Way South Fishing Reports
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 26 Update:
The Way South region continues to shine with excellent cobia and sheepshead fishing around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, nearby shoals, and Virginia Beach waters. Puppy drum reports are beginning to improve, while schools of bull red drum remain a major attraction around the CBBT islands and surrounding structure. Anglers looking for variety can also take advantage of an unexpected triggerfish bite while waiting for the summer spadefish fishery to improve.
Based on reports, it sounds like the spadefish fishing at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel has been off to a slow start this year. Hopefully that action picks up in July, but in the meantime, there are some other fish that are fun to catch around the rock islands and bridge pilings. The sheepshead bite has been very good this summer. Kayak anglers and boats are putting themselves right next to the bridge pilings and dropping sand fleas or fiddler crabs on bottom sweeper jigs. The best method is to drop your bait a few feet down and wait for a few seconds to see if you get a bite. If not, drop the bait down another five feet and repeat. Sheepshead are usually quick to bite when a fresh fiddler crab is presented to them. We also saw an interesting report from an angler looking for spadefish this week. They threw out a couple spadefish rigs around one of the islands and, surprisingly, found thick schools of triggerfish. After switching from clam baits to shrimp, they had a bit of a frenzy going on, and they caught as many triggerfish as they wanted for the next half hour. The triggerfish are a nice inshore surprise, especially since they are amazing table fare.
The puppy drum have been mostly absent in the Way South region this year, but we are seeing reports that some more are starting to show up in the area. We had reports of anglers catching slot drum and some under-sized pups near Lynnhaven inlet, the Elizabeth River, and Little Creek. Soaking fresh finger mullet has been a productive way to entice these reds to bite. Hopefully, this is just the first wave of fish arriving, because there are still a lot less fish around this area than usual for this time of year.
Cobia season is off to a strong start with fish being caught along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and in the Bay from the CBBT up to Cape Charles and over to Mobjack Bay. Boats with towers are taking advantage of the abundant sight fishing opportunities that cobia present while swimming just below the waters surface. These fish typically hang out around the shoals and edges in the Bay. They are also known to travel along the main shipping channel edges. If you don’t want to sight fish, anchoring up near a shoal and tossing out chum blocks is a good way to attract these fish. Fresh bunker chunks are working well along with live eels. Schools of bull reds are also hanging out around these shoal areas, as well as the islands of the CBBT. Side scan is one of the best ways to locate them. The drum grounds can get crowded on the weekends, so if you can sneak out for a midweek trip, that is usually the best bet.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 18 Update:
Cobia remain the star attraction in the Way South region as the season gets underway, with anglers sight-fishing and chunking around shoals, channels, and bridge tunnel structure. Sheepshead fishing has been excellent around bridges, jetties, and reefs, while red drum continue to provide reliable action for anglers willing to put in the time. Spanish mackerel are also showing in strong numbers along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and local fishing piers, adding even more summer opportunities.
Cobia season is now open in Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay and there looks to be plenty of fish around to keep anglers busy. We had mixed reports this week from boats looking to box a cobia, but the reports before the season opened were very good along the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Boats with towers have the advantage of sight fishing cobia cruising at the top of the water. Once spotted, these fish are usually willing to hit live eels or bucktails if you can make a precise cast near them. These fish tend to travel along the main shipping channels and will hang out around the shoals in the area. Lattimer Shoal is a popular spot to set out chum bags and toss over eels and fresh cut bunker. Virginia cobia regulations allow for anglers to keep one fish per day with a minimum size of 43 inches. Vessels may keep two fish per day if there are two or more licensed anglers on board.
FishTalk contributor Adam Greenberg checked in after fishing around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel with a friend this week. Their main goal was to catch cobia, but they did not find any after chunking at two different spots. They didn’t see any swimming either. They then tried for sheepshead during the slack tide and caught a few using fiddler crabs on tog jigs. After that, they side scanned for reds and caught a couple on Hot Hand bucktails and seven-inch paddletails. The good thing about the Way South region of the Chesapeake Bay is that if your plan A doesn’t pan out, there are several other options to fall back on to still have a productive day on the water. The sheepshead bite has been good around structure in the Way South region. Anglers have caught them at the Rudee Inlet jetties, Lesner Bridge, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, and at several of the reef/wreck sites in the region. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas have been the top two baits for anglers looking to tangle with these notorious bait stealers. A kayak angler fishing at the Lenser Bridge this week was able to catch a quick limit of four sheepshead while dropping fiddler crabs along the deeper sections of the bridge in 25 to 30 feet of water.
The Spanish mackerel bite has been very good at the public fishing piers, including the Virginia Beach fishing pier, Ocean View fishing pier, and the Buckroe fishing pier. These fish have been moving close to shore periodically, so if you are at a pier and don’t see any action, be ready because they can show up quickly. Casting out gotcha plugs and metal jigs and reeling them in fast is how most anglers are catching them. We have seen a few reports of anglers boxing close to their mackerel limit. Take advantage of this bite while it is good because the mackerel bite can be hit or miss throughout the year, especially as these fish migrate up the Bay. In the river and inlets, anglers are still scratching their heads wondering where the puppy drum are at. Only a few have been reported and there should be plenty in the area this time of year, but there just aren’t. Speckled trout reports have also been slim, and striped bass season is now closed in Virginia waters until October. Let’s hope things pick up soon.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 11 Update:
Cobia have arrived in impressive numbers ahead of the June 15 season opener, creating plenty of excitement for anglers sight-fishing along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Bull red drum, sheepshead, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel are also providing excellent opportunities throughout the region as summer patterns settle in. While speckled trout and puppy drum catches remain below expectations, the diversity of species available makes this one of the most productive fishing areas on the coast right now.
Cobia are flooding into the Bay just in time for the season to open on June 15th. There have been a lot of fish being caught along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and more fish are showing up around the CBBT and points farther north in the Bay. Sight fishing has been very good for anglers pitching eels in front of fish. Large bucktails and soft plastics also work well. Boats with towers are the most effective at spotting the fish cruising at the surface, but a good pair of polarized sunglasses also gives a big advantage to anglers on standard boats or kayaks. The bull red drum are in their summer pattern of hanging out around the islands of the CBBT and surrounding shoal areas. It has not always been easy to locate them around the islands, and even when you do, they can be finnicky to get to bite. If you are set on catching them, the name of the game is to keep your eyes glued to your electronics to try and spot the schools using downscan, sidescan, or live scope. Fishing at night or on weekdays is usually best because the summer weekend crowd brings a lot of boat traffic and pressure to the area that just makes it downright difficult to catch the reds. These fish will be around for a few months, and they are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle, so don’t miss out on the fun while they are here.
Sheepshead reports are getting better as more fish show up around the CBBT. Kayak anglers launching from the Chic’s Beach side of the bridge are doing well on the bridge pilings between shore and the first island. Fiddler crabs are the hot bait for the convicts. Bottom sweeper jigs in sizes of an ounce to three ounces are needed depending on the current and wave conditions. Sheepshead can also be caught at the Lesner Bridge, Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel, and the various reef structures in the Way South region. The inlets and rivers are still offering slim pickings of speckled trout and puppy drum. A few more pups are starting to show up, but we are still well below average for the number of fish that we usually see this time of year. Rockfish have been more abundant around the Norfolk area, including the James River and Elizabeth River. Water temperatures are warming rapidly, so the stripers will start hanging out around bridges and deeper docks that offer shade during hot sunny days.
Spanish mackerel catches are getting better along the Virginia Beach oceanfront and in the Bay. Anglers fishing at the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier and other public fishing piers in the area are starting to catch more mackerel by casting Gotcha plugs. These catches have not been occurring every day, but if you fish at one of the public piers, it is a good idea to have a Gotcha or metal spoon ready to cast for when a school moves through the area. Bluefish are also abundant around the CBBT and have been popping up in other areas of the Bay. Trollers looking to catch these toothy fish can find success by pulling small Drone or Clark spoons behind number one and two planers. Speeds of three to five knots work well for the bluefish, while faster speeds of six to nine knots typically get more bites from the mackerel.
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 4 Update:
Fishing opportunities continue to expand in the Way South region as Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, red drum, bluefish, and cobia arrive in force. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel remains the focal point of the action, with anglers enjoying productive catches around the islands, tunnel structure, and nearby shoals. With cobia season opening soon and fish already showing in strong numbers, anticipation is building for an excellent summer fishery.
June is a magical month for the Way South region as most of our seasonal visitors arrive, offering an abundance of fishing opportunities for anglers in the area. A reader fishing the CBBT reported catching 24” and 25” sheepshead, along with a mix of croaker, flounder, and some shark. He said they also spotted some big bull redfish at the first island and while they couldn’t get them to bite, they did see another boat hooked up to one. Another boat fishing near the tunnel caught a dozen Spanish mackerel while trolling. After catching the macks, they went to the fourth island and caught a big sheepshead and a black drum. There are still some black drum around the islands, but the red drum heavily outnumber them. These schools are growing bigger, but they are not always easy to locate. Even when you do locate them, they don’t always want to bite. Fishing pressure definitely has an effect on them, so fishing during the weekdays or fishing at night can be a great way to beat the crowds and get on a better bite.
Bluefish have also been around the bridge tunnel, and there have been a few feeding frenzies that popped up over the past week. Most of the blues are in the 16” to 20” range, but a few around the 30” mark are also being caught. The public fishing piers in the area are producing a mixed bag of species including bluefish, flounder, spot, croaker, and kingfish. There have also been some Spanish mackerel around these piers, so it would be a good idea to have some Gotcha plugs ready to throw in case some mackerel or bluefish move through the area.
The cobia are showing up to the Way South region in full force. This is good news for anglers as the season opens on June 15th and there appear to be plenty of fish around right now. Several boats reported successful sight fishing trips along the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The fish have also arrived at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel where they are being spotted over the nearby shoals and along the main shipping channel ledges. Tower boats are having the most success as they have the advantage of a higher viewpoint and can spot fish cruising at the surface of the water from farther away. Live eels have been very effective, but several anglers have also enticed bites while throwing large bucktails and jigheads dressed with big soft plastics. You don’t have to have a tower to catch these fish, however, and there was a report from a kayak angler who caught two fish from the CBBT bridge pilings this week. They were on the smaller side, but a cobia out of a kayak is a big accomplishment no matter the size of the fish.
