Chesapeake Bay:  Croaker are still biting at West Point, the James River Bridge and the mouth of the Corrotoman River.  Flounder anglers are still catching nice stringers from Buoy 42, the Cell and the CBBT.  Strips of squid on Flounder rigs and Jerk Shads on buck tails are the top presentations.  Spadefish are also biting at the CBBT, along with Plantation Light and the Cell.  Red Drum are still hanging around the Eastern Shore, especially Fisherman’s Island.  Many fish over 46” were caught and released this past week.  Chumming has been working well for these fish as well as for Cobia.

Ocean:  Rudee Inlet has been a good place for Spot lately.  Spanish Mackerel are still being caught at Cape Henry.  Keep an eye out on the ocean side of the Eastern Shore for Tarpon.  Offshore boats out of Virginia Beach are reporting some nice Yellowfin Tuna and some Bluefin Tuna.  The deep drop bite for Tilefish, Rosefish and Grouper is still strong if you’re willing to fish very deep- 300’ to 900’.

Freshwater Rivers:  Jim Sutton and Jim Whitman won the Fishers of Men tournament on the James River out of Osbourne Landing this past weekend with 15lbs.  This is a good winning weight for this time of year.  The Chickahominy River is also fishing well.  The tidal James River and the Chickahominy River are also good places to fish for giant Blue Catfish.  The catfish bite is very fun for all and is also good training for young anglers to learn to land big fish.  The Pamunkey River and the Mattaponi River are also fishing well for Bass and Catfish.  On the Potomac River, 17lbs won a Bass tournament this past weekend.  Swim baits, punch baits and grass frogs are very good right now.

Freshwater Lakes:  Kerr Lake elevation is 298.70’ right now.  Fishing has been tough here for quite some time.  Shakey heads have been the most reliable.  Deep crank baits and football jigs are also working.  Lake Anna Bass are in the same patter here as Kerr.  Stripers are stil being caught by trolling Red Fins and live bait on down lures.  Sandy River is fishing good right now, probably better than most lakes in the state.

Freshwater Ponds:  Young Austin Rose of Goochland caught a beautiful 9lb 3oz Bass on 7/21/10 on a grub.  Gabe Beverly caught a 22” and a 23” Bass on back to back casts with a spinner bait this week.  So, don’t let the hot weather keep you from fishing this weekend!!

Chesapeake Bay:  Flounder anglers are having good success from many places around the Bay. Craig Slack of Mechanicsville had fish up to 24” at Buoy 42.  Drifting live bait and squid strips on Flounder rigs are good, as well as bucktails with Jerk Shads.  The Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Cell and Back River Reef have been good also.  Nice Croaker catches have been coming from Point Lookout and between Smith Point and Tangier Island.  Several customers report fish 16” to 18” from these areas.  The Rappahannock has been good around Urbanna.  The York River is another good body of water to catch Croaker.  These same areas that are holding Croaker are holding Spot as well.  The CBBT, Cell and Chesapeake Light Tower have been producing nice catches of Spadefish.  Clam is the bait of choice.  Red Drum are hanging around the CBBT also.  There’s still some Cobia being caught from the shoals near the Eastern Shore.  Cut bait still seems to be most productive.

Ocean:  Spanish Mackerel action is increasing, especially around Cape Henry.  Garry Oliver of Fishing Unlimited in Nags Head reports good catches of Spot and Croaker from the Outer Banks Pier and the little bridge in Manteo.  Inshore boats are catching mostly Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish.  Offshore boats are scoring well with Dolphin and a few Tuna. 

Freshwater Rivers:  18lbs won a weekend Bass tournament on the Potomac River.  Punching mats of grass with heavy weights, swim baits and grass frogs are all productive.  16lbs won a weekend Bass tournament on the Lower James recently.  Top waters, crank baits and soft plastics are staples.  Also biting strong on the James are the Blue Catfish.  Night fishing is by far the better bite.  The James River offers many angling opportunities for many different species.  One can stay within the city limits and catch both Large and Smallmouth Bass, 3 species of Catfish, Gar, Carp and many others.  The Upper James level is 3.72’ at the Westham Gauge.  This is still a great level for wade fishing.

Freshwater Lakes:  Trolling Red Fins for Stripers at Lake Anna is still productive.  Live baits is reliable as always.  Bass are responding to deep cranks, shakey heads and big Texas rigged worms.  The elevation at Kerr Reservoir is 299.16’.  Crank baits and Texas rigged worms are working here also.  A big spoon is a good lure to have ready for any lake.

Freshwater Ponds:  Big top water lures, soft plastics and buzz baits are taking quality Bass mostly at night and first thing in the morning.  Big worms are also productive both day and night.

Glen, Billy and Todd all work at Green Top and have extensive knowledge on all types of fishing but it was apparent by the quantity and  size of the fish that Billy was landing that he speaks trout. (In fact if you squint your eyes a little he even starts to look like one).

Billy took me under his wing and within minutes I had a nice 3lb plus rainbow trying to rip the guts out of my reel. I have caught a few fish in my day including large mouth, crappie and several varieties of salt water but nothing has matched the thrill and excitement of watching these fish rip up and down the stream trying to break free of my line. After catching several nice rainbows on Power Baits & night crawlers I wanted to experience another trout fishing tradition, fly fishing! I had taken and old Martin fly rod combo with me on the trip, but the only fishing I had ever done with this outfit was about 20 years ago to catch some bluegills in a local farm pond using top water poppers. 

Billy again took me under his wing and gave me a quick lesson on the techniques of casting and fly presentation. I caught my first rainbow on my old fly rod within 30 minutes. It was a 3lb plus fish that, for a moment at least, I thought was going to break my rod. I landed that fish and from that moment on I will never be the same.

Before the day ended I landed another trout on a fly and had several good hits and a few break offs. Billy caught the largest fish of the weekend a 6lb 2oz brute. Glen & Todd caught several that exceeded 4lbs. My largest was 3lb. 15oz. 

We landed our limits early in the day and I was on my way home by 2:00pm

My wife and I have enjoyed fresh trout the last two nights and let me tell you it doesn’t get any better.

-James Hopkins

Chesapeake Bay:  The Flounder bite has increased greatly with the hot weather that has settled in.  Many fish over 22 inches have been caught at the CBBT.  Bucktails with Jerk Shads are producing very well, along with drifting live bait.  Other paces worth trying are Back River Reef and the Cell.  Green Top customers report excellent Cobia action right now. Live bait such as eels and Spot work well.  Cut bait has been producing more fish lately.  We’ve heard of a few fish at Windmill Bar, along with the regular hot spots like York Spit and Bluefish Rock.  Spade fish catches have increased at the Cell, the CBBT and Chesapeake Light Tower.  Most people use clam chum and a small piece of clam on a #4 hook.  West Point has been the best area for the biggest Croaker lately.  The Rappahannock River has been steady in the areas of Urbanna and Waterview.  Squid and Bloodworms have been working best for both Croaker and Spot.

Ocean:  The Spanish Mackerel bite is increasing at Cape Henry and inshore at Nags Head.  Dolphin have been very plentiful out of Hatteras and Nags Head.  Rudee Inlet is a god option for small boats that want to catch lots of fish.  Spot and Croaker have showed up.  Increased catches of Amberjack are making headlines also.

Freshwater Rivers:  The Potomac River remains the place to be for Largemouth Bass fishing.  Senkos, Swimming Senkos, and other swim baits are hot righ now.  Grass frogs are also procducing fish.  The James River and the Chickahominy River are other tidal water options.  Wood structure and pad banks are normally the places to be.  Reports have been very good from the Pamunkey River also.  The Blue Catfish bite is still outstanding, especially at night.  Wading for Smallmouth Bass and Flathead Catfish is a fun way to cool off and catch fish at the same time.  The river level at the Westham Gauge is 3.40’.

Freshwater Lakes:  Bugg’s Island elevation is 299.19’.  Current reports have the Bass following schools of baitfish out in open water.  A spoon is a good lure to have on at all times  Stripers are reported to be in the Goat Island area.  Lake Anna Stripers are still responding to trolled Redfins and live bait in the Sturgeon Creek area.  Keep a spoon on and ready for both Bass and Stripers.

Freshwater Ponds:  Big 10” worms and buzzbaits are responsible for the biggest catches of Bass lately.  Wacky rigged Senkos are still working also.  Crappie seem a bit slow, but a 2” Powerbait Grub always seems to work.

Chesapeake Bay:  Flounder anglers are enjoying consistent action for keepers at the CBBT.  Buoy 42 and the Cell have been good also.  A few 9lb fish have been reported.  Cobia fishing remains very good at Bluefish Rock, York Spit Light and the shoal areas in the lower Bay.  Sight casting with eels and bucktails are great, along with fresh cut bait.  The Croaker and Spot bite is still good on the Rappahannock near Urbanna and Waterview.  West Point on the York River has been consistent for better sized Croaker, along with the James River Bridge.  Action for Spadefish has increased at Wolftrap Light, Chesapeake Light Tower and the CBBT.  Red and Black Drum are still providing plenty of action at the CBBT and the Eastern Shore.

Ocean:  Cape Henry is producing Spanish Mackerel up to 24 inches.  Offshore boats are catching Bluefin Tuna, a lot of Dolphin and a few Blue Marlin.  Garry Oliver of Fishing Unlimited in Nags Head reports big Croaker and big Spot at the little bridge in Manteo.  Inshore boats report Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel and Flounder.  A few Sailfish were also caught by offshore boats out of Nags Head.

Freshwater Rivers:  22lbs (5 fish) won a weekend Bass tournament on the Potomac River last weekend.  Flipping grass mats, top water frogs are the 2 main presentations.  On the James River, wood structures usually produce bigger fish during the hot months.  Pad banks will also produce fish.  Creature baits, such as the Sweet Beaver, have been hot on the Chickahominy River.  The Upper James is low and clear (3.59’) at the Richmond Westham gauge.  Top water baits, super flukes, and grubs are the stand by’s.  A lot of customers report very large Blue catfish from the Lower James (we’ve had reports of 80lb fish this week!).  Most people use cut shad or eels.

Freshwater Lakes:  The lake elevation at Kerr is 299.48’.  Cranks and heavy Texas rigged worms usually produce better fish in the hotter months.  Running up the rivers is an option, but this can be dangerous at any level.  At Lake Anna, trolling Redfins has been very productive for keeper Stripers.  For Bass, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and deep cranks are staples along with the shakey head jig.

Freshwater Ponds:  A big 10” worm produced a 23” lunker Bass for Gabe Beverly at Green Top.  Night fishing is a good option to beat the heat.  Buss baits can be very exciting at night!

Smith & Wesson has two new models coming out hopefully in the fall. There is the new Bodyguard .380 with a built in laser. It has a 2-3/4” barrel with a 6 round magazine in double action only. This is S&W’s smallest and lightest semi-auto. This should sell for around $500.00.  Their .38 Bodyguard is a 5 shot double action only revolver that weighs only 14.3 ounces! This model also has its own built in laser. The cylinder release on the top of the frame makes this a truly ambidextrous revolver. It should sell for $550.00

The S&W model 642 is still our best selling revolver; at $469.99 it is the ideal carry revolver. Being small, lightweight, & hammerless makes this a good choice for beginners and experts who rely on this for their family’s protection.

Another good model is the Taurus Judge, a revolver that handles .45 long colt, or a .410 shot shell.  The .410 shot shell is good for self-defense and for snakes. Federal makes 2 great loads for this: buckshot that has four 000 buckshot pellets and shoots 1200 fps, and a load that carries 7/16 oz of #4 shot at 1200fps (both are 2-1/2” shells).

- Joe Hopkins

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.

                        I am primarily a fly fisherman, but you won’t catch me riding barbless. A small, shallow barb on a size 16 dry fly is a perfect hook for a brook trout. They are smallish themselves, and you want to release them easily and relatively unharmed. A more substantial barb with a chemically sharpened point on a stainless steel something-ought would be more appropriate for striped bass. Redfish have rubbery mouths that hold a hook well generally, so they may be a good argument for going barbless; but where there are redfish, there are sometimes speckled trout. Specks have weaker mouths that require more hooking power so a barb is definitely in the picture. Bycatch is always a good argument for anything fishing related. Who can argue with more and different fish? 

                       Different brands of hooks evoke different emotional responses from me. Eagle Claw hooks remind me of a childhood fascination with snelled hooks. A well done snell by itself is a beautiful thing, but the placement of a dozen or so snelled hooks in a long rectangular package with bold and patriotic packaging is a small piece of art. The bronzed hooks themselves are the color of practicality and seem to possess workmanlike properties. Eagle Claw gets the job done, and done well. Gamakatsu hooks are pure science fiction with mirror finishes and every pore closed. They have hubris. They mean business, but not in a clinical way. These are tiny machines sent out to catch fish. Owner hooks feel brutal. They are weapons of war. The Owner cutting point style hook is a curved spear with built in blood gutters. Owner hooks reek of research and design, graph paper drawings and American ingenuity. Mustad hooks are pure Nordic tradition, even though they have a U.S. plant nowadays. The vast majority of Mustad’s catalogue is for lure and bait fishing, but they will always be a fly fishing hook company to me, which gives them a traditional feel. I could go on and on about specific companies, but you get the idea. 

                       I had been looking for a specific hook for a while. Not like a ferocious hunt where I pore over catalogues intensely and check minimum orders and pricing, more like a laid back longing. Jig hooks are predominately sold in ninety degree bend, but my purposes required more like sixty degrees. I needed something in the order of  a 3/0  freshwater hook. Most of what I could find was too thin a gauge wire or stainless steel with a big barb. I needed the hook for a jigging bass fly, and it can be difficult to penetrate a bass’ mouth with a huge saltwater barb using a long fly rod. Weeks into this casual affair, and in the course of my normal Green Top duties in the warehouse, I was moving around some Eagle Claw products, and found an old box of just such a hook. The number was still in the system, so I bought those precious things on my lunch break. They were a beautiful bronzed hook with a lower profile barb, and a thicker gauge wire in size 3/0. It has been nearly two weeks since I made the purchase, and I have tied a couple dozen flies with the hooks, but not a day has passed where I haven’t pulled out one of those beauties to admire it and force someone within my reach to also take in some minute detail of form I find to point out. My wife hates it, but she is a good sport. My friends think it is strange, even the ones who fish. Maybe you as a reader think what I’m saying is out of left field. I’m just putting down to paper one small confession of a hook addict.

-Gabe Beverly

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.

Chesapeake Bay:  Croakers are still being caught at the West Point area of the York River, Urbanna and Waterview on the Rappahannock, the James River Bridge and the Willoughby Spit.  Nice Rockfish have been caught at the CBBT on bucktails and top water baits.  Cobia are starting to show up in the lower bay, where sight casting with bucktails and live eels are the presentations to use.  The Eastern Shore is the place to be for Black Drum and Red Drum.  Fisherman’s Island has been a hot spot lately; crabs, clams and fresh cut bait are the preferred offerings.  Oyster seems to be the best place for keeper sized Flounder right now.  A minnow/squid combo usually works best.

Ocean:  Sea Bass are in season and biting well.  We’ve had reports of fish up to 5lbs.  Bluefish are still biting at Rudee Inlet, along with a few Croakers.  The deep drop bite for Tile and Rose fish and Grouper is still going strong.  Green Top employees report a lot of nice Croaker, Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel at Nags Head Pier.  Cobia catches are increasing at Hatteras and Nags Head.

Freshwater Rivers:  The James River is stained quite a bit right now, and will continue that way with all the rain we just got last night.  The Blue Catfish bite is outstanding right now with catches up to 70lbs reported.  Stripers are still being caught in the Lower James by anglers throwing sassy shads, top waters, and cut bait.  The Upper James is stained and will stay that way for a while with the recent rain.  The level was 5.18’ yesterday, but will be higher today as the runoff comes down.  Grass frogs and flippin’ grass beds are the winning patterns on the Potomac River.

Freshwater Lakes:  Kerr Lake is at 302’ currently.  Good patterns for Bass are rocky points in the 5-12’ range.  Crank baits and jigs are working well.  Lake Anna Stripers are being caught around mid-lake by trolling Red Fins and DD-22’s.  Bass are responding to shakey head worms and top water baits.

Freshwater Ponds:  Bluegill fishing is still going strong in small ponds with crickets and worms.  Buzz baits, plastic worms and creatures and weed-less frogs are good choices for Bass.