Virginia Saltwater Fishing

May is black drum month for a lot of anglers as they visit the shoals and mussel beds just off the eastern shore of Virginia for a chance at these enormous fish. During late April and early May, black drum migrate in the bay and may be caught for just a few days or for several weeks. Virginia black drum vary from younger fish weighing 20-30 lbs to very large adults, often exceeding 80 lbs.

Reaching productive drum fishing areas can be accomplished by leaving from Hampton Roads ports and making the long trek across the bay, or by much shorter runs from Cherrystone, Cape Charles, Kiptopeake State Park or the Eastern Shore Of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. In some cases anglers fish throughout the day and into the night.

Black drum baits include surf clams, hard clams, peeler crabs and other baits. Tackle is simple but stout, with anglers using 20-30 lb line, a few sinkers from 3-8 oz and a single hook rig. Many top anglers use circle hooks which work well with these fish.

Areas near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay such as the mussel beds off Kiptopeake and Fisherman’s Island are known for hard running currents.  Being in place when a change of tide occurs may bring success, with schools of fish often showing up suddenly. At times the fish may even be heard “drumming” beneath the boat from some distance away.

Other Virginia fisheries occur for black drum, especially around barrier island inlets and in the surf, where anglers fish cut baits and catch black drum from 15-50 lbs. Popular rigs for surf fishing are fish finder type leaders, armed with circle or live bait hooks. As with other black drum fishing, preferred baits include surf clams, quahogs and peeler crabs.

Further up the bay, black drum can also be caught in Spring along channel edges and in grass beds where soft crabs are found.

The following list includes some of the most common shellfish that are used for bait in Virginia saltwater fishing.

Blue Crabs

The Atlantic blue crab is found in the Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters of Virginia. When in the hard shelled stage, these crabs make excellent bait for tautog, sea bass, red hake, porgy and other wreck and reef dwellers. They are fished as cut bait and occasionally fished whole.

In the soft-shelled or “peeler” stages, blue crabs make excellent bait for drum fish, croakers, sea trout and other fish of the Chesapeake Bay. They are fished as cut bait or whole, depending on their size and the species targeted.

Green Crab

The green crab is an introduced species that is sometimes available in tackle shops. Their shell size can be up to 3″. In Virginia, green crabs are fished whole or as cut bait for tautog.

Jonah Crab

The Jonah crab is a species of crab found off the Atlantic Coast of Virginia. It is closely related to the Dungeness crab of the Pacific Coast. Jonah Crabs have black tips on their claws and their shells have 9 teeth on each side of the eye.  Jonah crabs are used for bottom fishing on shipwrecks and for deep dropping.

Mole Crabs

Mole crabs are used for bait while surf fishing for species including pompano, speckled trout, whiting, and sea mullet.

Mole crabs can be caught in the surf by digging a hole in the sand at the very edge of the wash. Allow water to enter the hole, and swish it around. If the area is home to mole crabs, they will be seen darting through the water before they quickly burry themselves in the sand.

Fishermen also gather them with special metal mesh scoops or with meshed wire nets attached to poles. They can sometimes be purchased at bait and tackle shops in some areas.

Fiddler Crabs

Fiddler crabs are found along beaches, marshes and mud flats. They are sometimes gathered by fishermen and used for bait for species such as tautog, scup, sheepshead and black sea bass.

Shrimp

Fresh shrimp are available in Virginia from spring thru fall from seafood markets, farmers markets and roadside vendors. Shrimp are sized by “count”, the value being the average number of shrimp specimens per pound. For example, shrimp of 16/20 count means there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Shrimp are an excellent choice for bottom fishing on structure such as fishing piers and artificial reefs.

Hard Clams

The hard clam is the most popular American clam. The largest hard clams are called chowder clams and are used for cut bait for species such as tautog, spadefish, black drum and croaker.

Ocean Quahogs

The ocean quahog is also known as a mahogany clam, mahogany quahog, black quahog and black clam. Quahog may reach 3-6 inches in diameter.

Surf Clams

The Atlantic surf clam is harvested commercially off the coast. Surf clams range from 4 to 8 inches in length. They are sometimes available fresh but may also be found in tackle shops as a shucked and frozen product.