SURF VA - NC

May 5, 2008 

Virginia Beach -

Virginia Beach Fishing Center is seeing an increase in puppy drum (juvenile red drum), and speckled trout in the inlet. Taylor bluefish are populating the inlet in vast numbers. In the offshore scene, anglers are seeing good fishing with tilefish and grouper.

Virginia Piers -

The Lynnhaven Fishing Pier opens today, May 2nd, for the 2008 season.

The Virginia Beach Pier is still seeing little action. A few bluefish are being caught, but it has been a very slow week. Very few have been going out, possibly due to inclement weather.

The Sandbridge Pier reports numerous bluefish at the Little Island Fishing Pier, but not much of anything else.

Outer Banks, NC - 

Water temperatures have now risen into the upper 50’s. Speckled trout, in the 2 to 3 pound range, are being caught in good numbers with Green Island Slough (in Oregon Inlet) being a hotspot. Triggerfish and sheepshead are being caught around the pilings of the Oregon Inlet Bridge as well.

Pier fishermen continue to be rewarded with good catches of speckled trout in the early morning, and bluefish keeping lines tight throughout the day. Additional catches of dogfish, skates and rays were also keeping anglers busy.

The fishing reports for surf fishermen, south of Oregon Inlet down to Cape Hatteras, are very encouraging as well. Bluefish, blowfish, sea mullet and flounder were on the dinner table for many fishermen working on the north and south beaches over the past week. Ramp 43 and the Avon ramps seemed to be favorite areas for those tasty sea mullet. A few big drum are also showing up during the evening and nighttime hours around Cape Hatteras Point.

Surf fishermen working the areas south of Oregon Inlet have had success when the weather has cooperated. Some puppy drum (juvenile red drum) were spotted just north of Cape Hatteras, with a larger drum mixed in. Sea mullet were seen at ramps 43 and 44, and puffers and bluefish were caught on both sides of Cape Hatteras as well. Flounder were seen on the south side, and dogfish were also making a strong showing on the point of Cape Hatteras.