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
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
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 Virginia, saltwater anglers enjoy seasonal catches of Florida pompano. These delicious fish are caught in late summer from the surf, fishing piers, and near inlets. Florida pompano have oval, compressed bodies and a blunt snout. Adults have silver bodies … Continued
A 122-pound, 1-ounce wahoo, caught on June 23rd by Susan Nelson, of Whiteford, MD, has been certified as the new Virginia State Record by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Nelson’s catch surpassed the existing record of 109 pounds, caught nearly … Continued
In Virginia, the fall season usually brings outstanding fishing for yellowfin tuna. From 30 fathoms out to the offshore canyons, yellowfin tuna and other species are caught in good numbers. During fall offshore fishing, trolling is usually the most common … Continued
Pier jigging can be extremely effective for catching saltwater fish. A variety of jigs work well on piers, including traditional ball-head jigs, bucktail jigs, speck rigs, metal jigs, gotcha plugs, sabiki rigs, and other lures. Anglers use jigs to catch … Continued
Catching kingfish from the surf is a summertime tradition along the Virginia Coast. Also known as whiting or roundheads, these fish can be caught in good numbers with basic surf fishing equipment. The common names “kingfish”, “roundheads”, and “whiting” are … Continued
Virginia’s summer flounder fishery is one of the commonwealth’s most valuable saltwater fisheries. Each year, thousands of anglers visit Virginia coastal towns in search of flounder. The economic benefits include local recreational fishing industries as well as restaurants, hotels, and … Continued