Date: 11/11/11

Chesapeake Bay:  Rockfish catches are increasing in size and numbers. Folks are enjoying action in the rivers and in the bay itself. The Rappahannock has been good at Urbanna and at Windmill Pt. Other good areas are Fleets Bays, The James River, at the ghost fleet, and the islands of the CBBT. First light is good at the CBBT. The HRBT and the MMBT have been good also. 5 and 6 inch swim shads are working well all over. Good catches of speckled trout are still taking place in places other than the Elizabeth River. Lynnhaven Inlet, and the Piankatank River are still productive, however, strong catches are increasing in the Elizabeth. Mirror lures and jerk baits, like Lucky Craft and Smithwick, are working well. Many folks troll to locate fish. The Tautog bite is good and getting better at the CBBT, where crab is the bait of choice. Crabs are getting hard to get through.

Ocean:  The ocean wrecks are producing very nice catches of Sea bass and Flounder. A reliable source reported a 10lb Flounder and a 5 ½ Sea bass. Nice Bluefish are available also. November is a great month for Red Drum surf action at Sandbridge and Nags Head. There’s been a good run of nice Speckled Trout at Outer Banks Pier. A few stripers are being caught also. Offshore fishing has been limited due to rough seas, but there are fish to be caught, like Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, and Blackfin Tuna. The deep drop bite will remain good throughout the cold weather. Tilefish, Rosefish, and Grouper are all available.

Freshwater Rivers:  Many are taking stripers from the lower James around Hopewell. Bass fishing has remained tough on the James, but the Chickahominy has been good for Bass. Crappie has been biting well on both the James and Chick. So have the Blue Catfish. Fresh cut Eels and Shad are tops. The upper James Smallmouth fishing is coming on strong. Live bait is working very well and lures like Jigs, Spinner baits , and Super Flukes are good also. Hard cover is the ticket on the Potomac River. The spoils is a consistent area.

Freshwater Lakes:  Lake Anna stripers are coming on strong also. Both live bait anglers and casters are catching nice fish. The upper lake areas are out- producing mid and down-lake areas.  The key spots are on flats right now. Bass fishing was good for John Doyle and Eugene Carter, who won the Lake Anna Cup with 7.62 lbs. All their fish were caught on S and W spinner baits- a Green Top exclusive. John is a Green Top regular. Kerr lake elevation is 297.26 currently. Fishing for Bass is unstable, good one day, poor the next. Nutbush Creek has been producing the more consistent catches. Crappie fishing has been good in both Kerr and Anna. Sandy River is a good option for Bass and Crappie.

Freshwater Ponds:  Pond crappie has been turned on quite well recently. Small jigs and small to medium minnows are both success makers. Spinner baits and Rattletraps have been responsible for quality Bass this week. Soft and hard jerk baits are working also.

Date: 11/4/11

Chesapeake Bay:  Cooler temps and shorter daylight hours have Rockfish anglers more excited about the season in the bay. Most of the better action is coming from the rivers. Urbanna on the Rapp is a traditional area this time of year. Some decent fish have come from the ghost fleet area of the James also. The Lesner Bridge has been producing keepers for anglers fishing from shores. Casting to the light lines of various bridges at night has also been yielding keeper Rockfish. The Speckled Trout action is still strong, but we’re seeing the bigger fish coming from the Eliz River. Mirro lures are becoming more popular than sea shads lately, and live bait is always a good choice. Lynnhaven Inlet is still providing lots of action for Specks, but they’re mostly just above keeper size.  The Tautog bite is pretty good at the structures of the CBBT. This bite will likely increase as the season progresses. Flounder catches are scarce mostly due to the lack of anglers targeting them in the bay; however, good catches are coming from ocean wrecks, along with catches of Seabass. Seabass are excellent table fare and are biting well right now. Drum catches have greatly declined in the bay.

Ocean:  Surf anglers are looking forward to the fall bite in areas like Sandbridge and the N.C beaches, as many Red Drum are heading south. As mentioned earlier, Seabass and Flounder are available on many ocean wrecks. Deep dropping for Tilefish and Rockfish is becoming more popular. Rough conditions have kept many offshore boats docked, so not many reports are coming in. There’s been lots of Bluefish caught at Nags Head, from both the piers and the surf. A few Speckled Trout are also being caught.

Freshwater Rivers:  Check conditions before going, but November is an excellent time for big Smallmouth on the upper James and New Rivers. Drifting live bait is good, as are a variety of lures like flukes, crank baits, and jigs. The lower James has been tough the last few days for Bass, but the Blue Cats and Stripers are readily available. The Hopewell area is usually a good place to fish for both species, especially at night. Crappie fishing on the lower James and Chickahominy is often overlooked in November, but this is an outstanding time to target them on these tidal rivers. The Bass on the Chick are responding well to lipless cranks and jigs.

Freshwater Lakes:  Lake Anna Stripers are beginning to bite regularly and they seem to be more predictable as fall patterns emerge. The splits area is still good, as are the areas of Christopher Run and Plentiful Creek. Casting swim baits is becoming more productive. Rattle baits are good for Bass on the flats and rocky points, but docks are holding good fish, also Kerr Lake elevation is 296.12, chartreuse crank baits on rocky areas has been working for keeper Bass Top water baits are still taking fish also. Crappie fishing has been good at these lakes and smaller bodies of water also.

Freshwater Ponds:  Chartreuse pepper grubs have been good in local ponds. Pond Bass have been unstable, great one day and poor the next.  Swim baits and jigs have been taking the largest fish lately. A buzz bait and other top water lures should still be employed as a Lunker producer right now. Jumbo minnows are always a good bet.

Date: 10/29/11

Chesapeake Bay:  Rockfish anglers are enjoying increased action as the water continues to cool. The structures of the CBBT and the HRBT are producing keeper fish, especially along the light lines at night. Folks fishing inside the rivers, such as the James and Rappahannock, are also catching keeper fish, mostly around bridges like the Whitestone Bridge and the JRB. Some are live lining Spot, when they can find them (spot), with success on bigger fish. Trolling 5in baits are popular right now. The Speckled Trout bite is still quite good in the lower bay. Good areas are the Piankatank River, Mobjack Bay, and the Poquoson area. The Elizabeth River is starting to produce better catches of Trout, and will only get better. Lynnhaven Inlet has been giving up lots of fish, but mostly small. Still, sea shads, Mirro lures, and live bait are the top producers. We know of a few Red Drum that were encountered this weekend, but catches were down quite a bit in the bay, Flounder are still available, mostly at the bridge tunnel, but many are looking to the ocean wrecks for flatfish. Tautog catches are increasing in the lower bay. Crab is the bait of choice.

Ocean:  Offshore boats out of Nags Head and Hatteras are seeing an incredible surge of Wahoo catches. Yellowfin and Blackfin Tuna are still being caught also. Inshore boats are catching a lot of Bluefish. Inside the sound, anglers are catching some Stripers and Speckled Trout. With the cold front approaching, surf anglers should see a surge of Red Drum. Rudee Inlet has seen a decline in the Spot action. Some nice Trout and a few Puppy Drum are being caught now.

Freshwater Rivers:  A lot of anglers are targeting Stripers on the lower James currently. Again, casting to light lines is the ticket. The fall and winter seasons on the lower James always provides great action for big Blue Catfish. Every year the catches average bigger. And always, fresh bait is a key. The upper James is another good option for fall and winter fishing. As long as the water stays clear, the Smallmouth bite can be outstanding. Live bait, such as a large minnow, is usually a sure bet.

Freshwater Lakes:  Lake Anna is another cold weather option still. Often, the colder months will produce more consistent catches of larger fish, both Stripers and Bass. One can also participate in the winter Bass tournaments held at Sturgeon Creek Marina. Go to Sturgeon Creek Marina.com for more details. Right now, look to the upper areas of the lake for better Striper action. Top water baits will still produce through the winter.

Freshwater Ponds:  These bodies of water have been turned on hard lately, especially for Crappie. Bass fishing has been good, but will continue to get better. A swim bait and spinner bait have been excellent lately. Don’t overlook fishing just because hunting season is here.

Date: 10/21/11

Chesapeake Bay:  The Speckled Trout bite is still wide open in the lower bay. Loads of fish are being caught from areas like Lynnhaven Inlet, Mobjack Bay, Back River, and the Eastern Shore Inlets. Many are throwing soft plastics like sea shads and Gulp! swimming mullets with great success. Mirrolures and live finger mullet are taking their fair share. Jim Miller of Henrico had a nice limit of Specs ranging from 18-23 inches from the Poquoson area. Big catches of Red Drum are being made almost every day in the lower bay. Fresh cut bait, live bait, and jigs are all taking trophy sized Reds. Rockfish catches are improving every day. Some of the better reports are coming from areas north of the Rappahannock River, and the mouth of the Rapp. Folks are also taking keeper fish from the islands of the CBBT, JRB, and the Benjamin Harrison Bridge at night. Flounder action is still good at the CBBT. Live bait and jigs are still producing the best results. Croaker are still being caught at the HRBT and Lynnhaven Inlet. Tautog catches are increasing at the CBBT.

Ocean:  The Spot bite is still going strong at Rudee Inlet. Some nice Specs are coming from Rudee, as are some Puppy Drum. Some folks are venturing out to the Triangle wrecks targeting Flounder and other bottom dwellers. Seabass season is closed until Nov. Some tough conditions were experienced at Nags Head over the past few days, so there’s not many reports coming in from there. However, expect to see some nice catches of  Tuna soon.

Freshwater Rivers:  The upper James River has returned to normal conditions, making Smallmouth fishing a good option now. Crank baits are probably the hottest bite now, but jigs and grubs are still reliable. A lot of folks are targeting Rockfish at the Benjamin Harrison Bridge, as mentioned earlier. Large Blue Catfish are abundant throughout the lower James and Chickahominy rivers. Fresh bait is a key for big fish. Bass fishing has been a bit slow, but typically picks up toward the end of Oct. and early Nov.

Freshwater Lakes:  Kerr Lake elevation is at 296′. Many anglers are catching fish from the Nutbush Creek area with Senkos and spinner baits. Jigs and crank baits are taking fish in the upper portions of the lake. Crappie are biting well on brush piles and the bridges. Lake Anna stripers are becoming much more active now, and better catches are becoming more common. Casting swim baits to the flats is a tactic that will become more productive in the upcoming month. Bass fishing is also increasing here. Rattletraps, spinner baits, and flukes are producing nice catches. Shakey heads will always save the day though.

Freshwater Ponds:  Crappie have turned on quite well in area ponds. Small grubs seem to be out fishing minnows right now. This weekend should prove productive  for both Bass and Crappie. Many times, fall cold fronts can push fish shallower, making them much more active.

Date: 10/14/11

Chesapeake Bay:  The Speckled Trout action is still going strong in many places throughout the bay. Mobjack Bay, Back River, Lynnhaven Inlet, and the many creeks and inlets of the Eastern Shore are all producing. Soft plastics, such as Bass Assassin sea shads and Gulp! baits are perhaps the most popular, but Mirrolures and live finger mullet are taking their fair share also. Big Red Drum are on the prowl in the lower bay. While fishing the area of the CBBT, Chris Atwell of Mechanicsville captained a crew of four in which all those  aboard were rewarded with release citations! They had 2- 54 in fish, a 49 incher, and a 48 incher. They were initially targeting Flounder with jigs, but the Drum got the baits first. They did manage 3 keeper Flounder. Others are still doing well with Flounder at the CBBT structures. Rockfish season is upon us and anglers are enjoying good action at the 1st island, the HRBT, and inside the rivers, such as the James and Rappahannock. Most are fishing the light lines at night with small baits. Folks are also trolling small umbrellas, stretch 25′s, and tandem rigs. Spot are available inside the inlets and other tributaries, where anglers are loading up coolers with ease. These fish are biting just about any type of fresh bait, along with Fishbites and Gulp! blood worms.  Tautog action continues to improve at the bridge tunnel. This action will get better and better as the water cools.

Ocean:  Rudee Inlet is still providing hot action for Spot anglers. Derek Banks of Richmond reported catching over 500 fish in a single day! Speckled Trout are also being had inside Rudee. Fish up to 24 inches have been reported. A few Red Drum are being caught along the oceanfront at Sandbridge. Reports from Nags Head are plenty of Spot, Bluefish, and Black Drum from the piers and surf. Some Flounder and Rockfish are being caught from the sound. At Cape Hatteras, some Red Drum are being caught from the point. Offshore boats haven’t been going out much due to the conditions, but one boat reported catching 11 Wahoo. Blackfin Tuna are still available when conditions allow.

Freshwater Rivers:  The upper James turned a bit muddy due to the rain earlier in the week, but this is traditionally an excellent time to catch big Smallmouth. Live bait is a popular choice for lunker hunters, but top waters and jigs typically catch more fish. The lower James is still providing excellent action for big Blue Cats. Fresh bait is a must for giant fish. Bass fishing was a little slow this week on the James, but the Chickahominy River and lake are fishing good.

Freshwater Lakes:  Anna Stripers are turning on nicely for the fall season. Guide Jim Hemby is consistently on fish. He specializes in live bait presentations. The mid and upper lake regions are where you want to be. Swim baits are a good option for casters, as are top waters. Kerr Lake elevation is at 296′. Some nice fish have been reported from the Nutbush Creek area on spinner baits and Senkos. It will be interesting to see who wins the Battle of the Border tournament this weekend at Lake Gaston. It will be sanctioned by the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail.

Freshwater Ponds:  These bodies of water have turned on, for the Crappie especially. Folks are enjoying catching these fish on many different lures and baits. Bluegill action  has also been turned on. Dale Hopkins of Louisa and Jeff Hopkins of Richmond reported catching many trophy sized Bluegill and Pumpkinseed Sunfish from a Louisa county pond. They were casting small grubs. Flukes , Senkos, and top water baits have been best for Bass.