Rappahannock River Croaker Fishing Report 2016

POTOMAC RIVER BRIDGE – Bass action below the city is poor to just. The fish are orienting to points, dropoffs and wood structure, bordering to deeper water. Silver Buddies are the best tempt for fishing the dropoffs. Stick with water in the 13-18 foot range, with a little cover on the bottom. Shallow sand or gravel banks, with some grass close, are giving up big bass to anglers casting Rat-L-Traps and small shallow running, crayfish colored crankbaits. (charlietaylorfishing.com)

– As we have been reporting over the last month, Tautog fishing remains strong. Anglers that are able to find crab for bait are doing well. Ocean wrecks are the best producers. Tilefish are willing biters also, however deeper water near the Canyon edges are the targeted regions. With Tilefish, Grouper, and Rosefish are encountered also as Seabass, however Seabass are out of season. A 220lb Bluefin Tuna was stated out of Oregon-Inlet on 2/20/16. The same charter returned with Yellowfin Tuna also. (blog.greentophuntfish.com)

Specializing in fishing with fake lures and live peanut bunker on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.   Other techniques of fishing are available when requested or as conditions dictate.   As your guide, I will do whatever it takes to make a trip fun and successful.   Feel free to ask questions or look for suggestions throughout our time together.   Remember that I’m here for you. (bayflyfishing.com)

Rockfish have reached the City Dock, and anglers are catching and releasing them on bloodworms. Ken s Tackle Shop reports croaker are hitting squid from Colonial Beach on down, and crappie are pulled from the reservoirs. Farther upriver, Hicks Store reports 30- to 40-pound catfish are reacting to cut mud shad, however that a throw net is a must to catch them. At a recent tournament, 1st prize went to a 17-pound set of five largemouth bass. They re biting on crankbaits and soft plastics, despite of color. The crappie bite is nearly over. (fredericksburg.com)

There have been reports of flounder catches in the Rappahannock, particularly in the neighborhood just east of the Norris Bridge on the north side of the river. Drifting across the sharp drop-offs from 15-50 feet of water should produce positive results. Anglers stopping by Fish-On Bait and Tackle 776-0820 in Deltaville point to Jerk Shad Gulp Baits Nuclear Chicken and chartreuse pepper neon colors have been productive, either attached to a flounder rig or jigged on a bucktail. (ssentinel.com)

Reports Avon beaches saw Sea mullet, Bluefish, and some Spot. Around Buxton beaches and Cape Point saw Puppy Drum, Bluefish. Frisco Beaches saw some Bluefish and some Mullet. Ramp 38 a fisherman caught a cobia, ramp 44 saw Pompano and Mullet. Inshore boats caught Cobia all day Sunday. Other catches of cobia from Cape Point to Hatteras Inlet. Saturday boats caught limitations of Red Drum. Offshore boats to get limitations of Dolphin, 50 pound plus Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo,  A Blackfin Tuna, White Marlin releases. (fishingreportschesapeakebay.com)

If it sounds like a broken record, it’s. It is the dog days and most local freshwater systems are running pretty hot. Fishing for bass is going to be best early and late in the day, particularly when it is cloudy. So, catches have been decent on many tidal waters, particularly the Northwest River. Good catches also are stated from the deeper edges of grass beds in Back Bay and Currituck Sound. (pilotonline.com)

At the end of their second voyage up the Bay, in early September 1608, Captain John Smith and his crew decided to explore the Nansemond River, on the south side of the James just inside Hampton Roads. The Nansemond Indians were well aware of the English and their Jamestown colony just upriver. They set up a smart ambush by luring the English upriver for a visit to one of their longhouses, built on a marsh island along the river’s channel. Smith, an experienced warrior himself, foiled the plot and captured some number of Nansemond canoes. He negotiated a peaceful trade for corn before heading home to Jamestown. (smithtrail.net)

Probably the most consistent bite throughout September is the Spanish mackerel and bluefish bite. If you want to put meat in the cooler and have a great time doing so you may want to target these two species. Both species are easily caught while trolling spoons like Clarke or Drone. The macks tend to favor the spoons with a flasher on them while the blues aren’t as picky. But, to steadily catch macks, your trolling speed must be between 6 and 7 knots. Bluefish will hit your rigs at slower speeds. I frequently deploy my spread of 3-4 rods and troll fast at 6-7 knots to hook the Spanish. Once I get a knockdown and my fishing partner starts winding in that fish, I slow the ship down somewhat to let the fish to be landed. (gameandfishmag.com)

From the Reel Bass Adventures, Andy Andrzejewski said bass fishing patterns have changed only a little from last week. Buzzbaits and poppers are good choices for the early morning top water bite. When the sun comes up they switch to plastic worms. The Berkley Rib Worm in the blue fleck finish was a winner. The last half of the outgoing tide and the 1st half of the incoming is the more productive. Andy said the best way to use spinner baits is to burn them across the weeds and let them flutter into any holes along the way. Strikes, he said, are on occasion hard to detect. Most happen as the spinnerbait is falling. (dto.com)