THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 21, 1996 TAG: 9610210135
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: 72 lines
Virginia's fall striped bass season opened Thursday and although a few anglers have encountered good numbers of rockfish, the early days have been less than auspicious.
While Thursday was a splendid day, winds were blustery Friday, and Saturday was more blustery and much cooler. As a result, fishing pressure has been light since Thursday.
A few anglers fishing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel reported success, including Jim Wright of Virginia Beach.
``We made four passes Thursday morning and caught eight fish, the biggest about 36 inches,'' Wright said.
A ride across the bridge-tunnel at noon Thursday revealed at least 200 boats scattered along the 17.6-mile crossing. But a return trip Saturday afternoon, in 25-knot northwest winds, revealed only two craft.
Bigger fish and better catches are expected as the season progresses, with the real heavyweights probably showing between Thanksgiving and mid-December. The season will run through Dec. 31.
Meanwhile, a few big speckled trout have been encountered in the lower Chesapeake and along the North Carolina Outer Banks in recent days, while king mackerel have been making a strong showing off Hatteras.
Troy Binson of Chesapeake boated one of the year's biggest specks when he pulled an 8-pound, 12-ounce trophy from the area known as the ``Hot Ditch'' on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.
Here's a rundown of recent catches by anglers from Southeast Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina:
VIRGINIA BEACH INSHORE: Flounder: Jim Sculley, Virginia Beach, 8-0, caught from the boat Water Witch.
VIRGINIA BEACH OFFSHORE: No outstanding catches reported.
LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY: Flounder: Earl Richardson, Virginia Beach, 6-0, no name on boat, caught at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel; and Cabot Lee Cavin, Franklin, 6-0, Reel Thrill, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Speckled trout: John H. Hume, Virginia Beach, 5-2, no name, Lynnhaven Inlet; and Frank Pennington, Portsmouth, 5-0, no name, Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel. Tautog: Steve Gregory, Norfolk, 9-8, no name, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
EASTERN SHORE BAYSIDE: Speckled trout: Harry P. Mears, Melfa, Va., 6-2, and Dana Martin, Onley, Va., 5-12, both Lisa Marie. Tautog: Bill Wild, Virginia Beach, 9-8, no name, caught at Kiptopeke concrete ships.
EASTERN SHORE SEASIDE: No outstanding catches reported.
OUTER BANKS INSHORE: Speckled trout: Carolyn Smith, Washington, N.C., 6-2, caught from the surf; Sean Mulligan, Kitty Hawk, 5-12, surf; Elbert Syvarth, Manteo, 5-0, surf; William Fargo, Kitty Hawk, 4-8, surf; and Bryan Ellis, Nags Head, 4-6, surf. Red drum release: Frederick Coleman, Norfolk, surf. Kingfish (sea mullet): Richard Marshall, Norfolk, 2-7, surf; and Richard Cecil, Portsmouth, 2-0, surf.
OUTER BANKS OFFSHORE: Wahoo: Greg Cooner, Norfolk, 47-0, The Blitz; and Ronald S. Balogh, Frisco, N.C., 44-0, Big Little. King mackerel: Chuck Wroton, Norfolk, 39-1, The Blitz.
FRESH WATER: Largemouth bass: Wayne Bradshaw, Chesapeake, 7-1 (23 inches), caught on a private pond; Tonya Cobb, Hampton, 22 1/2 inches, Lake Prince; and Bill Schoff, Isle of Wight, 6-8 (23 inches), Prince. Crappie: Jerry Cole, Virginia Beach, 15 inches, Prince. Yellow perch: George Rowe, Windsor, 13 inches and 12 1/2 inches, Prince; and Charles Bundy, Capron, Va., 13 inches, Western Branch Reservoir. Shellcracker: Curtis Leonard, Norfolk, 1-9, Prince; Carolyn Dail, Suffolk, 11 1/8 inches, Western Branch; and Becky Kitchen, Zuni, 11 inches, Prince.
TOURNAMENTS:
Results of a Bass-N-Babes largemouth bass tournament held Sunday out of The Fishing Hole on the Northwest River: 1. Susan Owens, Chesapeake, 3-15; 2. Joyce Miller, Chesapeake, 3-7; 3. Brenda Carter, Chesapeake, 2-8. Lunker: Owens, 2-3.
Results of the Friday/Saturday king mackerel tournament hosted by Pirate's Cove Marina, Nags Head: 1. (heaviest fish) Team Marlago, 44.64 pounds; 2. No Compromise, 44.46; 3. Just Natural, 41.76; 4. The Blitz, 39.05; 5. Prime Time, 34.51. by CNB