Stripers are in short supply
Fishing for striped bass has always been a fall tradition, though catching the species the past few years has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.
Let’s face it: We were all spoiled by the days several years ago when stripers were big and thick in the lower Chesapeake Bay and along the coast. Catching them typically was as easy as getting on a boat and putting out some lures. The fish were so plentiful that it was rare to ever get skunked. About the only thing that took pressure off the massive schools of stripers was bad weather.
Those big fish don’t come around legal waters inside of three miles of the coast much anymore. The fish that make northeastern waters now head straight south on their migration and end up around offshore wrecks and structures around the Chesapeake Light Tower. You’re not supposed to even practice catch-and-release out there.
Bigger fish that make northern regions of the bay their home most of the year rarely make it to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
And the number of fish topping 25 pounds — the ones we used to throw back — isn’t what it used to be. So what happened? How did a world-class fishery simply turn off?
Look in the mirror. We crushed them and gave them little chance to keep their numbers high. Both recreational and commercial fishermen share equal blame — all those big breeding females taken for trophies and freezers full of meat.
Only time will fix things. The rockfish have made a dramatic return once before. Hopefully, they will once again.
Southeastern Va.
More and more species have migrated out of the area, leaving anglers fewer choices when a good day to hit the water pops up. We all know how the weather this time of year affects our opportunities.
But they’re pretty good choices.
While there has been a demise of big striped bass, numbers of school-sized fish are good enough to make targeting them well worth your while. And a 10-pound rockfish caught on light tackle is rewarding both for the experience and on the dinner table. Wireliners working the tunnel tubes of the CBBT will produce a few larger fish, as will cut and live bait worked around the span’s high-level bridges at the north end.
Speckled trout are a huge focus this time of year, and numbers are good in creeks along the Eastern Shore’s west coast and around Oyster, inside the three southside inlets and around the York River and Poquoson Flats on the Peninsula. Some fish even have made their way into the Elizabeth River.
While most of their larger siblings have migrated south, small red drum known as puppy drum are providing good action in southside inlets.
Northeastern North Carolina
Bluewater trollers have been enjoying outstanding action from blackfin tuna, which, if you’ve ever had a chunk of one on the grill, is one of the best-tasting members of the tuna family. There have been some yellowfin and dolphin mixed in.
Bluefin tuna are likely a month or so away, but you never know with that fishery.
Freshwater
This is a great time to work small jigs and live minnows around shoreline cover that is adjacent or in about 10 feet of water for crappie. One of fishing’s most beautiful creatures, crappie can be abundant and eager to participate.
Bass fishing also is outstanding. Big shellcracker continue to provide good action in several area watersupply lakes.
Many anglers are either gearing up for or already are in full catfish mode. Big blue catfish are being caught on many tidal river systems, with the Northwest, James and Chickahominy providing the best opportunity to land a trophy topping 50 pounds.