Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 30, 1994 TAG: 9405310125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: 6 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Inshore
1. FOURTH ISLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE-TUNNEL: Some of Virginia's heaviest striped bass are boated here each fall. A 60-foot deep hole immediately off the island's northwest corner has produced many of the biggest gray trout through the years.
Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are consistent summer visitors. Other species include tautog, sea bass, flounder, black drum, red drum and cobia.
ACCESS: By boat from Willoughby Spit and Little Creek in Norfolk; Lynnhaven Inlet in Virginia Beach; Kiptopeke State Park and Cape Charles on Eastern Shore.
2. FIRST ISLAND, CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE-TUNNEL: A huge bed of shellfish just southwest of the island is the site of outstanding bottom fishing for spot and croaker, especially in August and September.
Excellent tautog fishing can occur in early spring and late fall at Yancy Wreck, created several years ago when a ship crashed into the bridge.
ACCESS: By boat from Willoughby Spit and Little Creek in Norfolk; Lynnhaven Inlet in Virginia Beach.
3. BLUEFISH ROCK: Located off the north end of Hampton, this is where you find the Chesapeake Bay's most consistent cobia action, which peaks mid-July to early September.
The rock also attracts spot, croaker, flounder, bluefish and an occasional red drum.
ACCESS: By boat from Back and Poquoson rivers.
4. MUSSEL BED OFF CAPE CHARLES HARBOR: This 21/2-by one-half-mile area isn't Virginia's best spot for any one species, but for sheer variety it is tough to top. The star of the show is the red drum, which can appear in impressive numbers in August. Other possibilities include spot, croaker, sea bass, tautog, black drum, cobia, flounder, gray trout and sea mullet.
ACCESS: By boat from Kings Creek and Cape Charles.
5. SAND SHOAL (OYSTER) INLET: Some of the best flounder action on the East Coast is found in this area, which covers the Eastern Shore seaside south of Oyster. Practically all the tarpon caught in Virginia are landed within four miles of Sand Shoal Channel.
Surf fishermen catch red drum, bluefish, flounder and gray trout. Bottom fishermen can find black drum.
ACCESS: By boat from a public ramp on Oyster harbor.
6. LYNNHAVEN INLET: This area is best known for its speckled trout fishing, which starts in June and peaks in October. It also produces puppy drum and flounder.
Some of the action can be enjoyed by fishermen casting from shore, especially when speckled trout are running in the old inlet channel in front of Duck-In restaurant.
ACCESS: Lynnhaven Inlet is a major boating center.
7. DEGAUSSING CELL OFF LOWER EASTERN SHORE: Not an easy place to reach, but it offers a grab bag of fishing opportunities, including flounder, spot, large croaker, small bluefish, Spanish mackerel, gray trout, black drum and red drum.
ACCESS: The nearest public ramp is in Cape Charles (eight miles). There is a private, fee-charging ramp at Bayford on Nassawadox Creek.
8. CAPE POINT, HATTERAS, N.C.: This is the most popular - and probably the most productive - surf fishing spot on the East Coast, yielding everything from small spot to giant sharks. Catches also include bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder, speckled trout, gray trout, false albacore, jack crevalle, pompano and the best red drum action on the East Coast.
ACCESS: By four-wheel drive from Buxton area or a one-mile hike over sand.
9. SURF ON NORTH SIDE OF OREGON INLET: The big attraction here is the run of giant bluefish in the fall. The surf also offers a mix of flounder, spot, croaker, gray trout, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, red drum, striped bass and pompano.
ACCESS: By four-wheel drive from Ramp No. 1 south of Nags Head, N.C., or a one-half mile walk. Boat ramps and charters at Oregon Inlet.
10. TANGIER TARGET SHIPS: Only recently have a lot of folks discovered what a lucrative fishing hole this can be. The ships are old bombing targets west of Tangier Island.
The big attraction is striped bass, which start schooling in October and peak in November and early December. The area offers good deep-jigging for gray trout, and there are summertime runs of speckled trout.
ACCESS: Ramp at Onancock.
Offshore
1. SOUTH RIM OF NORFOLK CANYON: The white marlin action can be furious between mid-June and early September. The canyon is a crack in the Continental Shelf about 62 miles east of Cape Henry in Virginia Beach.
ACCESS: The shortest run is from Oyster, but most trips are out of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach.
2. SOUTH END OF CIGAR: Legions of white marlin school here during and immediately after late-summer and early-fall northeasters. Catches of 10 or more aren't uncommon.
ACCESS: From Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach (55 miles) and Oregon Inlet south of Nags Head, N.C. (47 miles).
3. SOUTH RIM OF WASHINGTON CANYON: This is a dependable spot for all offshore species but is especially good for white marlin and dolphin in July and August.
ACCESS:From Chincoteague, Willis Wharf, Quinby and other Eastern Shore ports.
4. TRIANGLE WRECKS: The area is a series of wrecks some 28 to 32 miles east of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach. Tautog and sea bass are the top offerings, but at times the wrecks are invaded by amberjack.
ACCESS: Lynnhaven Inlet, Little Creek and Rudee Inlet.
5. CHESAPEAKE LIGHT TOWER: From midsummer through early autumn, this 120-foot navigation device offers some of the hottest amberjack fishing on the East Coast, especially for big fish.
Other possibilities include tautog, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, bluefish and jack crevalle.
ACCESS: Located 13 miles from Rudee Inlet and 14 miles from Cape Henry, the tower is reached from marinas and ramps at Lynn-haven, Little Creek and Rudee.
6. 26/21 MILE HILLS: These two offshore lumps are named for their distance from Wachapreague Inlet on Eastern Shore. Last year, the ``21'' and the area just east was the hot spot for bluefin tuna up to 100 pounds, with the action starting in July and lingering until mid-September.
ACCESS: Wachapreague, Quinby, Oyster, Willis Wharf and Chincoteague; a longer run from Lynnhaven, Little Creek and Rudee Inlet.
7. BLACKFISH BANKS: This is a little known fishing Eden a few miles off Chincoteague. Especially good for big tautogs, it also produces sea bass, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, bluefish and false albacore. Look for swarms of small gray trout September to mid-November.
ACCESS: Chinco-teague Inlet.
8. ROCKPILE OFF HATTERAS: A living coral about 15 miles off Hatteras Inlet, this reef offers action for tropical species such as groupers and snappers. It also harbors sea bass. Big-game trollers find marlin, sailfish, wahoo and dolphin.
ACCESS: Hatteras or Ocracoke inlets in North Carolina.
9. SOUTHEAST LUMPS: The area was made famous by its legendary spring runs of jumbo bluefish, but catches also include bluefin tuna, dolphin and, occasionally, wahoo, false albacore, bonito and sailfish. The lumps are 19 to 28 miles off Rudee Inlet.
ACCESS: Rudee Inlet.
10. THE POINT SOUTHEAST OF OREGON INLET: This spot may produce the overall best billfishing on the East Coast. It is like a minicanyon with a steep drop off on the edge of the Continental Shelf. In addition to white and blue marlin and sailfish, the point attracts yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo and dolphin.
ACCESS: From Hatteras and Oregon Inlet, N.C.
by CNB