Hampton Roads ??

[lakebiker]

OK, gonna try again to make it to the Bay for a few days. Coming up Sunday the 12th for a week. What's going on? What's biting and where? Any help appreciated. Will be staying and putting in at Willoughby Bay area. Sorry, couldn't make the eastern shore this year but for sure, it's on the "bucket list".

[mikeinva]

i don't get over there. but this is a good resource
http://www.tidalfish.com/index.php?categoryid=25

[CFISHN]

Luv that Hampton Bass Pro Shop !

You should be able to get some good fishing tip's their too!

[megsar]

Croakers anywhere, I fish almost every weekend, best fishing is the channel along HRBT or Monitor Merrimack bridge tunnel (M&M). I have the best luck over the tube M&M; water is about 60' deep, squid for bait. This time of year larger croakers are in the deeper water.

[mikeinva]

seems like there are croakers all around here this year. got em using squid, shrimp and bloodworms. there are some spot mixed in there too. caught an unidentified fish this weekend - may have been a small trout? it was slender and silver

[Randell]

We fished the HRBT last week. We caught croakers, pigfish, toads, flounder, puppy drum, black drum and sea bass. There were no trophies but pleanty of action. All were caught on peelers anchored under the bridge. Make sure all your safety equipment is in order. The coasties live right around the corner. The VMRC and police have been out in full force for the last few weeks also.

[lakebiker]

We fished the HRBT last week. We caught croakers, pigfish, toads, flounder, puppy drum, black drum and sea bass. There were no trophies but pleanty of action. All were caught on peelers anchored under the bridge. Make sure all your safety equipment is in order. The coasties live right around the corner. The VMRC and police have been out in full force for the last few weeks also.

Thanks Randell (and others) Question. Just realized tonight my flares are outdated. By law, you don't really need them in the Bay, correct? Just wondering. Been going there for several years and so far, never been checked for anything. Guess it's my good looks and charm. *006**laughing*

[mikeinva]

i think you need day and night visual distess signals. heres a link
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/wog/equipment-regulations.asp

[fishfinder]

seems like there are croakers all around here this year. got em using squid, shrimp and bloodworms. there are some spot mixed in there too. caught an unidentified fish this weekend - may have been a small trout? it was slender and silver

There have been some reports of sea mullet (aka whiting) being caught lately. They are delicious.

[lakebiker]

THANKS GUYS. I'm going fishin in the morning. Ya'll take care and see ya next week. *Cheers*

[mikeinva]

let us know how it goes. here is todays catch...
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=3389
and today's dinner!
http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=3390

[Ric]

I followed the direction of Megsar in a previous post on this thread. 2 hours of non stop action with quality fish. The a few on the grill for dinner. A great day on the water, and very tasty dinner. Just me and my skiff today. She did good!

Ric

[Randell]

Way to go rick!
We fished the MM sat, the taylor blues were thick in there.

[Ric]

Way to go rick!
We fished the MM sat, the taylor blues were thick in there.

Glad you had good luck with the blues. I didn't see any yesterday, but I would love to catch some. That is one of the many things I like about salt water fishing, you never know what you might catch.

[lakebiker]

Well, I figure somewhere around $100 a pound but this is what a 19" Ches Bay Flounder looks like. We caught a ton but other than this one, all short by an inch or so. All the croakers you want, not too many of the large ones yet. Couldn't hardly keep a bait in the water for the dam crabs. This came from the Hampton Rds Tunnel. Fished the MM bridge and found a really great red fish hole for next trip. We also fished the Lynnhaven Bay. What a place. Trailer trash everywhere!! ;D

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj217/lakebiker/Bay7-09002.jpg

Now, this was the surprise of the trip. Spanish on a flounder rig. Ya just never know.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj217/lakebiker/Bay7-09004.jpg

Thanks everyone for all the tips. Guess I'm done with that place till next year. *kickrock*

[Randell]

Glad to see you had some pullage. You're right, you never know what you'll catch out out there.

[cryan]

You do need them in the Bay. If the distance between two points of land is greater than 2 nm then you need to have flares onboard.

[cap1196]

Lake, I just found this post. Thanks for the report. I live about 4 miles from HRBT and fish there alot. I enjoy fishing there in October-November the most. The bigger Flounder move in (22-28 inches) along with Red and Black drum, Specks and Gray Trout, and all the in season Striper you'd like. The rest of the year its usually a fish nursery for me.
Just wondering, was that Mack caught around the HRBT bridge or at the MM bridge?
Thanks,

Alex

[Ric]

Lake;

Sounds like you had a great time and got a few nice fish. I live near the area as well and I appreciate your report. That is high dollar trailer trash on Lynnhaven Bay. ;D

I'm going to the MM tomorrow morning to see if any of those large croakers are still around.

Ric

[lakebiker]

Lake, I just found this post. Thanks for the report. I live about 4 miles from HRBT and fish there alot. I enjoy fishing there in October-November the most. The bigger Flounder move in (22-28 inches) along with Red and Black drum, Specks and Gray Trout, and all the in season Striper you'd like. The rest of the year its usually a fish nursery for me.
Just wondering, was that Mack caught around the HRBT bridge or at the MM bridge?
Thanks,

Alex

HRBT, just at the rocks on the VB/MM side before going into the tunnel. We were actually taking a break and makeing a "drift" just to rest a bit and bang, here this sucker was.
Oct and Nov are my hunting and OBX fishing times. Ain't no way I can fit another trip in either of those two months.
:secret:
OK for you locals. At the MM bridge, 3rd piling in the water before going into the tunnel, HRBT side, incoming tide, peeler (sp?) crabs. We watched a guy limit out on reds in less than an hour, 6 keepers (had his gal with him) more overslot than under, must have caught at least 20 or more. He kicked their arses and ours. Just at high tide, they quit, he quit, gave us his bait and left. Weather didn't work for that spot the rest of the week. *004**004* Ya'll need to play around that place a bit.

[Ric]

OK for you locals. At the MM bridge, 3rd piling in the water before going into the tunnel, HRBT side, incoming tide, peeler (sp?) crabs. We watched a guy limit out on reds in less than an hour, 6 keepers (had his gal with him) more overslot than under, must have caught at least 20 or more. He kicked their arses and ours. Just at high tide, they quit, he quit, gave us his bait and left. Weather didn't work for that spot the rest of the week. *004**004* Ya'll need to play around that place a bit.

I was out there this morning. Weather and tide would have been perfect to give this a try, but unfortunately just saw this post. Thanks for the info and I will give it a try.

Croaker bite started slow with smaller fish, but as High tide approached bite picked up and so did quality. Nice fish between a 1 lb and 1 1/2 lbs.

[lakebiker]

I was out there this morning. Weather and tide would have been perfect to give this a try, but unfortunately just saw this post. Thanks for the info and I will give it a try.

Croaker bite started slow with smaller fish, but as High tide approached bite picked up and so did quality. Nice fish between a 1 lb and 1 1/2 lbs.


Try it. Guy said he had caught them there all year. Throw right at the piling, sometimes hitting it. Guess he saw my NC sticker and thought I wouldn't be back. ;D

[mikeinva]

oops! be careful out there.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/small-boat-strikes-hrbt-norfolk-injuring-two-aboard

[lakebiker]

oops! be careful out there.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/small-boat-strikes-hrbt-norfolk-injuring-two-aboard


True. Those tides RIP around those pilings. You've got to be on your toes if you're doing the driving. *014*

[cap1196]

HRBT has a steel breakwater that runs just under the surface and is actually exposed in MLW. It starts from land on the west side of the bridges and runs under the 64east bound bridge ending about 15 pilings out from the Norfolk side. Its shallow water and I've heard of a few lower units being lost here. I wonder if this was a factor in the accident.

[lakebiker]

HRBT has a steel breakwater that runs just under the surface and is actually exposed in MLW. It starts from land on the west side of the bridges and runs under the 64east bound bridge ending about 15 pilings out from the Norfolk side. Its shallow water and I've heard of a few lower units being lost here. I wonder if this was a factor in the accident.

Sorry, MLW?? I'm lost, what's that? If there is ANYTHING that can be ran over under that bridge I can't believe I've not hit it. PLEASE, be more specific. The "least" water I've fished is 5-6' to 20' or so around the bridge. What am I missing?

[Ric]

Sorry, MLW?? I'm lost, what's that? If there is ANYTHING that can be ran over under that bridge I can't believe I've not hit it. PLEASE, be more specific. The "least" water I've fished is 5-6' to 20' or so around the bridge. What am I missing?

MLW; Mean Low Water. I used to spend quite a bit of time paddleing out there around Ft. Wool and the East side of the bridge as well and never noticed anything just under the water either, but Cap 1196 lives there so I'm sure he knows. Maybe we were both just lucky! I don't think the current is quite as fast around the MM, but I don't have enouth experience there yet to say for sure. I've always been nervous in the current around the bridge pilings at the both the CBBT and the HRBT so I'm hoping the MM current is slower. I've seen boats tie off to the pilings in the down current side and anchor to within a few feet of the pilings on the up current side. I never had the nerve to do that. If I did anchor I was always a long cast to the pilings. Over cautious I guess.

[cap1196]

Ric, thanks for the MLW reply, thats what I meant.
Lake, only hazard I know at HRBT is the underwater steel wall I mentioned that comes up about five foot from the bottom on the Norfolk side. At a real low tide it is exposed and you'll see it. If you launch at willoughby ramp and run around the corner heading towards the bridge, hug the shore line past the old fishing pier around to the beach under the "The Spectrum" (new homes that lost funding). At the base of the bridge you will see two rusted steel hulks stuck in the sand under a sea wall there. Starting from those hulks and extending out about 15 bridge pilings, snaking between both bridges is that wall. Its alot easier to see at night because the street lights actually make make the sand under water contrast with the wall.
Just gotta use caution around there.
I attached a pic that shows part of the wreck at the bottom of the pic and I drew a red line showing which way the wall extends. The wall is in deep water up until it goes under the bridge and thats where it gets real shallow sometimes exposing the wall.
Hope this clears things up a little.

Alex

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/cap1196/TorpedoBoat3.jpg

[lakebiker]

DAMN, I always use the Willoughby ramp and have NEVER seen that before. Usually, I go down towards the end of the bridge before going "under". Guess that's why I've not seen that before. THANK YOU, I'll be on the look out from now on. *thumbsup*

[Ric]

I've seen the part up on the shore, but I didn't know it continued under water up to the bridge. Thanks for the post and picture as well. I will definitely watch out for it if I get over that way.

[Ric]

OK for you locals. At the MM bridge, 3rd piling in the water before going into the tunnel, HRBT side, incoming tide, peeler (sp?) crabs. We watched a guy limit out on reds in less than an hour, 6 keepers (had his gal with him) more overslot than under, must have caught at least 20 or more. He kicked their arses and ours. Just at high tide, they quit, he quit, gave us his bait and left. Weather didn't work for that spot the rest of the week. *004**004* Ya'll need to play around that place a bit.[/QUOTE]

Lake - Because of weather and other committments today was the first time I got to try this spot. Unfortunately I didn't get there until about an hour before high tide so maybe that was a problem, but I didn't catch any reds / drum. Caught a few blow toads, and some croaker and that was it. I will give it another shot if I can get there earlier in the tide cycle. Caught a lot of nice croaker over the tube and 1 blue fish. Anyone else fish there recently.