Fishing forecast for week of Aug. 6 - Aug. 12

C.C. Wilson and Tom Doyle went flounder fishing last weekend and reported they had an incredible day.

Wilson landed a 10-pound, 4-ounce flatfish. Doyle had one at 8-3. They returned to the dock with their limit of keepers, and even threw several keepers back.

Pretty good fishing by any standard.

The Virginia Beach duo's wonderful day was no fluke (pun intended), Capt. Steve Wray said.

"Flounder fishing has really turned on," Wray said Tuesday. "Catches have been fantastic."

Why is anybody's guess.

Anglers are finding this tasty bottom dweller all along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel with many of the bigger fish coming from the edges of rocks that make up the islands and cover the tubes.

Live spot, mullet and small menhaden are the best producers of big fish.

Traditional strip baits and gudgeons also will produce, as will bucktails and other artificials.

But for big doormat-sized fish, live spot usually is the ticket.

Virginia's top flattie so far this season is a 12-12 caught by Virginia Beach's Mike Perron.

But with the way action is improving - with the best catches likely still to come - it's anybody's guess as to whether Perron's fish will hold up as the year's top fish.

HAMPTON ROADS

Offshore action has remained consistent, as more white and blue marlin move into the area. Don't expect a banner year for blue marlin, though. Sailfish, tuna of varying species and dolphin round out the mix. A few wahoo could show, but there haven't been many.

Amberjack action around the South Tower is as good as it can be. Other navigational and weather towers - as well as many wrecks - also are holding jacks.

The biggest news around the Chesapeake Bay is that anglers continue to find big cobia topping 50 pounds. A second 100-plus-pound fish already has been caught this year, where none that big were landed last year.

Cobia also have cooperated along the Oceanfront, where several tarpon were encountered last week.

Spadefish, sheepshead and trigger fish continue to show in good numbers along the CBBT. A few red drum have been landed in the area, and black drum can be found around the second and third islands.

Flounder catches along the span have turned on.

Spanish mackerel action has slowed considerably, as most schools have moved north into the Bay.

Bluefish and croaker are abundant at lots of lower Bay locations.

Puppy drum numbers are good inside Rudee and Lynnhaven. Action likely will improve in the coming weeks. Both inlets also are holding croaker, flounder and bluefish.

EASTERN SHORE

Croaker numbers are on the rise at several seaside inlets, especially around Oyster and the Bullshead area.

Flounder catches around the old Coast Guard Station remain good, but finding fish topping the 19-inch legal limit continues to be a problem.

Action from tarpon and big shark in several barrier island backwaters should improve with the recent heat. Catches had slowed for a while because of cooler waters.

Offshore trollers are finding bluefin tuna and dolphin around the 26-Mile Hill area.

OUTER BANKS

Bluewater action should be in full swing for this weekend's 20th Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament out of Pirate's Cove Marina. The field should find a few blue marlin and sailfish, with the bulk of the scoring coming from white marlin. Meatfish division catches should include a good number of dolphin, wahoo and king mackerel, with catches of various tuna species expected to be scattered.

Things will stay hot for the 26th Pirate's Cove Billfish Tournament that starts Tuesday.

Closer to shore, bluefish, red drum, cobia, king mackerel and Spanish mackerel will provide most of the action.

In the sounds, speckled trout numbers have been good. Waters also should yield puppy drum, small flounder and croaker.

PIER AND SURF

Cary Jarvis at the Ocean View Pier reported this week that spot have moved into the lower Bay area in a big way. He said anglers were catching bucketloads of small fish up to 8 ounces.

Otherwise, action has been slow along Virginia's beaches - with croaker, small flounder, bluefish and an occasional sea mullet showing. Cobia have cooperated at the Sea Gull Pier and a few have been seen along the Oceanfront.

On the Outer Banks, action fits a typical hot summer pattern. The bag includes shark, skate, puppy drum, small black drum, sea mullet, flounder, trout, bluefish and pompano. Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and cobia are possibilities to show around pier ends.

FRESHWATER

Waters are reaching the boiling point, making fish slow and hard to catch.

Bluegill along shorelines are the best possibility.

Bowfin and gar also will cooperate in the heat, when most other species don't feel like playing.

White perch are schooling around creek mouths, and around duck blinds in Back Bay and Currituck Sound.

Largemouth bass anglers should concentrate their efforts on structure close to deep water while fishing early and late in the day.