Virginia Beach, VA is home to a large fleet of fishing charter boats, head boats, and professional guides. Captains offer Chesapeake Bay fishing, offshore fishing, winter striped bass fishing, and other trips.
Virginia Beach Saltwater Fishing
Virginia Beach is an excellent area for saltwater fishing. There are areas to fish from shore or piers, facilities to launch a boat, numerous charter boats, and several fishing clubs. Anglers employ a variety of techniques including live bait fishing, casting, trolling, fly fishing, drifting, and others.
Situated at the convergence of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT). This enormous structure provides habitat for fish of every size.
The area is known for excellent fishing for dozens of species of fish. Inshore, flounder, sea trout, bluefish, rockfish, spot, croaker, sheepshead, triggerfish, spadefish, sheepshead, red drum, black drum, cobia, Spanish mackerel, sea bass, small sharks, and tautog inhabit the CBBT and other locations.
Farther offshore, anglers catch chopper bluefish, mako sharks, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, king mackerel, dolphinfish, wahoo, billfish, grouper, tilefish, and other deep sea species.
Seasons
Virginia Beach saltwater fishing starts on Jan. 1 and ends on New Years Eve. There is fishing nearly any time the weather allows. In early spring, tautog and rockfish can be found. As the waters begin to warm, flounder, croakers, and other inshore fish begin to enter the area.
By early or mid- May, black drum often roam the lower bay in large schools, prompting many serious anglers to make the annual trip to the area. As spring fishing improves, trout, flounder, bluefish, and striped bass take up residence along the CBBT in greater numbers.
Summer give anglers more options, with inshore fishing for species like cobia, red drum, spot, and sheepshead in full swing. Offshore, anglers can fish for big game fish along the 20 and 30 fathom curves and on out to Norfolk Canyon where tuna, billfish, and other species are commonly caught.
Autumn brings more good offshore fishing but many anglers turn their attention to the CBBT as the water cools and species such as striped bass and tautog enter the area in greater numbers.
Regulations
Always check local regulations for specific fishing information on recreational fishing. Anglers that charter a boat can consult their captain beforehand for the latest in requirements.