Fishing report

JAMES RIVER

Castaway Sporting Goods (804 706-9100) reports the following citations: Calvin Hunter (Chester) caught a 2½- and 2¼-pound crappie out of a private pond; Carl Breeden caught a 33-pound bluecat out of the river.

Lots of spot still being caught in the river, primarily using bloodworms or Fish Bites. Bigger striped bass are in the bay. A lot of guys are getting their limit (two per day) pretty quickly.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/OCEAN

Dr. Julie Ball reports chatter is centered on the great speckled trout bite. Most lower bay protected, shallow, brackish or saltwater creek, river or inlet is a showplace for speckled trout. Folks are catching fish ranging to 22 inches. Several citation specks ranging from 5 to 7 pounds are hitting the scales.

Folks are catching specks off docks in Lynnhaven River, near the jetties in Little Creek Inlet and along grass beds and bulkheads lining Rudee Inlet. Trout to 5 pounds are between the Gilmerton and I-64 High Rise bridges in the Elizabeth River. The largest specks are hitting Mirrolures adorned with hints of orange, or red and white. Gulp grubs, bubble gum colored Bazooka lures and pearl colored Storm lures work well. Anglers are finding luck using live or cut bait. Mike Dunham (Chesapeake) boated a 5½-pounder using a grub while fishing the Elizabeth River.

If you target speckled trout right now, you will come across hungry puppy drum in the same areas. Dozens of fish of more than 30 inches are obliging anglers. Most any lure or cut bait will work for puppy drum.

Speckled trout and pups also are keeping surf anglers happy along the lower bay shore lines, and from the wash along the ocean front. Smallish striped bass are biting in these areas, with cut mullet the top producer. Surf anglers are finding keeper rockfish under the Lesner Bridge.

Sporadic red drum are hitting off the Eastern Shore shoals and near the 4th island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel as they head south, where the famous North Carolina fall red drum surf fishing trend is strong.

As water temperatures drop, striped bass activity continues to rise. Although bigger rockfish are on the way, anglers are content with a smaller class of fish for now. Striper hunters are scoring school-sized fish while casting top water lures around all of the lower bay crossings and into schools of feeding fish on the surface. Wind Cheaters are working well, especially at first light near the spines of the tubes. Those jigging and live-baiting around the 3rd and 4th islands of the CBB-T are finding a few fish pushing 37 inches. Reports of catches of 20 pounders in 3 feet of water on some lower bay flats are drawing attention.

Tautog action is taking off in lower bay waters and on coastal structures and wrecks. These ugly fish are in high demand with seabass off limits. Good numbers of keeper fish, with a few surprises pushing 11 pounds, are coming from the CBB-T proper, especially near the bases of the support pilings. Land locked anglers targeting tog under the Lesner Bridge and the West Great Neck Bridge are hoisting togs to 6 pounds. Fiddler crabs and clams are working best.

Dr. Ken Neill reports the Elizabeth River is the top spot, but fish are being caught inside of the Mobjack Bay basin, the York and Back rivers and in Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets. Puppy drum are being caught in these same areas. Striped bass are holding on all of the area bridges. Any lighted structure is likely to hold some striped bass at night.

A special fishing day will be held at Buckroe Pier on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. The plan is to collect food instead of a fishing fee. The collected food will be delivered to local food banks.

OUTER BANKS

Fishing on the Outer Banks continues to produce good numbers of blue fish and red drum. A few speckled trout are starting to show. The Cape Point area reports puppy drum, yearling drum, big drum, blues, flounder and blow toads. Speckled trout, spots, sea mullet, puppy drum and black drum are being caught at the Buxton jetties.

The Hatteras Village Beaches report puppy drum, flounder, blues, speckled trout, blow toads and a few big drum. Ocracoke Island reports puppy drum, flounder, blues, sea mullet, pompano, black drum and speckled trout.

The northern beaches report sea mullet, puppy drum, sharks, blues, blow toads, big drum, croakers, spots and black drum. The southern beaches report flounder, blues, puppy drum, sea mullet, pompano and speckled trout on Berkley's Gulp! Shrimp Alive Chartreuse Swimming Mullet in the Frisco area.

The offshore boats out of Hatteras Inlet report king mackerel, dolphin, wahoo, blackfin tuna and yellowfin tuna along with releases of sailfish. The inshore boats report puppy drum, speckled trout, blues, flounder and a few Spanish mackerel.

The offshore boats out of Oregon Inlet report yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, wahoo, dolphin and big eye tuna along with releases of blue marlin and sailfish. The inshore boats report false albacore, blues, triggerfish, sheepshead, tautog, flounder, speckled trout and stripers.