A 311-pound bigeye tuna, caught on September 25th by Vic Gaspeny, of Tavernier, FL, has been certified as the new Virginia State Record by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Gaspeny made his record-setting catch off Virginia Beach, at the Norfolk … Continued
Approximately 9.4 million recreational saltwater anglers in the USA took over 70 million saltwater fishing trips in 2012, according to a NOAA Fisheries report entitled: “Fisheries of the United States 2012.” During 2012, U.S. anglers caught 380 million fish. During … Continued
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) approved a strategic plan during its August meeting in Wilmington, Delaware. The plan maps out a series of goals and strategies that will guide the Council’s management activities from 2014 through 2018. Four priority … Continued
Fishing for Spanish mackerel off the Virginia Coast is popular during the summer season. Spanish mackerel usually appear in the ocean in July and remain active until late September. Spanish mackerel are usually associated with shoals, tide rips, color changes, … Continued
Several new laws that impact Virginia saltwater anglers will go into effect on Monday, July 1. One bill establishes a new, optional lifetime saltwater recreational fishing license for anglers over the age of 65, who will continue to remain exempt … Continued
At its June meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted on a suite of alternatives that would change the way the Council manages recreational fisheries. The measures were part of the Omnibus Recreational Accountability Measure Amendment initiated by the Council … Continued
Grass shrimp are a popular bait for catching bottom feeders such as spot, croakers, and white perch. Although used less frequently to target larger fish, grass shrimp can be highly effective on speckled trout, puppy drum, striped bass, flounder, and … Continued
Virginia recreational anglers caught and released 2.5 million red drum in 2013, according to the federal Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). By comparison, anglers reported 61,330 in 2011 and 28,000 in 2010. Virginia’s 2012 red drum harvest is estimated to … Continued
In April, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) announced that enthusiasts have downloaded its free HuntFishVA mobile app more than 25,000 times. The application is available for the iPhone®, iPod Touch®, and Android &trade platforms. The HuntFishVA … Continued
The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking two actions regarding the recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery: (1) closure of the southern area trophy BFT fishery (73″ or greater) effective 11:30 p.m. local time, Thursday, April 4, through … Continued