DATE: Thursday, September 25, 1997          TAG: 9709250519

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: Fishing Forecast 

SOURCE: Bob Hutchinson 

                                            LENGTH:   28 lines

A WEEKLY GUIDE TO THE REGION'S HOT SPOTS

If you want to earn a citation award from the 1997 Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament with a big croaker, this could be the last weekend that offers a decent shot.

While many croaker have moved out of the Chesapeake, a scattering of giants should be available over the next few days. Two places to look will be around the two southernmost islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and along the edge of deep water right at Cape Henry.

Scores of big hardheads have been boated there recently. As of Tuesday, anglers had registered 110 croaker weighing at least 3 pounds, the Virginia contest's minimum qualifying weight. That's the most since 197 were registered in 1980.

This has been an unusual year, with below-normal rainfall and with water temperatures remaining well above the norm. Now that the fall season's first cool weather has arrived, the water temperature is falling. And croaker are on the move.

Still, it's warm enough to entice at least some big fish to hang around later than normal. Don't hesitate, though. The next serious cold front could ring down the year's final croaker curtain.

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