Way South Chesapeake and Virginia Fishing Report 11/24/2017 Update:
Happy Thanksgiving, anglers! High winds have been preventing anglers from getting out on the water, however those who have managed to get out have been heading to the inshore wrecks, where Chesapeake Bait and Tackle reports the bite is still hot. Black sea bass, taugtog, sheepshead, and flounder are still holding there, and as more flounder have moved offshore, the bite has gotten better. The down-side to this part of the report is that the strong flounder bite at the CBBT has slacked off. CBBT anglers are, however, encountering some larger stripers, 30-inches and up, mostly on eels and mostly at night near the third and fourth islands. Trollers have been getting some fish during the daylight hours, but mostly smaller ones in the mid 20's. While the main body of big fish has certainly not showed up, there do seem to be enough of these fish around to give you a decent shot at scoring. Oceans East reported that a few doormats are being caught, primarily on jigs on bottom, and the better fluke fishing is now in the ocean. Sea bass have been taking green crab and squid, with a few sheepshead still mixed in.
Due to wind much of the week was un-fishable in the surf and the surf bite has slowed dramatically, although some small kingfish and blues are still being caught. Taugtog have been abundant throughout the inlets and at the CBBT, and more of the fish have some size to them now. Green crab and sand fleas are the baits you need to drop to get them on the line.
There's no offshore report to speak of, thanks to the weather. Those willing to brave the cold may still encounter tilefish and a sword or two in the deep, but for the most part, boats are being hauled and anglers are refocusing their efforts elsewhere.
Farther up the Chesapeake, anglers fishing in Mobjack,the mouth of the York, and the mouth of the Rappahannock are reporting mostly undersized stripers, with some decent fish mixed in. Casting soft plastics and Mir-O-Lures has been the ticket. Reports of speckled trout are not yet unheard-of but are few and far between, and we heard nothing of reds this week. One lucky angler we talked to did get a pair of specks over 20" fishing Mir-O-Lures off Poquoson.
Way South Chesapeake and Virginia Fishing Report 11/17/2017 Update:
The CBBT has been a hotspot for flounder fishing, and a large number of doormat-sized fish are now being caught, according to Ocean's East. Most anglers have been jigging them up, while bouncing soft plastics in pearl, white, or chartreuse. GULP jerk shad and swimming mullet are killers. Perhaps more surprising is some early reports of big stripers along the CBBT and surrounding areas. While the main body of migratory fish is still well to the north of Delaware, and anglers in Indian River and Ocean City haven't yet encountered fish over 30-inches and change, some big cows have popped up in Virginia waters. The Tackle Box also reported hearing that some anglers caught large fish around the CBBT. They also backed up the reports of doormat founder taking jigs around the bridge-tunnel complex .
Some sheepshead have been reported in the area, although most are in the inlets, and are being caught on sand flea and crab baits. Just offshore, the wrecks have been holding sea bass, flounder, sheepshead, and tautog. (Read Tautog Fishing: These Fish Like it Cold, to get the scoop on targeting this tasty but tough-to-catch species). Clam remains the best bass bait while flounder are being caught on just about anything (often by anglers targeting these other species, but we'd recommend a Fluke Killer with a GULP swimming mullet if you want to target flatties in specific at the wrecks) and the tog and sheepshead, on sand fleas and crab chunks. Inshore trollers are also encountering bluefish, though the bulk of them are small snappers.
Surf fishing has been productive on the Virginia beaches, and Chesapeake Bait and Tackle reports that a fair amount of small bluefish and kingfish are still being caught. Most have been on bottom rigs with cut fish or clam, which has stayed a surprisingly productive bait this season.
Way South Chesapeake and Virginia Fishing Report 11/10/2017:
The cold weather has been a blessing for those fishing the southern parts of the Bay, as it has brought a few large migratory rockfish into the area, as well as flounder on the ocean-side. Oceans East Tackle Shop reports that large flounder and rockfish are being caught around the CBBT, primarily on bait. Rockfish have also been responding to jigs, and most anglers have been using chartreuse or white, according to Bishop's. The night bite is often a better grade than daylight fishing.
Sheepshead are still being caught in the inlet oceanside, as well as tautog and puppy drum. Anglers are using sand fleas for both species, and also green or peeler crab for the tog, which seem to be quite willing to bite on all of the above. Tog are also biting on the inshore wrecks, along with sea bass. Green crab is the bait of preference for tog and clam for the sea bass. As has been seen on the wrecks and reefs off most of DelMarVa, there has also been a good number of flounder mixed in the catch at the inshore sites. Anglers targeting other species are picking some up but to look for the flounder in specific, try a double Fluke Killer baited with GULP swimming mullet in white, chartreuse, and pink. There are also snapper blues both in the surf and off the beach. They're small, but at times are breaking water and providing fun action for trollers and casters willing to tug on foot-long bluefish. Casting from the beach, cut mullet on a Doodlebug rig is the best bet.
Up inside the Bay we've had reports of stripers from Poqouson flats, and the mouth of the Rappahannock and Piankatank, but most have been on the small side. Sot plastic jigs in white and chartreuse and Mir-O-Lures have been the effective lures.
Way South Chesapeake and Virginia Fishing Report 11/2/2017:
Oceans East reports that speckled trout fishing has been phenomenal recently, with many fish in the three to five pound range showing up this week in Lynhaven Inlet. Little Creek has had good fishing in the jetties, as well as in the inlet. Puppy drum are in Rudde Inlet, Lynhaven, and in Little Creek. Anglers are having the most success using GULP! plastic lures on a jig head. While the drum are hitting lures, if you want to target them in specific, cut mullet and peeler crab have been more effective offerings. Those bouncing their GULPs right along bottom are also catching some flounder, though their numbers haven't been as great as hoped for.
Black sea bass have been hanging around nearshore wrecks, with triangle wrecks being the best area. There are also tog hanging close to the wrecks, as well as near the structure of the CBBT, biting sand fleas and green crab. As with reports slightly farther to the north, the sheepshead are still around but may be starting to thin out. Get them while you still have a chance!
False albacore showed up providing a new opportunity for area anglers recently, and have been chasing shiners in the ocean near Virginia Beach. Angler targeting them have been trolling Clark spoons and Drone spoons.
While stripers have been under the lights inside the inlet at night and some stripers have been showing up at the CBBT, according to recent reports from J&W, large stripers have not arrived. They should show up by the end of the month (fingers are crossed) but no one can say for sure. Meanwhile, this week we didn't hear anything about the stripers and specks that had biting near the flats and the mouth of the Rappahannock. Hopefully, they're still around.