Fishing Report

JAMES RIVER

Castaway Sporting Goods, (804) 706-9100, reports crappie are hanging on, and minnows continue to be the best bait. They are being caught in the rivers, lakes and ponds. Croakers are hitting. Shrimp, squid and bloodworms are the bait of choice. The Twincats tournament at Hopewell Rec and Parks will be June 6 in Hopewell City Marina.

Notable catches: Ranoy Hawkins (Chester) bluecat, 35 pounds, 3 ounces; Melissa Hawkins (Chester), bluecat, 37, 9; Bobby Tomes (Sandston) largemouth bass, 7, 6, 23 inches.

1. Brian Brooks-Lisa Brooks , 9.27; 2. Charles Goodman-Troy Goodman , 8.27; 3. Bo Boltz-Eric French , 7.58; Kenny Bogez-Brian Ham , big fish, 3.28.

Todd Long reports the Pamunkey River Miniseries tournament results at Osborne Landing: 1. Robin Yost-Bob Hinds Jr. , 12.69 pounds; 2. Bo Boltz-Mickey Andersen , 12.06; 3. Matt Pulley-Shawn Hodges , 11.73, big fish, 4.66; 4. Larry Nesbitt-Pedro Emerson , 10.61; 5. Ralph Magee-Steve Stubblefield , 9.20.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/OCEAN

Dr. Julie Ball reports drum action has returned to a normal pattern. Anglers are roosting on the Eastern Shore shoals hoping for a chance to tangle with a big drum.

Black drum are biting off Cape Charles near buoys 10, 13 and 16, where fish more than 80 pounds were boated. Chowder clams and sea clams are the top baits. Black drum will soon disperse to the four artificial islands and the 9-foot shoal area of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Big red drum are roaming the shoals and breakers off Fisherman's Island and within the inlet, especially at night. Blue crab has worked well all season.

The prelude to the summer fishing pattern is right on target with the arrival of the cobia. Sheepshead are making a low-key debut, as scattered reports trickle in of incidental catches mostly by drum and surf anglers.

Spadefish are appearing on the Chesapeake Light Tower, inshore wrecks and Lower Bay structures, with a few fish already boated. Water temperatures need to inch up a few more degrees for the action to really take off. The best is yet to come with the spadefish.

Flounder action is frustrating anglers, who are catching flatfish but finding fish meeting the 19-inch minimum a challenge. The best catches of keepers are coming from near the small boat channel area of the CBB-T and the Cell.

Striped bass are making up for the flounder shortage, with catches of rockfish to 44 inches coming from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and the islands of the CBB-T. Snapper bluefish in the 5-8 pound range are everywhere in local waters, which can make catching anything else a challenge.

Croaker are active throughout the Lower Bay. Medium-sized hard heads are available off Little Creek, along the CBB-T and the along the HRB-T. Larger fish are available near the Cell. Pier anglers are catching good numbers of hardheads weighing up to a pound off the Sea Gull Fishing Pier at the first island. Keeper-sized speckled trout and snapper bluefish are biting within Rudee Inlet. Puppy drum are a sure thing within Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets, as well as along the Lower Bay surf lines, where most any lure is working. Boats are finding very good round head action off the Concrete Ships.

The deep dropping scene is good if you want to make the run out to 50 fathoms or more. Boats making a go are rewarded with excellent catches of big blueline and golden tilefish, grouper and blackbelly rosefish.

The offshore trolling scene is just getting rolling, with gaffer-sized dolphin being caught. Boats are finding a smattering of yellowfin tuna, mako sharks, blue marlin and wahoo in the mix. This trend will only improve, as long as the warm water stays around. Roark Linn (Gloucester) caught a 31-pound gaffer.

Percy Blackburn reports the focus of the charter boats out of Deltaville is croaker. Larger croaker are moving out of the rivers, and the action has been good in the lower Rappahannock River and Gwynn's Island.

Bloodworms, squid and shrimp seem to be the best bait for croaker. Fish On Bait and Tackle Shop (804-776-0820) in Deltaville reports good catches of croaker at Sturgeon Bar, Corn House and Buoy No.5 at the mouth of the Piankatank River. Fishing is good up the Rappahannock. Captain Randy King (804-239-2990) had good catches of croaker up to 17 inches fishing above Urbanna Creek.

The flounder action has picked up in the Buoy No.42/Cell area. Light winds and seasonal temperatures the past week have allowed many anglers to fish this favorite spot on the Bay. Fish have been caught in the 19to 22-inch range, though few anglers have reached the five fish per person limit. The favored bait is a long strip of clean, white squid, combined with a large minnow, drifted or trolled on the bottom.

Speckled trout are being caught in the Mobjack Bay, as well as in the lower Piankatank River. Most anglers are casting Mirrolures, but lead jigs tipped with small Gulp baits as well as peelers work well, too.

Rockfishing in the Bay has slowed quite a bit, but it should become more prodictive as the temperature warms. The water temperature at Stingray Light has increased slightly and currently is 71 degrees.

Jerry Thrash reports peelers floated over grass or hard bottom under corks or freelined in the shallows, particularly in the evening, are working well. Stripers and bluefish are mixed in.

Flounder fishing is improving slightly. The bay surface temperatures around the Cell and Buoy 42 are about 63-66 degrees. As they warm, we should see fish settle into their normal haunts. Spadefish put in an appearance at the Cell and should be sighted at Wolftrap.

Croaker are in the rivers and in the creeks. They are biting bloodworms, squid and peelers.

Notable catches: James D. Dean (Sandston) flounder, 27 inches, 7 pounds, 6 ounces, squid; Mark M. Ottarson (Bohannon) speckled trout, 24.25, 6, 7, peeler; Joseph A. Sibley (Gloucester Point) 26.5, 6, 3, peeler; John M. Hudgins (Hudgins) 26.5, 6, peeler.

OUTER BANKS

Leonard Nuchols reports surf fishing has improved since the water has warmed. Big drum are being caught at Cape Point by those willing to make the long wade around the bird closure. Big blues have been caught at the Point and the Outer Banks beaches.

The Ramps 43/44 area reports flounder, blues, sea mullet, sheepshead, black drum, puppy drum, yearling drum, pompano and Spanish mackerel. Steve Groves (Buxton, N.C.) and Terry Blevins (Buxton, N.C.) caught their limits of Spanish mackerel fishing with Glass minnow lures. Speckled trout are being caught in the Pamlico Sound from boats and kayaks. John Mortensen (Buxton, N.C.) landed a 4-pound speckled trout with Berkley's Gulp! Shrimp Alive Pearl White Shrimp.

The Hatteras Village Beaches report blues, flounder, sheepshead, sea mullet, puppy drum, pompano and a cobia from the beach. Ocracoke Island reports blues, sea mullet, yearling drum, black drum, puppy drum, flounder, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and pompano. Dennis Newton (Fredericksburg) caught a 9.5-pound sheepshead, and Sharon Sjoblom (Ocracoke, N.C.) caught a 5-pound, 5-ounce Spanish mackerel.

The northern beaches report blues, sea mullet, yearling drum, black drum, puppy drum, flounder, pompano, croakers, spots and sheepshead. The southern beaches report blues, flounder, sea mullet, pompano, spots, black drum and puppy drum.

The offshore boats out of Hatteras Inlet report dolphin, king mackerel, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, groupers, amberjacks, blackfin tuna and releases of blue marlin, sailfish and white marlin. The inshore boats report flounder, puppy drum, blues, cobia, gray trout, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, sea mullet and big drum. Patricia Owens (Richmond) released a citation white marlin while fishing on the Bite Me charter, and Roy Glass (Chesterfield) caught a 35-pound citation dolphin.

The offshore boats out of Oregon Inlet report dolphin, yellowfin tuna, king mackerel, sea bass, big eye tuna, tile fish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, cobia, amberjacks and releases of blue marlin and sailfish. The inshore boats report flounder, speckled trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and two stripers.