Way South Fishing Report, June 28 Update:
The southernmost waters of the Chesapeake have been drawing boats from around the region this week, and understandably so. The Spanish mackerel bite has been absolutely stellar – if you’ve the time and a boat, there’s no reason good enough not to be out on the water this week. Oceans East let us know that the trolling bite has held steady, with the water full of lines pulling silver and gold spoons. Trollers have been absolutely killing it and the mackerel have been exceptionally large this season, with high numbers of citation-size fish. Schools are still both north and south of the CBBT, as well as in the open Bay all they way up to the Windmill Point area. Sticking to the channel edges has been a safe bet.
Cobia have continued to provide action for many boats, and drifting live eels and chumming with fresh bunker are doing particularly well. Menhaden has been the bait of choice for the chummers, though rays are being rather pesky these days and are eating a lot of bunker baits. The CBBT, channel edges near the CBBT, off Cape Charles, inside The Cell, off Wolf Trap, and off Windmill Point all proved productive this week.
Keeping to the trend of past couple weeks, flounder have also been hot around the CBBT. They’re eager to snatch pink, white, and chartreuse Gulp! lures, and will also be happy to settle for some squid chunks or minnow. Those dropping bait are also discovering that croaker and spot are not a fishery to be overlooked – while they might not have the size of the aforementioned species, they sure do keep you busy and they’re both now present is solid numbers near the mouth of the Bay along with a few kingfish and puffers in the mix. Dropping down bloodworms on a bottom rig is the key to landing both species.
One final note: we saw some very nice pictures this week from readers who found spadefish at the CBBT and received some good reports from those baiting with clam bits weighted by a single split-shot, on small number-four hooks. The surprise here was that they were larger than one might usually expect when fishing the pilings and islands.
Way South Fishing Report, June 21 Update:
Ocean’s East gave us a fantastic report of many different species coming through the mouth of the Bay right now, but said Spanish mackerel have been the biggest talk lately since multiple citation fish have come in and some very impressive catches are being made. Trolling silver and gold spoons is the top to target these fish, with schools being found both inside and outside the bridge-tunnel right now. The flounder bite has also been getting more attention, as it’s started to pick up in the past week too. Both around the CBBT and in the inlets the flatfish are hitting Gulp! in pink, white, and chartreuse, and are also eating minnow and squid.
Obviously the Cobia bite is big in the news right now, with reports all over the southern spans of the Chesapeake. Fishing live eel, chumming, and sight casting are the three common ways people are fishing for them right now but chummers have been doing best, with fresh bunker while set up in the 20 to 25 foot range on the edges of drop-offs and shoals. This is probably thanks to difficult sight fishing conditions – though if the weather calms down this could change in a heartbeat. Fishing near the CBBT, off Cape Charles, inside The Cell, and off Windmill Point were all mentioned as productive this week.
Croaker just got in hot and heavy along with some very big spot at the mouth of the Bay, and as always bloodworms on bottom will do you best for these species. Some kingfish and puffers have also been in the mix too, for the bottom fishermen.
Increasing numbers of spadefish on the bridge-tunnel along with the reopening of tautog (July 1) should continue to expand the options over the next couple weeks, and after a great spring for tog, the guys at Ocean’s East say they’re hoping that fishery is outstanding.
Way South 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!
Cobia are, of course, the main target for most of the anglers prowling the mouth of the Bay these days. And there are plenty of fish around – the biggest impediment to catching them recently has been the weather. When it cooperates, catches of four to eight fish with a couple-few keepers in the mix have been common. The best areas have been within sight of the CBBT on the Eastern side and off Cape Charles, with one report this week also coming from The Cell. Chumming edges with a drop from 20 or so feet to 30-plus with fresh bunker has been effective, though rays can be problematic for chummers. Sight fishermen have had success with bucktails dressed with plastics in white, pink, and chartreuse.
Reports from Chris’s and Oceans East included flounder around the CBBT, but most are still on the small side. However, a few outliers are present and make for a good fight. The best offering for the flounder has been four- to six-inch Gulp Swimming Mullet and Jerk Shad, in white, pink, and chartreuse, squid, and minnow. Bait anglers should note that bluefish are in the area and have been depleting the resources in short order. Anglers targeting the blues are pulling spoons and are also encountering a few Spanish mackerel. Also near the CBBT, good numbers of spadefish have been caught on clam bits fished while chumming clam. No fresh reports of sheepshead have come in, but sinking sand fleas by the pilings and rocks should produce this species, as well.
Croaker have been expanding their presence, but most of the fish have been on the smaller side. Bottom fishermen and pier anglers are also pulling up some puffers, an occasional flounder, some spot, and kingfish. A few weakfish have also been showing up, though in sub-legal sizes. Bloodworms are the top pick for bait.
The variety of species available to anglers fishing the mouth of the Bay continued to expand this week, and now that they’re fair game many have focused in on Cobia, which have entered the Bay in solid numbers but are mostly still fairly far south. Despite some rough weather this week anglers who’ve been targeting them have found fish up into the 60-pound class, with several boats reporting catches of four or more fish, usually within sight of the CBBT. Unfortunately, if the weatherman is even close to correct sight fishing for these fish on the Lower Bay may well be a complete bust this weekend.
Oceans East reported that red and black drum can still be caught on the shoals at the mouth of the Bay, for anglers using blue crab and peeler crab baits set on the bottom on 10/0 circle hooks with fishfinder rigs. Clam baits have also been catching fish. Around the CBBT flounder are in the area as well, and showing up in greater numbers. Most haven’t been doormats, but are in the 14- to 22-inch range. The best offering for the flounder has been four- to six-inch Gulp Swimming Mullet and Jerk Shad, on a jig head or bucktail. They’re also snapping up squid, but bait anglers should note that bluefish are in the area and have been stealing baits. Most anglers targeting the blues have been sticking to spoons. The spadefish have begun to make their presence known as well, with clam bits fished on number-four hooks proving the best offering. There was also a couple of sheepshead reported this week, the first of the year that we’ve heard of.
Croaker have been expanding their presence in the lower Chesapeake. Most of the fish have been on the smaller side, but there are keepers in the mix. Bottom fishermen and pier anglers are also pulling up some puffers and an occasional flounder here and there. As is often the case, squid will get you some bites but bloodworms tend to get you more. Spanish mackerel and blues have also moved in close, and have even staged some raids on the piers.