Fishing report

JAMES RIVER

Castaway Sporting Goods (804 706-9100) reports the following bluecat catches: Tim Jefferson (Richmond) 30, Donnie Conley (Richmond) 52-8.

People are beginning to buy small and medium minnows as crappie fishing heats up in ponds, lakes and the James River. Bass fishing also is good. Big, nice spot are rolling on the saltwater side. A lot of freshwater fishermen are loading up on spot while they can.

Last tournament of the year on Saturday at Osbourne Landing.

Capt. Mike Hoke of Life's Revenge Guide Service (804 357-8518) reports the following bluecat catches: Sgt. Richard Doherty (Ft. Eustis) 52 pounds, 46 inches; 38 pounds, 44 inches; 28 pounds, 40 inches; Kyle Ricard 40 pounds, 44 inches. Water temperature in the tidal James is 73-75 degrees. Water is clear. Crappie are being caught around the docks in Richmond.

Chris with Eberwein's Catfishing (804 449-6134) reports the following catch and release bluecats: Scooter Lee 47; Don Lee 39; Chad Lee 42; Robbie Mayhew 60, 58, 55, 46, 45, 41, 37, 31; Daimen Eberwein 46, 33, 32; Bruce Johnson 62, 56, 40, 39, 38, 32.

Richard Mansfield caught a citation smallmouth bass, 20.5 inches, over 5 pounds on Sept. 16 and a citation 20-inch smallmouth bass on Sept. 29.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/OCEAN

Dr. Julie Ball reports hoards of fish in the 18-24-inch range are stacked along light-lines, drop-offs, and bridge pilings of the bridge tunnels. Several rockfish pushing 40 inches are taking cast lures near the 3rd island of the CBBT. Beginning on Oct. 4, you can keep two fish per person measuring between 18 and 28 inches, with one of the two fish allowed to measure above 34 inches, in bay waters. Snapper bluefish averaging over 8 pounds are roaming around the CBBT.

Bull red drum commenced their long awaited run off the Little Island Fishing Pier this week. Pier anglers are hoisting big reds from the end of the pier. Bull reds are still providing action along the breakers of the Eastern Shore barrier islands and inlets. Don Snare (Virginia Beach) had a big surprise when he hooked a 50-inch red drum while casting for specks off Chick's Beach.

Puppy drum are coming on strong in the shallows and inlets on suspended mullet and cut bait, while good numbers of smallish speckled trout are hitting lures and live bait in the Eastern Shore creeks, Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets, and the Poquoson flats area.

The fall spot action continues to thrill anglers. Whether fishing from a boat, the surf or a pier, chances are good for spot. Rudee Inlet, the HRBT, and the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier are the hot locations for big spot this week. Blood worms and "Bag-o-Worms" Fishbites work great for these hearty panfish.

Horse croaker are hanging on the Hampton Bar, the deeper holes around the HRBT and the CBBT and Lynnhaven Inlet. Mark Roberts (Virginia Beach) scored with a hefty 3-pound, 6-ounce hardhead on crab while fishing the small boat channel at the CBBT this week.

Flounder are stacked along the lower bay channels and shoal edges. The Baltimore and Thimble Shoal channels, and the Hampton Bar are productive areas for drifting for flatfish.

One of the Mid-Atlantic's favorite fall species will become off limits on Oct. 5. NOAA issued an emergency closure of the black sea bass fishery until spring.

OUTER BANKS

Leonard Nuchols reports the surf fishing on the Outer Banks is heating up with good numbers of red drum and blues. The minimum size limit for spotted sea trout (speckled trout) is now 14 inches with a limit of 10 fish per day per angler.

The Cape Point area reports catches of blues, flounder, puppy drum, Spanish mackerel, yearling drum, sea mullet and spot along with good numbers of release citation drum including a 44-incher caught by Jeff Wolford . Speckled trout are being caught in the Pamlico Sound on Berkley's Gulp! Shrimp Alive Pearl White Shrimp.

The Hatteras Village Beaches report blues, puppy drum, spot, flounder, Spanish mackerel and big drum. Ocracoke Island reports blues, sea mullet, pompano, puppy drum, big drum, flounder, spot and Spanish mackerel.

The northern beaches report blues, spot, pompano, sea mullet, puppy drum, flounder and yearling drum and the southern beaches report blues, puppy drum, spots, sea mullet and pompano. Mark Thornton (Daleville) caught a 6.3 pound citation flounder in the Nags Head area.

The offshore boats out of Hatteras Inlet report wahoo, dolphin, amberjacks, sea bass, trigger fish, albacore, tile fish and grouper along with releases of sailfish. Leonard Strong (Lexington, N.C.) caught a 72-pound citation amberjack. The inshore boats report blues, gray trout, puppy drum, speckled trout, flounder and Spanish mackerel.

ELSEWHERE

Jill O'Brien-Jones from Eagles Landing (804 966-9094) on Chickahominy Lake reports the following tournament results for the Chickahominy Anglers at Lake Gaston on Saturday: 1. Mike Elswick (Providence Forge)/Jill O'Brien-Jones (Providence Forge) 5 fish, 14.51 pounds; 2. John Sprouse (Richmond)/ Bobby Robinson (Amelia) 5, 8.69; 3. Carl Knight Jr . (Hopewell)/ Ron Phillips (Dewitt) 4, 4.70; big fish: Elswick 4.5.