Any fishermen on here? I just moved down here and would like to do some fishing, I've been on rivers and lakes up north, but all were freshwater...I don't have a clue about fishing the James/York rivers, or the bay. What is good bait, and what fish are out there at what times of the year? I've heard a lot about Tautogs and Stripers. I'll be mainly doing pier fishing, but we may be acquiring my grandpa's boat soon.

 

All i can say is your best bet are bottom rigs with shrimp or squid will cath a little of everything, where are you at in va

 

Newport News, fishing in the James. I did buy a few bottom rigs, saw quite a few guys using em. Tried shrimp, havent had any luck yet. Waitin for the stripers to come into season

 

The bridge-tunnel offers some of the best fishing in your area and probably the best for the Chesapeake Bay. I do alot of surf-fishing here in Delaware and go offshore for tuna a few times a year. I fish off the beach for blues and stripers. I enjoy hooking up the occasional decent shark or cow-nose ray and battling it out. There are some critters lurking just off the beach that will spool you, especially at night. For east coast saltwater fishing, you live in a great location with easy access to the bay and ocean. Here are some links:

http://www.vbsf.net/
http://www.stripersonline.com/
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=cbbv2
http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/recreational.shtm
http://www.pierandsurf.com
http://www.hamptonroadsfishingguide.com/
http://www.virginiafishing.com/


My dog even likes blues:

 

The bridge tunnel is a great spot if you have access to a boat, some other great spots around there are the gloucester pier, yorktown beach, grandview beach (you may not be able to fish there anymore though i heard), buckaroe beach pier, but all of theese are kinda lame when there is 5000 people there, if you get a wild hair one day there are way better places in the OBX plus you get to drive on some of the beaches too, Bottom rigs will catch everything from flounder to bluefish to sharks, stripers go for bright plugs and rooster tails, but then again saltwater fist arent like freshwater fish where they are real picky, the hard part is figuring out what you want to catch and what they want to eat at that perticular time, bottom rigs may work one day, but not the other, but there in klies the fun... gettin the line wet and waitin to see what you get

 

another good thing to remember is that just because you catch little ones-dont mean they arent any good, use them for bait, live or dead- remember big fish eat little fish- i catch a lot of nice blues and cobia and sharks using live baited or cut up little guys that i cought earlier

 

Excellent info. Thanks a ton guys. Lookin forward to gettin back out there and tryin some new spots.

 

Fishing here is great! DON'T Lip Grab the fish. They eat meat!

 

fishing in the james go i miss it lol moved to sc and no salt water around me so eat it up man best fishen you will get if on the pier also try buckroe it was nice on the pier the last time out

 

Agree with what the other folks said. The bridgetunnel pier can be fun too if you don't have a boat. Bloodworms, shrimp and bottom rigs. You never know what you'll catch or see as far as ships or submarines. James river is great for Catfish also. Some real monsters in there 50lb plus. Good luck.

 

Be sure you are properly licensed..."watch for the Fishcops"

 

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Don't forget to toss a couple extra sodas or water in your cooler for the Fishcops..once they verify you are legal they can be a wealth of information AND usually some pretty nice people to talk to

I have always made friends with the Fishcops in what ever area I fish...sometimes they can turn you on to some pretty good honey holes