Fishing forecast for the week of July 16 - 22

With wide, vertical alternating stripes of silver and black, the sheepshead definitely looks like a convict. Hence one of its monikers - the convict fish.

The way the fish swims around bridge pilings, it probably even looks like it's behind bars.

And when a sheepie decides to break out by grabbing an angler's offering, it's definitely time to sound the excitement alarm.

Sheepshead take no prisoners during a fight. They will you anywhere they want to - often snapping off anglers using wimpy tackle.

Sheepshead are brutal combatants and live in the barnacle-encrusted world of bridge pilings and rocks. If you don't get them away from home when hooked, there's a good chance of getting broken off.

But if anglers are lucky enough to pull one out, they will enjoy one of the area's most exciting and painfully inconsistent angling opportunities.

Sheepies sometimes swarm the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Other years, it seems like they are impossible to find.

So curious is the sheepshead in the Bay that biologists at Old Dominion University are studying the species.

When sheepshead are in town, they can get pretty big in these parts.

While they average less than 5 pounds, it's not unusual for sheepies topping 10 pounds to be landed at the CBBT. The Virginia record of 20 pounds, 12 ounces caught in 2005 is ounces shy of the world record of 21-4 caught near New Orleans in 1982. North Carolina's standard is a 19-4 caught off Oregon Inlet in 1999.

While sheepies love barnacles, mollusks and other crustaceans, they are quite fond of fiddler crabs. They also will take clam and cut blue crab.

HAMPTON ROADS

Fishing on all fronts is pretty good.

Offshore, anglers are scoring with good numbers of bluefin tuna weighing up to 180 to 200 pounds. But most fish are averaging 40 to 50 pounds. The Hot Dog, 26-Mile Hill and the Fingers are good locations.

Bluewater trollers also are scoring with yellowfin and dolphin, with king mackerel, wahoo and shark in the mix. Billfish are scattered.

Deep-droppers working the Norfolk Canyon are scoring with rosefish, blueline tilefish and golden tilefish.

Inshore wrecks and the Chesapeake Light Tower are producing spadefish and triggerfish. Amberjack can be had at the same locations, but the South Tower always has been the top producer.

Along the beach, anglers should look for cobia, king mackerel and possibly a tarpon.

At the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, an exciting mix of opportunity awaits - sheepshead around the pilings and islands, spadefish, triggerfish and black drum around the islands and cobia and flounder anywhere along the span. Croaker and bluefish also can be found there, too.

Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets are holding flounder and croaker and growing numbers of puppy drum. Decent numbers of spot up to 3/4 of a pound have been encountered in Rudee. That size fish is edible, but also makes great live bait for flounder, cobia and king mackerel.

EASTERN SHORE

Western-side navigational structures are holding good numbers of spadefish and flounder. Flatfish also can be found along the channel edge from Fisherman's Island northwest to Cape Henry.

Puppy drum and croaker should be showing in many creeks.

On the east side, flounder continue to show in good numbers - just not in size. Croaker numbers are on the rise.

Tarpon and big shark are patrolling several of the backwater ditches and channels.

Bluewater trollers working the 26-Mile Hill are finding bluefin tuna, dolphin, scattered yellowfin and a few king mackerel.

OUTER BANKS

Billfish action has been good, with sailfish and white marlin showing best. Blue marlin have been released.

Bluefin and yellowfin tuna are scattered, but dolphin catches continue to be consistent. Throw wahoo and king mackerel in the mix.

Along the beaches, anglers are finding plenty of bluefish and Spanish mackerel - with cobia and king mackerel from time to time.

Anglers working the inlets should look for spadefish, sheepshead, triggerfish, bluefish, flounder and possibly cobia.

Puppy drum, croaker, small flounder and speckled trout should be available in the sounds.

PIER AND SURF

Lots of small stuff is available along the coasts of both states.

Virginia pier and shore anglers should look for bluefish, croaker, small flounder, puppy drum, sea mullet and maybe a few pompano. Anglers working the ends of ocean piers could encounter a cobia, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel - maybe even a tarpon.

On the Outer Banks, numbers are better, especially for king mackerel, cobia, shark, pompano and sea mullet. Frisco and Avon have been good locations.

FRESHWATER

Back Bay is making a bit of a comeback, with good populations of grass along ocean-side shorelines. Bass are not plentiful, but action is much better than in previous years. Flounder are available in many deeper channels and at the bridge on the Knotts Island Causeway. Duck blinds are holding decent numbers of white perch and flounder.

Area lakes and streams also are holding good numbers of bass, but fishing is only decent in the morning and evenings - as waters have gotten extremely warm. Bass anglers on tidal waters can expect to encounter quite a few bowfin, which will provide exciting strikes and battles.

Bluegill and shellcracker are cooperating well on most of the water supply lakes in Suffolk.