Carefree Boat Club Virginia Beach and Hampton members attended our 2014 How to Catch a Rockfish Seminar. If you missed it…here are some of the tips, techniques, locations, and fishing reports that Connie, co-owner of the Long Bay Pointe Bait & Tackle shop shared. You can also watch the seminar on our YouTube channel CBCofVB.

The early Rockfish (Striper) fishing continues to pick up in the lower Bay, with mostly schoolies. Opportunities for casters are along bulkheads and docks at night in the Lower Bay inlets. The bigger fish still heading this way. The best luck has been seen on a moving tide, with most any type of swimming or top water lure working well. The 1st island of the CBBT at first light is productive. A recommendation for along the Lower Bay bridges at night is most any light line. The bigger fish are mostly falling to live bait and wire-lining along the pilings and tubes. The consolation prize is plenty of snapper bluefish up to around 5-pounds are also around in the same areas.

As water temperatures continue to drop, Tautog are gaining momentum. Within Bay waters the bite is steady, averaging 3 – 5 lbs. It is recommended to use Fiddler or Blue Crabs along any lower Bay structure. Taug can also be found among the inshore and offshore wrecks along with flounder and sea bass.

A few red drums are hitting near the CBBT and a few big red drum are still responding for anglers in the surf lines off Sandbridge. But the drum bite is dissipating locally as these fish travel south, and continue to grow in huge numbers along the North Carolina surf.

The flounder scene is still slow inside the Bay. Deeper wrecks are the best bet,but some flatties are still along the channel edges and the CBBT structure. Scattered keepers are also coming from within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets.

Tight Lines, Carefree Boat Club Virginia Beach