Fishing forecast Nov. 4 - Nov. 11

While there are plenty of species to be talking about this time of year, most conversations have something to do with speckled trout.

That's largely because it already is shaping up to be another outstanding fall for one of the area's most popular inshore species.

Speckled trout are being caught at a variety of locations - around Poquoson and the Back River; along Eastern Shore Bay-side and Ocean-side creeks; in Lynnhaven, Rudee and Little Creek inlets; at many areas along the Elizabeth River, with the Hot Ditch vicinity being the most popular; and along deep sloughs along the Oceanfront.

Whew!

Where you go and how you fish is up to you, but where ever that is, and whatever you use, the chances are good that you will hook up with a few of these toothy critters with all the spots.

And to think that things are just starting to heat up. Waters are still a little warm for the vast migration that soon will come, bringing more big trout into the area.

When things get really cold, most of the fish will be found in the Elizabeth River.

But for now and the coming weeks, you stand a good chance of seeing good speckled trout action just about anywhere.

The minimum keeper size in Virginia is 14 inches, and the daily bag limit is 10 fish per person per day.

If you are trophy hunting, it takes a 5-pounder or a 24-inch release to earn a citation award from the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament.

Forecast

HAMPTON ROADS

Anglers are pretty much focusing their attention on three species: speckled trout, striper and tautog.

But opportunities for flounder, red drum (including pups) and trigger fish are still holding on.

Striper action is getting better along the area's three bridge-tunnel spans, with bigger fish moving in with every passing cold front. The best action is yet to come.

Casters can work pilings at any of the spans. Working at night, they also can find school-sized fish around just about any pier with lights.

Bigger rock are coming from the tunnel tubes and deeper channels by anglers chunking pieces of menhaden or drifting live eels.

Puppy drum can be found in any of the inlets.

Look for flounder along deep channel edges and from around inshore wrecks.

Tog are biting along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and at many inshore wrecks and artificial reefs. Anglers working those structures are likely to find good numbers of trigger fish.

Offshore deep-droppers can expect tilefish and grouper. Remember, sea bass outside of three miles are off limits. And it's about time to start looking for the forward ranks of bluefin tuna.

EASTERN SHORE

Speckled trout and rockfish probably are the two hot topics along both sides of the Shore.

Anglers working backwater sloughs around Oyster are finding decent numbers of specks. And the creeks that dot the Bay side of the Shore have historically produced good numbers of fish.

Striper should be available to chunkers and eelers around deep channels in the middle Bay. Fish also can be found around the upper reaches of the CBBT. It's probably still too early to start looking for fish in the ocean.

Flounder remain a possibility along the Baltimore Channel, but catches are more likely from coastal wrecks and artificial reefs.

OUTER BANKS

Yellowfin tuna catches continue to be outstanding when boats can get to blue water. Limits of fish have been the norm. Quite a few blackfin have been in the mix. A wahoo or king mackerel is still a possibility. Billfish are becoming more scarce.

Along the coast, red drum, bluefish, speckled trout and a possible rockfish will highlight catches. There have been a few good runs of Spanish mackerel.

In the sounds, puppy drum, speckled trout and good numbers of small rockfish have been available.

PIER AND SURF

Catches along Virginia beaches probably will be comprised of bluefish, speckled trout, puppy drum and small striper.

Pier action should be best at night. Action at oceanfront piers has been slow.

Along the Outer Banks, catches have been decent, with action provided by croaker, small black drum, sea mullet, bluefish, speckled trout, puppy drum and small striper. Big red drum and bluefish are always possible at the Point.

FRESHWATER

While largemouth bass action continues to be good on all fronts, it's about time for another bass to start showing in tidal creeks of both states.

Striped bass already are starting to show around the mouths of several North Carolina river systems. Fish have been seen in the Carolina portion of the Intracoastal Waterway but have been slow to turn on.

With so many school-sized fish in the lower Bay, it would be expected that striper also could be found in the James and Elizabeth river systems. Small ones have been caught from around bridges and piers near the mouths of both systems.

White perch should be schooling around creek mouths in rivers and water supply lakes.

And as always this time of year, and throughout the winter, working live baits on the bottom and edges of channels in creeks and lakes will produce good numbers and variety.

Lee Tolliver, (757) 222-5844 lee.tolliver@pilotonline.com