How, When & Where to Catch Virginia’s Saltwater Fishing Calendar x – Available xx – Peak Season Species January February March April May June July August September October November December Amberjack x xx xx xx x Atlantic Mackerel x xx x Black Drum x xx xx x x x Blue Marlin x xx xx xx x Bluefin Tuna xx xx xx x x xx x Bluefish x xx xx xx xx xx xx xx x Blueline Tilefish x x x x x x x x x x x x Cobia x xx xx x xx Croaker x x x xx xx xx xx x x Dolphin x x xx xx xx x Flounder x xx xx xx xx xx xx xx x Gray Trout x xx xx xx x xx xx x King Mackerel x xx xx xx xx Kingfish (Roundhead) x xx xx xx xx x Red Drum x x xx xx x xx xx xx x Sea Bass x x x x xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx Sheepshead x xx xx xx x x Spadefish x xx xx xx xx x Spanish Mackerel xx xx xx xx x Speckled Trout x xx xx x xx xx xx xx x Spot x xx xx xx x Striped Bass xx x x x xx xx x x xx xx xx xx Tarpon x xx xx x Tautog xx x xx xx xx xx x x x xx xx xx Wahoo x x xx xx xx White Marlin x xx xx xx x Yellowfin Tuna x xx xx xx xx xx x 11 Average Species Bait or Lure Method Location Seasons Weights State Record Amber- Live bait (spot, croaker, Drifting and slow trolling live bait over and Ocean waters over and around wrecks June — October; peak July 30 – 60 pounds 118 pounds; caught at the jack bluefish, menhaden, small around obstructions (wrecks, reefs, tow- & underwater obstructions; Chesapeake — middle September Chesapeake Light Tower in fish); Artificial lures (spoons, ers, buoys); casting and trolling artificial Light Tower 1986 by Mark J. Roberts surface plugs, diamond lures over and around obstructions jigs, white bucktails, plastic squids) Black Sea Squid, crab, cut fish, clam, Bottomfishing, generally near and over Ocean waters; species less plentiful April — December; species 1 – 3-1/2 pounds 10 pounds, 4 ounces; Bass shrimp, diamond jigs, underwater obstructions (wrecks, reefs, (especially large individuals) in lower moves to waters offshore caught over offshore wreck metal jigs rocks and rough bottom areas) Chesapeake Bay (20 fathoms and more) by Al Paschall in 2000 during winter, where they can be caught over wrecks and ledges Bluefish Artificial lures (spoons, tube Trolling, casting or jigging to schools of Offshore and coastal waters; Chesapeake Middle April — July; October 8 – 16 pounds 25 pounds, 4 ounces; (large) eels, metal squids, surface fish with artificial lures; surfcasting with Bay; Eastern Shore barrier island surf — December caught at Bluefish Rock in plugs), cut bait (fresh cut bait or lures; chumming while using Chesapeake Bay in 1986 by menhaden, mullet, herring, cut bait; bluefish can be taken on streamer Gayle E. Cozzens spot), whole balao or Boston flies with a fly rod mackerel Bluefish Artificial lures (small spoons, Trolling or casting to schools of fish with Chesapeake Bay, coastal ocean waters, May — October 1 – 5 pounds (small) feather lures, metal squids, artificial lures; surfcasting and bottom ocean surf, inlets surface plugs) and cut bait fishing with cut bait; surfcasting with artificial lures Blueline Squid, cut fish, metal jigs Bottom fishing, generally over rough bot- Offshore ocean waters January — December; 4 – 8 pounds 20 pounds, 4 ounces; Tilefish tom in 300 feet of water or greater caught at Norfolk Canyon by David Akridge, Jr in 2009 Cobia Live bait (eels, spot, menha- Cast, drift or slow troll live baits around Buoys in lower Chesapeake Bay, at the May — September; peak 20 – 50 pounds 109 pounds, 8 ounces; den, mullet); artificial lures buoys, underwater obstructions and mouth of the Bay and along coastal mid-June — mid - Sep- caught at York Spit by (large spoons, white buck- schools of fish swimming on the surface; beaches; CBBT; Bluefish Rock off Hamp- tember Joseph F. Berberich, III tails, plastic eels, swimming anchor, chum and fish live baits, fresh ton, Cabbage Patch and Kiptopeake areas in 2006 plugs); cut bait (menhaden dead baits and cut bait in chum slick and off Cape Charles, and York Spit area; or spot) on bottom; cast and troll lures around coastal buoys and wrecks; Chesapeake buoys, obstructions and to schools of bull- Light Tower; Latimer Shoal; Inner Middle fish (rays) or schools, pods or individual Ground Shoal; York Spit area cobia swimming on surface Croaker Peeler crab, bloodworms, Bottomfishing with bait, anchored or Chesapeake Bay, tributary rivers of the March — November 1/2 – 2 pounds 8 pounds, 11 ounces; cut bait, squid, shrimp drifting from boats, and also caught from Bay, coastal ocean waters, inlets caught at Newpoint Light by piers, docks, shore and surf Norman T. Jenkins in 2007 Dolphin Artificial lures (offshore Trolling with lures, balao and squid; Offshore ocean waters May — October 2 – 20 pounds 71 pounds, 8 ounces; trolling lures), balao, squid, casting to schools of dolphin around caught off VA Beach in 1991 cut bait weedlines and floating debris with cut bait by Don Dorey (fish or squid) and lures (bucktails, surface plugs, streamer flies) Black Whole clam, peeler crab, Bottomfishing with bait on “fishfinder” rig; Chesapeake Bay along shallow portion of May — September; peak May 40 – 60 pounds 111 pounds; caught off Drum whelk, peeler crab/clam running tides and late afternoons and eve- channel ledge running from Fisherman’s — early June along Eastern Cape Charles in 1973 by “sandwich”, bucktail and nings considered best; occasionally caught Island to north of Cape Charles, especially Shore bayside and seaside Betty Hall leadhead jigs on bucktails or metal squids by casting or off Kiptopeake, at Cabbage Patch and inlets; peak late June— early jigging to a school of fish buoys C-10 & C-12; around middleground August at 2nd & 3rd Islands bars of Eastern Shore seaside inlets; 2nd of Chesapeake Bay Bridge & 3rd Islands of Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Tunnel Flounder Live bait (minnows and Drift fishing with live or dead natural baits Seaside inlets of the Eastern Shore; March — November; peak 1 – 3 pounds 17 pounds, 8 ounces; small fish), frozen min- fished on the bottom; slow trolling natural Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel area; lower May — July on Eastern caught at Chesapeake Bay nows, fresh strip baits baits on bottom; casting from beaches and Chesapeake Bay; Rudee Inlet; the Cell and Shore seaside; July — Octo- Bridge Tunnel in 1971 by (bluefish, flounder and piers; trolling small bucktails dressed with eastern end of the “Cut” Channel in the ber in Chesapeake Bay C.E. Cross shark belly, squid), minnow/ strip baits (especially for big fish along middle Chesapeake Bay strip combination, artificial Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel); casting lures (bucktails); big strip bucktails baits and live spot or small mullet often used for big fish at Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Kingfish Bloodworms, shrimp, small Bottomfishing with bait Surf zone of coastal waters from Sand- May — October 1/2 – 1-1/2 2 pounds, 13 ounces; (Round- pieces of cut bait, squid, bridge to Assateague Island; ocean piers; pounds caught off Sandbridge by head, sand fleas lower portion of the Chesapeake Bay, Chip Waters in 2002 Whiting) including lower bay piers Mackerel, Small tube worms and jigs Jigging to schools of suspended fish Coastal and offshore ocean waters, from Mid - February – mid April 1/2 – 3 pounds None; 3 pound minimum for Atlantic 5-35 miles offshore peak March — early April initial state record (Boston Mackerel) Mackerel, Live bait (menhaden, mullet, Slow trolling, drifting or anchoring with live Coastal and offshore ocean waters, par- June — October; peak Sep- 5 – 20 pounds 63 pounds, 1 ounce; caught King spot, small bluefish); artifi- bait; trolling with artificial lures, strip bait ticularly around wrecks, towers, obstruc- tember — middle October off Sandbridge by Susan cial lures (spoons, feather and balao tions, ledges, lumps and other “structure”; Smith in 2007 lures, nylon jigs); strip baits mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and off and small whole balao ocean inlets Mackerel, Small artificial lures (spoons, Trolling; casting to schools of fish Coastal ocean waters, particularly off June — October; peak June 1 – 3 pounds 9 pounds, 13 ounces; Spanish metal lures, feather and inlets, along tidelines, and over coastal — September caught off Virginia Beach in nylon lures), small live baits wrecks; lower Chesapeake Bay 1993 by Everett Cameron (menhaden, mullet) Blue Whole dead fish (balao, Trolling Offshore ocean waters June — October; peak 150 – 400 pounds 1093 pounds, 12 ounces; Marlin mullets, spanish mackerel), middle June — September caught off Virginia Beach in squid, artificial lures (off- 1978 by Edward A. Givens shore trolling lures), and live baits (small dolphin, bonito and skipjack tuna 12 Average Species Bait or Lure Method Location Seasons Weights State Record White Whole dead fish (balao, mul- Trolling; occasionally casting live baits to Offshore ocean waters June — October; peak August 40 – 60 pounds 131 pounds, 10 ounces; Marlin let), squid, strip baits, eels, marlin “balling” bait or swimming on surface — September caught off Virginia Beach in artificial lures (offshore trolling 1978 by Rudolph D. Van’t Riet lures), live bait (pilchards, cigar minnows) Sailfish Whole dead fish (balao, Trolling; also, sailfish seem to be attracted to Offshore ocean waters June — October; peak July — 20 – 40 pounds 68 pounds, 8 ounces; caught small mullet), strip baits, slow trolled live baits fished in similar meth- September off Virginia Beach in 1977 by squid, artificial lures (small od as used to slow troll for king mackerel P.J.