Atlantic Croaker or “hardhead” are popular panfish common in Virginia. The fish get their names because of the “croaking” noise they make when removed from the water. Croakers are hard fighters and prolific feeders. They are caught on a variety of baits and lures. They are among the first fish to be caught in the spring and are caught over a wide range of habitats. Croaker can be caught from piers, jetties, inlets, in bays and from the surf.

Croaker baits include shrimp, crabs, squid, cut fish, bloodworms and more. In addition to cut baits, croaker are caught on a variety of jigs and other saltwater lures. They can also be caught in the shallows and grass beds using fly fishing gear.

Spot are among the most popular Virginia panfish. Spot can be identified by the distinctive dark spot above the pectoral fin. The species is abundant in coastal bays, creeks and other estuaries. They are especially common around fishing piers where they are caught in large numbers. Spot are caught using small hooks and baits such as bloodworms, crab or other baits which can be presented in small pieces.

White perch are small but tenacious fish that are found in rivers, creeks and bays. White perch prefer brackish water but can live in environments that range from fresh water to fully saltwater. These hardy panfish are caught with small baits such as grass shrimp or bloodworms, or by casting artificial lures or flies. Perch can be caught year round, even thru ice. They school up to spawn in early spring and can be caught in large numbers.

Scup or porgy are another saltwater panfish. They range from New England to North Carolina and are occasional visitors to Virginia coastal waters, inland waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Adult scup feed in schools of similar-sized individuals around piers, rocks, offshore ledges, jetties, and mussel beds. They move inshore in summer but return to deeper waters offshore or migrate southward when temperatures cool. Large scup generally occur farther offshore than do smaller, younger ones.

Pigfish are colorful members of the grunt family. They are marked with a bluish upper and a silver lower body, with a series of attractive stripes on the sides and bands on the snout and head. The species ranges from Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico and are common in Virginia during the summer and early fall. They are easily caught around piers, reefs and rough bottoms using small pieces of bait such as bloodworms, crab, squid or shrimp.

                          

Popular gifts include books, t-shirts, golf shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, coffee mugs, window and bumper stickers, calendars and more.

Another favorite gift idea for fishermen is the purchase of fish identification posters. These attractive gifts are educational tools as well as works of art.

These are a few holiday gift ideas for Virginia anglers, boaters and nautical enthusiasts:

Saltwater Fish T-Shirts and Gifts

Striped Bass T-Shirts – Artwork

Flounder T-Shirts – Artwork

Tautog T-Shirts – Artwork

Fish Posters

Chesapeake Bay Books

Chesapeake Bay T-Shirts and Gifts

Chesapeake Bay Calendar

                          

Individual sections of the guide include:

Virginia’s Marine Waters and Fisheries

A Guide to Virginia’s Saltwater Fish
How, When and Where to Catch

Virginia’s Public Boat Launching Facilities

The Modern Angler – Angling Ethics

Virginia’s Artificial Reef Program

Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program

Fisheries Management

Enforcement and the Virginia Marine Police

Virginia’s Saltwater Recreational Fishing License

Saltwater Fishing – Where to Begin

Fish Identification Guide

for more information or to download documents, see: http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/vswft/Angler_Guide/index.shtm

                          

These options allow anglers to catch live baits such as grass shrimp, crabs, squid, silversides, mummichugs, spot, mullet, pinfish, pigfish, eels and other small fish. A short trip to catch bait can be done the night before, the morning of a trip or just to stock up on bait destined for the freezer.

Cast nets are excellent tools for catching bait. They work well in the surf, along shorelines and from boats. To catch bait effectively, a quality cast net is important. Cheap versions may not open or sink correctly, which allow fish to escape in some situations.

Minnow traps are easy to use. These traps consist of 2 bucket shaped sections that snap together. Each half is made of wire and has a funnel shaped entrance. A line secures the trap to a dock or piling. The trap is baited with fish scraps, bread, raw chicken necks or other baits and left overnight. Minnow traps work well for smaller baits such as minnows and grass shrimp.

Spot, small perch and other baits can be caught using fish traps. These are special traps which are designed to catch fish more than crabs. Cans of cat food are sometimes pierced enough to leak and used for bait in spot traps. Other baits such as fish scraps can also be used for attracting baitfish to the trap. Always check local regulations before attempting to catch bait with traps.

Seines work well but are bulky, expensive and require a large amount of effort. Seines are fine mesh nets with a pole on each end. Fishermen work in pairs, pulling the net across the bottom and up onto a shallow shoreline. Seines will catch practically everything in their path, including small fish, crabs, shrimp and other baits.

Dip nets are sometimes useful, especially at night under lights. An area can be dipped blindly, or sprinkled with cat food and swept with the dip net after a few moments.

Perhaps the easiest way to catch baits like spot and perch is with a sabiki rig. This special leader features a daisy chain of small lures. Anglers sometimes bait the sabiki hooks with tiny bits of bloodworm as an added attractant. The rig is then slowly worked along the bottom near pilings or over structure. The rig will catch spot, perch, herring and even silversides or other species of minnows.

Finding live bait for offshore fishing can be difficult. There are a few possibilities, but catching bait in the ocean may not be reliable. One option is to stop on an inshore wreck or reef and jig small lures for small fish such as taylor bluefish or small jacks. Buoys or floating debris may also hold live baits. Often small jacks or other pelagic fish will congregate under an object and strike a small flashy lure or a light leader and baited hook. In some cases a bottom rig will catch small fish, depending on the location.

Once night falls, options get better as squid, tinker mackerel or other baitfish may appear. Squid will take a baited line, or special jig, while tinker mackerel will eagerly attack the essential Sabiki rig which should be standard equipment on summer overnight trips.

Learning to brine baits can greatly enhance your stock of fishing bait. Brining will preserve and toughen bait, making it suitable for freezing and more useful after thawing.

Brining Baits – Kosher Salt Coating

Step 1. Prepare baits by rinsing in sea water. Cut larger baits such as fish bellies or squid into strips.

Step 2. Add baits and coarse kosher salt to a ziploc bag and shake vigorously. Add enough salt to thoroughly coat all the baits.

Step 3. Purge excess air from the bag and freeze.

Most baits will remain somewhat flexible due to the salt, even when frozen. Well brined baits often last up to a year.