheet.
Unfortunately, we are seeing the ramifications of the most recent cold weather. A fair number of cold shocked trout are appearing throughout the Virginia Beach tributaries. Speckled trout aren’t built for winters like this and when we have as much cold weather as we have had this year, die offs are almost inevitable. Hopefully it doesn’t do too much damage. On the other hand, red drum are much more adept to handling cold weather and they have been active in the tributaries. A reader reported that the red drum are biting well on fresh shrimp in the deeper parts of Rudee Inlet. Another angler fishing Rudee caught several slots and under slot reds while bouncing soft plastic swimbaits along the bottom. A subtle presentation will usually work best as the colder temperatures have them acting more lethargic. Lets hope for some warmer weather soon, because this cold is getting old.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 16 Update:
The cold is persisting, but red drum have still been biting in the Way South tributaries. There were a handful of reports from anglers fishing this week who had success targeting reds. One caught his personal best with a 31” over slot fish caught in Little Creek. Another angler fishing an unspecified tributary at night said the reds were steadily biting before the snow last weekend. He caught four with the largest measuring 25”. All fish were caught on cut mullet, but he said they have been willing to hit fresh shrimp and paddletails too. Fishing for speckled trout has been very slow as the fish are very lethargic thanks to the cold temperatures. Some reports of dead fish are still coming up and the expected polar vortex next week does not bode well for them. Let’s hope it doesn’t hit them too hard.
The migratory striped bass action that was happening in the Bay near Cape Charles has basically come to a halt. The wind and cold have shut down the bite and the fish that were around either went back out to the ocean or are holding close to bottom in deep water with lockjaw. There are likely still some around, but getting them to bite will be a challenge with water temperatures in the upper 30’s. Schoolie striped bass should still be around in the tidal rivers and the pattern has been that they are biting best at night in areas with deep water and building lights. Schools of mullet have been in the area, so fresh cut bait or lures mimicking them will be good options to use when fishing.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 9 Update:
Our speckled trout may be in some serious trouble. Old man winter has come out of retirement this year and brought us some snow and very cold temperatures recently. This does not bode well for our beloved speckled trout as they do not handle the cold very well. We have seen several reports this past week of dead trout turning up in the Virginia Beach tributaries One angler reported that most of the fish he has seen have been between 12 and 16 inches, though we did have a few reports of bigger trout also dying unfortunately. It does not appear to be a huge fish kill yet, but if cold temperatures persist in the coming weeks, it may get worse.
The wind has been blowing hard this week and most anglers have stayed off the water to avoid the brutal cold. The tributaries are offering some protection from the wind and some reds have been caught despite the cold. Mullet have been abundant in the rivers and are great live or cut bait when fishing in the winter. One angler fishing this week reported catching a few slot reds while fishing with cut mullet in Rudee Inlet. Out on the Bay, migratory striped bass should still be around, but boats have been unable to target them thanks to the wind. When we get break in the weather, they should still be hanging around ledges and shoals. Cape Charles is a historically productive area for big winter striped bass and the fish have already shown themselves there this winter.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 2 Update:
Happy New Year folks! Let’s make the 2025 fishing season another great one. The wind has really been blowing this week which has kept most boats off the water. The cold isn’t helping either and it looks like the forecast may be calling for more cold weather headed our way. There has been some migratory striped bass action on the main Bay and the best reports are coming from the Eastern Shore near Cape Charles. Sho-Nuf Sportfishing was out a few times over the past few weeks and reported that the bite wasn’t on fire, but they had steady catching at times with some very nice trophy fish caught that were tagged and released. They also spent some time chasing down bluefin tuna in the ocean and brought a fish over 90” to the boat before releasing. Other boats heading into the ocean from the Virginia Beach area to chase tuna have been hooking into some monsters. The biggest we saw reported this week was Sea Mee Sportfishing with a 94” fish that weighed 502 pounds.
The tributaries around Norfolk and Virginia Beach are still producing a mixture of speckled trout, red drum, and striped bass. The fish are mostly hanging in deeper water but will move into shallower water during warming trends in the winter. We had a report from an angler who fished the Elizabeth River earlier in the week who said he caught a limit of specks in just a few hours. All fish were caught using MirrOLure Mirrodine slow sinking twitchbaits. Another angler bank fishing in Ocean View caught two keeper trout using twitchbaits as well. The warmup at the beginning of the week seemed to push some puppy drum into shallow water of less than five feet and there was a decent bite in the inlets. The striped bass still seem to be biting best at night in the vicinity of dock and building lights. Night fishing for striped bass can be very effective in the winter. Though nighttime temperatures are cold, the bite can be very good as fish will be looking to ambush baitfish attracted to the illuminated water.