Fishing Report

JAMES RIVER

Castaway Sporting Goods, (804) 706-9100, reports croaker are continuing to bite, and the flounder bite is flourishing. Spot are producing well, and the bite is expected to pick up. On the freshwater side, the bluegill and crappie are being caught when anglers go, but they aren't schooling together. The bass are biting on the river.

Wednesday night mini-series at Osborne Landing tournament results: 1. John Feay-Ralph Taylor , 11.00 pounds, big fish, 4.42; 2. Donnie Meade-Brian Brooks , 9.69; 3. Jesse Johnson-Jermey Billan , 8.64; 4. Keith Johnson-Jason Dod son , 8.48. The next tournament -- the fifth and last qualifier -- will be Aug. 22 at Osborne Landing.

Notable catches: Kyle Booch , sunfish, 1 pound; Jesse McMillian (Chester) bluecat, 41-8; Donald Pugh (Midlothian) bluecat, 34.

OTHER

Spin and Skin Bait Shop in Varina (804-795-5917) reports that Michael Gentry caught a 61-pound, 8-ounce bluecat.

Chris Eberwein from Eberwein's Catfishing (804-449-6134) reports the following notable catches: An gela Jacobs , bluecat, 48 pounds; Timothy Hahn , bluecat, 41; Jerry Hahn , bluecat, 39; Jacob Hahn , bluecat, 44; Shawn Hansberger , bluecat, 37; Shawn Hansberger Jr. , bluecat, 30; Thomas Viller , bluecat, 40; Paul Carey , bluecat, 53; Craig Kruzynski , bluecat, 37; Randy Hall Jr. , bluecat, 33; Robert Carver II , bluecat, 37; Roger Crigger , 2 bluecats, 57, 44; Dylan Crigger , 2 bluecats, 56, 37; Steven Crigger , 2 bluecats, 52, 30.

Brian Parrish , Joe Price , Chris Brooks and Michael Parrish , fishing 40 miles off Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, caught a 647.5-pound blue marlin last Sunday.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/OCEAN

Dr. Julie Ball reports the main interest centers on cobia and flounder. Cobia hunters are finding steady action in the lower Bay. Latimer shoal and the Nine Foot Shoal are producing well for those dumping chum and bottom fishing with cut and live bait. The Baltimore Channel area is producing for top-water casters. Eventually, these fish will begin gathering on bridge pilings and buoys.

Anglers are reporting modest catches of quality flounder. Best results are coming from those offering live bait near bridge pilings and the tubes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, lower bay wrecks, Back River Reef and near the Cell in around 40-50 feet of water. Peanut bunker is working better than spot right now, although both are good choices.

Anglers are heading to Oyster to partake in the excellent croaker run, with the "chimney" and Buoy 7 areas providing the best action. Within lower Bay waters, croaker are everywhere from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to the CBB-T. The area off Kiptopeke State Park is a favorite location for anglers.

Spadefish are available at the Chesapeake Light Tower, the Tower Reef, nearshore and inshore wrecks, the CBB-T and the Cell. Plantation Light is producing quality fish. Sheepshead peaked some interest this week, with big fish coming from the Bay Bridge-Tunnel structure. Jeffery Parks (Virginia Beach) caught a 13-pound, 7-ounce sheepshead that fell to crab near the first island. Triggerfish are swarming around the CBB-T, as well as on several inshore wrecks. Triggers are easy to catch and will hit squid, clams, live bait, cut bait or anything within easy reach.

Drum are on the loose in the lower bay, with red drum enthusiasts chasing large schools swimming on the surface along the Eastern Shore shoals. Anglers are picking away at unassuming pods of black drum roaming the islands of the CBB-T. Storm lures and bucktails are working well.

Deep dropping is an excellent choice with quality blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, blackbellied rosefish and nice grouper available. A 20-pound, 10-ounce blueline tilefish caught by Kenneth Bowe (Chester) became a Virginia state record. Black seabass are available on inshore wrecks and deepwater structures. Amberjack are taking most any live bait offered on several offshore wrecks and at the South Tower. Take plenty of bait, and plan for an eventful day if you make the run south.

Offshore, the billfish bite is improving daily. Farther south, Carolina crews are finding sailfish. Nice yellowfin tuna are scattered in the same areas, and wahoo are becoming more common. School-sized bluefin tuna are hitting on the inshore lumps, with the Fingers a favorite area. Big dolphin and mako sharks are making appearances.

Captain Percy Blackburn of the Virginia Charter Boat Association (http://www.fishva.com) reports Spanish mackerel have finally made a decent showing in the middle bay. Captain Carlisle Bannister (804-402-9830) had good days trolling on Windmill Bar, producing catches of more than 20 fish in the 16to 22-inch range. Trolling Clark spoons behind No.1 planers did the trick, with gold spoons being the most productive. Captain Ian Bailey (804-776-7129) had a nice catch of Spanish off the P1 and P2 buoys marking the entrance to the Piankatank River.

Flounder fishing on the Rappahannock River continues to provide lots of action. The majority of fish being caught are below the 19-inch minimum size, but those who show patience and persistence will bring home keeper fish. Anglers stopping by Fish On Bait and Tackle (804-776-0820) in Deltaville indicate the best methods are pulling Gillie rigs on the bottom tipped with a long squid strip and a minnow, or jigging bucktails tipped with Gulp Jerk Shads (Nuclear Chicken or Chartreuse Pepper Neon). The flounder fishing in the Buoy No.42/Cell area has improved. Catches of flounder in the 19to 22-inch range were reported, with the best results coming at the beginning of the tide change.

Spadefish have been caught at The Cell and Wolf Trap Light, but the majority of fish are small. Puppy drum can be caught in the shallows of the Rappahannock and the Piankatank. They are holding around docks, especially those docks in or near grass beds. Using light tackle and casting small jigs provides the best action. The best croaker action coming in the shallows shortly after sunset.

Captain Jerry Thrash (804-725-3889) reports the creeks are full of croaker and medium spot. Glenn Hubbard caught 11 fish, with six keepers, in the Cell/Buoy 42 area. Roy Farmer (Henrico) caught an 8-pound, 8-ounce, 29-inch flounder on squid and minnow.

OUTER BANKS

Leonard Nuchols reports surf fishing remains slow and scattered. Access to Cape Point is open for pedestrians and anglers making the long walk to catch Spanish mackerel on various Glass Minnow lures. The Point area reports pompano, blues, flounder, croakers, puppy drum, spots, sea mullet and spade fish.

The Pamlico Sound is producing speckled trout and flounder on Berkley's Gulp! Shrimp Alive Pearl White Shrimp, along with gray trout and blues. Flounder, puppy drum, sheepshead and trigger fish are being caught at the Buxton jetties. The Hatteras Village Beaches report good catches of puppy drum, blues, sea mullet, Spanish mackerel, flounder and speckled trout now that Ramp 55 is open all the way to the inlet.

Ocracoke Island reports puppy drum, sea mullet, blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder, black drum and pompano. John Holbrook (Apex, N.C.) caught a 3.5-pound Spanish mackerel, and Pomplin Otis (Collywood, N.C.) caught a 3-pound citation pompano.

The northern beaches report blues, sea mullet, croakers, spots and Spanish mackerel. The southern beaches report sea mullet, flounder, pompano and Spanish mackerel.

The offshore boats out of Hatteras Inlet report good billfish action with catches of dolphin, blackfin tuna, tile fish, grouper, wahoo, amberjacks and red snapper. Releases of sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin were reported. The inshore boats report Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, blues, tarpon, big drum, puppy drum and cobia.

The offshore boats out of Oregon Inlet are enjoying good catches of billfish with releases of white marlin, blue marlin and sailfish. Yellowfin tuna, dolphin, big eye tuna, wahoo, groupers, sea bass tile fish and blackfin tuna were reported. The inshore boats report Spanish mackerel, blues, trigger fish, speckled trout, croakers, cobia, sea mullet and gray trout.