OVERVIEW: Fall is definitely in the air and the fish are feeling it. Water Temperatures are beginning to fall and most fish will become more active. This is a great month for fishing.
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: Hicks Landing reports that the there is so much bait in the river right now, it is making it hard to catch anything. Tons of small shad and herring are all over the river. Bass fishing is still good and probably will get better as the water temps cool. Plenty of catfish are in the river and can be caught on just about anything, although fresh cut bait will be the best for the big ones. Crappie should begin to school up soon. POTOMAC RIVER: Reel Bass Adventures reports a fair early morning top water bite along edges of the grass. Buzz baits or poppers, as well as buzz frogs, will draw strikes from bass. Once the sun is on the water, a small, deep-diving crank bait worked along grass edges and creek channels will collect a few bass. Slowly fished plastic worms or stick worms and tube baits fished around hard cover such as boat docks or bridge pilings, can produce strikes. MOTTS RESERVOIR: From the boathouse at Motts, a slight catch increase was reported last week and weekend. The water temperature was a high 70 to a low 80 degrees and clear. Many small largemouth bass ranging from 10-15 inches long were landed. The most productive sites were from small coves and the points from the Turkey Run to the berm. Anglers reported plastics and other topwater lures were best in the early morning in shallow waters in and around the lily pads and shoreline. Mid-day anglers were going deep with drop-shot rigs and the infamous pig-n-jig black and blue trailers. A few largemouth bass were brought into the boathouse for a weight check and pictures. Ray Thomas from Fredericksburg checked in a 4.50-pound, 23-inch bass that he landed on the pig-n-jig. Bill Curran landed several bass. His largest was 4.50 pounds, 20 inches. Bill Stanton from Spotsylvania, fishing from the old pier landed a 3.17-pound, 19-inch bass using a green shaky head, Several nice stringers of channel catfish taken from all around the reservoir. Chicken liver are still the best lure. The kids had a great weekend catching bluegills from the piers using mostly red wigglers. LAKE ANNA: High Point Marina reports that cooler nights and shorter days have helped bring lake temperatures down and have made the bass pull out of the deeper water. The best places to fish are still around main lake points, bridges and structure, but more and more fish are moving into creeks and coves. These fish are gradually feeding and cruising into shallower waters. There is some top-water action, especially at the lower end of the lake in the early mornings. As the sun gets up, the fish will move deeper and are starting to chase medium running crankbaits, Rat L Traps, and suspending jerkbaits. Stripers are still close to the Route 208 bridge with big schools being reported around the splits, Stubbs and even as far up as Dillards Bridge. Topwater morning bite is okay, but not great, needs to cool a bit more. Crappie are beginning to move to shallower structures such as; docks, bridges, and brushpiles 10-15 feet deeo. Use small minnows, jigs and grubs.
CHESAPEAKE BAY: The Labor Day weekend marked the end of summer fun for many, but not if you are an angler on the mid-Atlantic coast. Cobia action is still on fire as the fish gather in droves near the mouth of the Bay and nearby coastal waters. Anglers are also finding more fish crowding around bridge pilings and buoys. Huge schools of cobia are cruising in open water as they prepare to head south, readily taking baits from sight casters. Andrew Kumjian of Chesapeake hooked an impressive 75-pound cobia while soaking fresh bunker in the surf at Sandbridge this week. Flounder action is still very good right now. Flatfish continue to assemble along channel edges, shoals, and structure as they prepare to exit the bay. Inshore and nearshore wrecks are also good places to try right now. Spot are already thrilling local pier anglers as they fill coolers from lower bay fishing piers. One couple ran out of bloodworms after filling two coolers with keeper-sized spot from the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier this week. According to the folks at The Virginia Beach Fishing Center, spot are also coming from both Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. This action should only improve over the next few weeks. Big croaker are hitting in the backwaters of Oyster right now, with many hardheads ranging to nearly 2 pounds. Big red drum are still roaming the lower Bay shoals, the Eastern Shore barrier islands, and the islands of the CBBT, where anglers are scoring with big fish on lures. Puppy drum are still around in local inlets, but the bite has slowed. Speckled trout are also showing promise, with some fish pushing to over 9 pounds caught lately. The best places to try for specks are Lynnhaven, Rudee, and Little Creek Inlets, as well as the Poquoson flats and Hungar's creek. To sheepshead hunter's delight, these fish are still going strong. On the Eastern Shore, tarpon are still active. Big amberjack continue to take baits and jigs at the Southern Towers, while both jack crevelle and amberjack are a possibility at the Chesapeake Light Tower.
--Compiled by Michael O'Malley