Fishing Onancock VA

[Gentile610]

I normally fish out of Cape May NJ on my little center consol, but I am going to Onancock VA for a couple days during the holidays and was thinking doing some surf fishing for some stripers. I never been to the area before, but my buddy said that there is a couple of places to surf fish on either the Ocean side or Bay side of Virginia and or Lower Maryland. My first question is: are the stripers still running down there? Also, is the ocean or the bay seeing better results this time of year? When I fish for stripers in Cape May, I use a fish finder rig with either bunker or clam, do the same rigs and bait work well down there or is there a local preference? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[rhahn427]

I think most of the surf /ocean side fishing is done from the Barrier Islands and I think you need a boat to get to them. Just be real careful because the tides can leave you stranded real easily ..... so I've heard

You might be able to surf fish from Fishermans Island by the bridge but you might want to check the access.

If you have a boat ....... Drive a about 20 miles south and put your boat in at Cape Charles if you want to drift eels for the Giant Stripers. Fish the edges of the channel from Bouy 36A all the way to the CBBT highrise and out fishermans Island.

Put in at Kiptopeake if you want to catch 24"-30+" stripers around the bridge. Look for the schools of fish on the DF or breaking fish w/birds. Cast Bass Assassins or BKD's white or Chartruse 6" or bigger on a 1/2 - 2 oz shadhead jighead or your lure of choice. Once you find the fish you can catch a bunch.

Good Luck with your fishing ......... it's really God's country down there ......

[Atlantis II]

Brian, don't use those egg sinker fish finder rigs, use the fish finder kind that use the small plastic tube that the lines feeds through and the sinker snaps onto the lower clip (store brought- pre-made). The egg type of rig will not hold bottom in the surf. Also, use pyramid sinkers, not the standard bank sinkers; the pyramids are designed specifically for surf fishing. Bank sinkers don't hold the bottom as well or even as near as well. If you do not have any medium/heavy snap swivels (they stop the line on your retrieve when they are pulled against the plastic grommet) buy a pack of them too, you need one on each rig to make the rig complete, they do not come with the pre-packaged rigs I think.

I'm referring to those type of rig that I was using that kept getting tangled with our egg sinker ones on our last trip. For surf fishing this type of rig is the way to go over the egg slides type.

Good Luck.:fighting:

[Atlantis II]

Hey, also bring me back some firecrackers, bottle rockets (the smaller one that just explode, not like show colors and crap) & maybe M-80s if they still sell that stuff down there.

The M-80s are not legal even down there but just ask the clerk, "like come on I know you have some under the counter" and they often will.

I'll pay you when you get back if you can score some rockets and crackers, get me like 50-75 worth if you can.

If you can score M-80s get me 100 bucks worth and just forget the bottle rockets and crackers. If you can't get any of the above bag it; I don't go for sparklers or smoke bombs and the other weak crap.

Thanks.:bow:

[Gentile610]

Thanks Rahn427 and Tom...All help is appreciated, I'll let you know how I do. Tom, I will look for your firecrackers pyro.

[thecameraguy]

Sorry I'm a little late replying to the post, but I'll do my best to add a little value here.

You can not surf fish from Fisherman's Island

The comment about surf fishing from the barrier islands on the ocean side is correct. You will need a boat to get out there. You can rent a skiff in Wachapreague and it will take you around 25 minutes to get you to the islands. Last time I checked it was $99 for the day for a 16' skiff. Beach the skiff on the back side of Cedar Island and walk across the island to the surf. It's about a 200 yard walk at best. I've had good luck with croaker, blues, red drum and stripers when fishing the south side of Cedar Island.

As far as the Chesapeake Bay side of the peninsula, the best area of public access is located at the Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve. This is located on the bay just west of the village of Eastville. It is tough to find the first time but worth the effort. There is parking for about 4 cars at the road and it is about a mile hike back to the dunes and water. The water is very shallow for about 100-200 yards out. Lots of sand bars. These two links should give you a flavor of what too expect and give you a start on your homework.

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/savage.shtml

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/virginia/preserves/art15019.html

If you have a small boat, you can launch right at the town harbor in Onancock. Make to 2.5 mile trek to the mouth of Onancock Creek and fish the northern point all the way around to Chesconessex Creek. Should keep you busy all day.
Have a great time and let us know how you make out.

By the way.......you can not get decent fireworks in VA.

[AFISHN]

Gentile610..how did you make out over the Holidays??


I fish that area a lot including Oyster,kiptopeake, and Cape Charles.
You have received sound advice.
Tom

I

[thecameraguy]

I know the area is nice down there Gentile, but did you ever come home? :razz::huh:

[AFISHN]

Should we send out a search party??? .)

OBTW: I am starting to get the itch to plan my annual Spring flounder trek to Watchapreague,when it's right.
Need to check the final flounder regs for VA.
Anyone see them posted yet?
Thanks
Tom

[thecameraguy]

Looks like its going to be the same as last year. 5 fish, 19" Minimum. Closed season end of July. Check here for the latest update:

www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/swrecfishingrules.shtm

[AFISHN]

SUMMER FLOUNDER (http://www.dseafish.com/fluke.htm)

2008 Season Opens ............March 1

....it's starting to be time :cheers:
to get the boat ready

[frankvapa]

I own a house about 10 miles south of Onancock, 2 creeks down the bay. I have an 18' CC and an 18' Carolina Skiff. I've had the house for 11 years and fish a good bit. Get a chart of the lower Chesapeake. When you come out of the Onancock Creek, you are pretty close to Watts Island and Tangier Island. On the east side of Watts Island, there is a very deep channel. On the Onancock side of the channel, there is a red #6 channel marker. There is a flat area about 10' deep which is loaded with flounder. Keepers can be another story with the 19" size limit. From that channel marker, going west toward Watts Island, in 100 yards, the water drops off to 90'. Fishing the slope and the deep, stripers, blues, flounder, trout, croakers .....an occasional cobia....it's all there. Across that channel, toward Watts Island, there is a wide flat area that runs 20-25 feet deep. In April, I have caught croakers there to 4 pounds.(horse croakers or hard heads) I don't know when you'll be there.....spring striper is only open in the bay from may 15-june 15. The feeder creeks and grassy points along the shorelines are loaded with juvenile stripers. The size req is 18" and 2 per day per angler. There is a good boat ramp at Onancock public dock.

If you wanted to try the ocean side, I'd say to put your boat in at Wachapreague or Quinby. Both are behind the barrier islands which form the network of backbays below Chincoteague and on down to the cape. Both have excellent boat ramps. Wachapreague is billed as the flounder capital of the world. There is a flounder tournament early every year. I think there are 9 barrier islands along the coast, so there are lots of inlets. Excellent fishing.

If you wanted to tow your boat toward the Bay Bridge Tunnel, I would put in at Kiptopeke state park. It's closer to the BB than Cape Charles and has an almost new boat ramp facility. It's also got 7 sunken concrete WWII ships that act as a breakwater and a great fishing spot for smaller boats.

[AFISHN]

Now FrankVAPA just provided some excellent information information.

Pound for pound IMHO croaker are the hardest fishting fish...I catch a bunch near Oyster but never approaching the size he mentions.

I have an 18ft Privateer and use #78... give me a shout ,and if I'm close by, I'll come over with an italian sub and a cold one for you!!!!
Great report!!!

[Phil RTB]

Hi, I'm new here but maybe some of you guys know me as Phil4s from Brigantine NJ. After reading this post my wife Tina and I took a walk at Savage Neck Dunes and what a wonderful place!! It has 300 acres of woodlands with freshwater ponds and streams that end at the dunes and pristine beaches of the Chesapeake Bay. While were there sitting at the top of the dunes we were watching hundreds of birds diving on a school of baitfish just over the bar with Bass coming up under them. I will be spending a lot of time here:thumbsup::thumbsup:. Phil

[AFISHN]

Phil---u are so right.
Savage Neck Dunes is really exceptionally beautiful.
When were you there?

My favorite time of the year there is in late Sept. early October ......
on a bluebird day

[Phil RTB]

We were there the day before yesterday and it was beautiful. Sunny and 72 degrees. Phil