Date: 6/11/10
Chesapeake Bay: Stripers are still being caught at the bridge tunnel, mostly on live bait and peelers. Croaker are biting at Colonial Beach, Willoughby Spit, Urbanna and Waterview, and West Point. Squid, shrimp, bloodworms and artificial bloodworms are all good baits to use. Anglers are targeting Spadefish once again, on wrecks and other structures in the Bay. Chesapeake Light Tower and the Cell are the main spots. Cobia are increasing in the Lower Bay. Anglers are sight casting with bucktails and live eels. Cut bait and live bait is working well also. Fish up to 69lbs have been reported. Red and Black Drum are providing plenty of action at the Eastern Shore and the CBBT. Crabs are working best. There’s a Speckled Trout bite going on in Mobjack Bay and Lynnhaven Inlet. Lynnhaven Inlet has also been giving up a few nice Flounder. Other good areas that are starting to produce are the Cell and the bridge tunnel.
Ocean: Sea Bass are being caught on structures and wrecks; use minnows and cut bait. Deep dropping for Grouper, Tile fish and Rose fish is still a good option. Garry Oliver of Fishing Unlimited in Nags Head reports a lot of Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel from the Outer Banks Pier. Big numbers of Speckled Trout, Spot and Croaker from the little bridge in Manteo. At Oregon Inlet, quite a few Cobia are being caught from inshore boats. Offshore boats report Billfish and good numbers of Yellowfin Tuna and Dolphin.
Freshwater Rivers: 20lbs won a weekend tournament on the Potomac River. The grass frog bite is increasing. Flipping jigs and plastics are producing well also. The James River catfish bite is non-stop; fresh cut shad and live eels and herring are the best baits. Bass fishing has been fair to good, mostly flippin to wood and using square billed crank baits.
Freshwater Lakes: Trolling is a good option for schooling Stripers. Red Fins and DD-222’s work well also. Bass are responding to top waters, shakey heads and Carolina rigs. Kerr Lake elevation is 301.41’ currently. Football jigs, Carolina rigs and crank baits are catching limits of Bass. A few big fish have fallen to 10” worms Texas rigged. Briery Creek and Sandy River Res. are putting out good fish on a regular basis. Texas rigged worms, top waters and super flukes are good choices.
Freshwater Ponds: David Madison of Green Top caught a 22.5” Largemouth Bass while on his lunch break this week. He was using a wacky rigged Senko. Buzz baits are catching quite a few big fish also. Johnny Woody of Chesterfield scored a 6.5lb beauty on an S&W buzzbait.