Way South Fishing Reports

Way South Fishing report, April 9 Update:

Speckled! Trout! Speckled! Trout! Are you excited for the speckled trout to be back…? Yeah, we are too. Redfish! Redfish! Redfish! Yes, the run on these fish is ongoing as well. Reports from Ocean’s East confirm that specks and reds continue to be caught in the inlets, particularly Lynnhaven for the specks, as well as at Sandbridge. This week we also had the first reader report of specks having moved a bit farther up the Bay, and hitting in Poquoson in good numbers. Check out Hampton Correspondent Chuck Harrison's Spring Speckled Sea Trout on the Chesapeake Bay article to get the low-down on tackle, tactics, and choosing your next hotspot. Mirr-O-Lures, other hard plastics, and twister-tailed soft plastics are fan favorites. The best redfish reports this week, meanwhile, came from Rudee. More are making their way north, coming in waves from the Carolina’s, and we should see them moving in in greater numbers day by day. It looks like this season is shaping up to be an awesome one!

Taugtog are still biting at the CBBT, although the numbers reported this week dropped off a bit. However, fair reports are still coming in from the Cement Ships. As usual, crab baits of all sorts are working well. Water temps are now creeping up into the upper 50s so we’d expect this bite should improve in the coming days.

Way South Fishing report, April 2 Update:

Early in the season though it may be, and difficult as the gusty days may be making things, we’re already seeing speckled trout in the inlets adding to the surprisingly strong return of redfish this spring. Red reports from the Carolinas are still strong, too, so this action should only get better in the coming days and weeks. In Lynnhaven Inlet, speckled trout are currently active and biting in the shallows. Ocean’s East recommended throwing Mirr-O-Lures for them, as well as other hard plastics. For the redfish, they said the same lures are working. The redfish aren’t currently as abundant in Lynnhaven and were primarily hanging around Rudee Inlet this week. Some are also being caught in the lower James and in the Elizabeth.

Tautog have been another improving bite as the waters warm up and temps at the CBBT hit the balmy (for tautog) mid-50s. The first report of tog at the Cement Ships also came in this week. Anglers heading to the inshore wrecks and reefs are getting into them better (on crab baits, as usual) but the close-to-home bite is improving by the day. Ocean’s East also mentioned that perch remain active in the Northwest, with plenty of perch to go around. Bloodworm or minnow on bottom rigs have been the star baits.

We didn’t have any reports of black drum in the area this week, however, several were caught from the beach in Assateague. That means there’s a shot at ‘em on the shoals, and some pioneering angler armed with clam baits will be bringing ‘em in soon, for sure!