Date: 6/25/10
Chesapeake Bay: Some very nice Croaker are coming from the West Point area of the York River. Other productive areas are Waterview and Urbanna on the Rapahannock, Colonial Beach and the James River Bridge. Cobia anglers are enjoying success in the Hampton area: Gandview and Buckroe Beach. Latimer shoal off the Eastern Shore has been good also. Sight casting with bucktails and eels is popular, along with chumming and fish finder rigs with cut bait or live bait. Decent catches of Flounder are coming from Oyster, Kiptopeke, the CBBT and the Cell. Drifting minnows with squid strips work well. We’ve heard of a few Spadefish being caught at Wolftrap Light and the Bridge Tunnel. Big Red Drum are still being caught at and near Fisherman’s Island. Crabs and peelers crabs are the top bait. While fishing in Mobjack Bay, Craig Slack of Mechanicsville encountered Croaker, Speckled Trout, Flounder and lots of pesky sand sharks.
Ocean: Spanish Mackerel are being caught at the Va Beach Oceanfront around Cape Henry. Seabass are hitting on offshore wrecks. Dolphin are biting very well out of Nags Head and Hatteras. Garry Oliver of Fishing Unlimited in Nags Head reports Spot, Croaker and Sheepshead at the little bridge in Manteo, Black Drum and Pompano in the surf. Offshore boats out of Hatteras report numbers of Sailfish, along with many Dolphin. Inshore boats report Cobia and Spanish Mackerel.
Freshwater Rivers: 19lbs won a recent tournament on the Potomac River. Grass frogs and flipping to grass clumps and mats are the ticket. Wood structure is the ticket on the Lower James and Chickahominy. Pad banks can also be good. The big Blue Catfish have very large appetites in the hot weather. Whole live Shad often produce the biggest fish. Cut bait such as Eels are a good choice also. The Upper James is low and clear currently and the level and the Richmond Westham gauge is 3.91’. Top water baits, Yamamoto grubs and live bait will hook up with Smallmouth Bass.
Freshwater Lakes: Trolling for Stripers is still productive at Lake Anna. There’s also an early morning top water bite. Bass are also responding to top water baits, along with shakey head worms and Texas rigged worms. Deep diving crank baits are productive also. The level at Kerr is 299.92’. Top water lures on long points and shoals are working. Texas rigged worms and cranks are catching quality fish also.
Freshwater Ponds: Senkos are fooling quality Bass from area ponds and small waters. Buzz baits are working well also. Crappie and Bluegill fishing is still steady on small grubs and live bait.