THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230696
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 141 lines
Virginia anglers didn't need long to take advantage of the lifting of the state's ban on flounder fishing. The ban was removed Tuesday morning, and some fishermen were out that afternoon.
No one reported any success Tuesday. But a few fish were boated Wednesday along the Eastern Shore seaside, where the earliest hauls normally are made.
Flatfish will bite in some areas between Folly Creek and Oyster any time a few warm days are bunched between now and the first of May. But the year's fifth month will arrive before action really becomes consistent.
Normally, some of the earliest hauls are made in Green and Drawing channels, out of Wachapreague. At Oyster, some of the better spring catches are made in deep water just outside the village. At least that was the case last year, when some of the best early hauls came from water 25 to 55 feet deep.
Anyway, the good news is that the flounder season is open and will not be shut down at the end of October, as it was in 1994.
Additionally, the bag limit remains at last year' level - eight fish per person, per day, with a 14-inch minimum size.
HUTCH'S PICKS OF THE WEEK:
Fresh water: The nod goes to largemouth bass, now available on all local waters. Some of the best catches and some of the biggest fish are coming, as usual, from Lake Burnt Mills and Western Branch Reservoir in Suffolk.
Salt water: That run of giant bluefin tuna off Hatteras continues unabated. Last year it continued until early April. Anglers still are producing phenomenal numbers, with many fish weighing upwards of 300 pounds and some topping 600. All but a very few are being released.
TAPE MEASURE: WHO CAUGHT WHAT
Fresh water: Ray Hardy of Virginia Beach has earned a citation from the Virginia Fresh Water Fishing Program with a 1-pound, 8-ounce white perch, caught out of West Neck Marina on a tributary of the North Landing River.
Bob Feldinger of Hampton has earned a freshwater citation with an 8-4 largemouth bass, pulled from Lake Burnt Mills.
Joe Meadows of Prince George had an 8-13 largemouth at Western Branch.
Gayle, Donnie and Janet Edwards, all from Suffolk, caught shellcracker weighing between 1-0 and 1-2 at Western Branch.
Salt Water: Tom Mitchell, Carl Hunter and Tom Diklich of Norfolk, Howard Webb of Chesapeake, Bill Robinson of Richmond and Kenny Sexton of Nags Head caught and released giant bluefin tuna off Hatteras. They were aboard the boat Reel Time.
David Baxter of Chesapeake has earned a citation from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament with a 15-12 tautog, boated off Virginia Beach.
David Herman of Virginia Beach scored with a tog that went 14-6.
Clifford Hetland Jr. of Chesapeake earned a Virginia tournament award with a 6-0 speckled trout, caught on the Elizabeth River.
THE FORECAST:
Virginia Beach inshore: Look for a scattering of speckled trout at Rudee Inlet, where a few fish have been boated. You'll find the specks in the deepest areas inside the inlet, where they can be caught on Mr. Whiffles and other plastic-tail lures bounced slowly along the bottom. There's also a chance, albeit slim, of encountering a few striped bass as they migrate up the coast and into the Chesapeake Bay to spawn. Remember, big ocean-run stripers can earn citations from the Virginia tournament through March 31. After that, fish must be released.
Virginia Beach offshore: Tautog continue to bite with some consistency over ocean wrecks. Some fish top the 9-pound minimum for Virginia tournament citations. The best hauls are being made relatively close to the beach, including around the Chesapeake Light Tower and the Tower Reef. The best sea bass hauls are coming from wrecks at least 25 miles offshore. There was a good bite of Boston mackerel outside the light tower Wednesday, but the season has been extremely inconsistent and how much longer it will last is anyone's guess.
Ocean View, Lynnhaven: There have been unconfirmed reports of speckled trout success inside Lynnhaven Inlet. But the most consistent action has been from the jetty at Willoughby Spit, at the west end of Ocean View, and at the Hot Ditch near Virginia Power's Chesapeake plant. The latter site also is yielding a few puppy drum and stripers. Remember, though, that striper fishing is legal but striper keeping isn't. Some nice hauls of tautog have been made at the Cape Henry Wreck.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: Tautog news has been slow to develop, but with the water temperature at or near 50, the fish should be around the islands and over the two tunnels. Some stripers also are hitting along the crossing, with the most consistent action after dark. Remember, the the Chesapeake Bay striper season is closed.
Eastern Shore seaside: You can expect some flounder to bite anywhere between Folly Creek and Oyster whenever a few warm days are bunched, but a cold front can really slam the door. In most areas, the best action will be in relatively shallow water and on the falling tide, when the water is warmer. A few stripers could be available in the ocean just off the Barrier Islands. Offshore wrecks contain some tautog and sea bass, with a few schools of Boston mackerel scattered about.
Eastern Shore bayside: Some small-to-medium tautog are hitting around the piers and concrete-ship breakwater at Kiptopeke State Park, and a few should be available on the mussel beds off Cape Charles harbor. Look for scattered striped bass at Shad Landing and Flag Pond, both near Saxis, and in nearby Pitts Creek. Bloodworm baits, fished on the bottom, can get results.
Outer Banks inshore: It's time for red drum to show in the surf at the south end of Ocracoke Island, which means the first catches at Cape Point and at Hatteras Inlet should not be too far off. Beach fishermen could find a few speckled trout on the South Beach at Hatteras, especially around the fishing pier at Frisco, with a few puppy drum available behind the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at Buxton. There was a good run of flounder in the Hatteras surf in late March and early April last year, so a repeat is possible. However, North Carolina has not yet announced when its flounder season will open. Widely scattered catches of small stripers have been reported from the Hatteras surf, but the striper season has been closed in the Albemarle Sound Management Area.
Outer Banks offshore: The wrecks off Hatteras are still teeming with giant bluefin tuna. They should be around until early April, although it's impossible to predict when they'll leave. Chances are, though, they won't all depart at the same time. For now, it's an incredible fishery. Some yellowfins are showing off Hatteras and south of The Point, with king mackerel still available in Hatteras Bight. And blue marlin and wahoo will remain a possibility as long as those yellowfins are around.
Back Bay, Currituck Sound: A few largemouth bass should start to hit around Coinjock and in the Church's Island area. Small stripers are available along the Currituck Sound Bridge, but the striper season has been closed in North Carolina's Albemarle Sound Management Area. Look for a few catfish in larger creeks draining into Back Bay, with some small crappie available around open-water duck blinds.
Norfolk, Suffolk Lakes: This should be a productive weekend for anglers seeking big largemouth bass. So far, the hot spots have been lakes Prince, Burnt Mills and Western Branch, but big fish are available on all local impoundments. Look for the fish in about 9 feet of water and along shorelines that get a lot of sunlight. Jig-N-Pig offerings are tops right now. Shellcracker are available, with the best hauls, as usual, at Western Branch. Cohoon remains the No. 1 pike water. Crappie are hitting on all impoundments, with the biggest fish at Lake Prince. Overall, another productive weekend.
North Landing, Northwest rivers: Bass action is on the upswing on these two streams and their larger tributaries, with white perch also making a decent showing. Again, bass are along shorelines that get a lot of sunlight and little water movement. Crappie are in the shallows and can be tricked by small minnows and small lures, such as the Pinkie Jig.
Larger lakes, rivers: Kerr Lake, on the Virginia/North Carolina border, should produce some of the biggest crappie of the year in Virginia over the next few weeks. Warming waters have largemouth bass moving into the shallows on most waters. On the bigger lakes, you'll find them in 10-12 feet of water. Striper action remains slow, but it's about time for the fish to head upstream to spawn. by CNB