I hope that you are doing
well and you have enjoyed your summer! I
can tell you for sure that I did.
With another great summer of
Cobia, Bluefish and Mackerel fishing in the books, my thoughts (and I’m sure
yours) are quickly turning to my favorite time of year and all of the upcoming
fall / winter fish & hunting seasons which will be opening before we know
it.
Even though the temperatures
here still resemble summer, there are definite signs that fall is right on our
door step. Locally, some of the leaves
on the hardwood trees are starting to turn, walnuts and acorns are starting to
fall from trees and a few young rockfish are already starting to move out of
the creeks & out to the rivers in order to start fattening up for the
upcoming winter.
While there are still plenty
bluefish to be caught right now, there are fewer Spanish mackerel and red drum
hanging around than there were just a few weeks ago. These fish have started their southern
migration out of the Chesapeake Bay, but more importantly, according to
reports, the ocean Rockfish population has started its southern migration
also. My contacts in the northern states
tell me that the fish are starting to make their way down the coast right on
schedule.
If all goes well, these fish will start
filtering into the bay before long & we will be set up for another great
fall / winter rockfish season this year.
Luckily, there is no shortage of bait fish in this area to keep all of these
fish fed.
As you probably know, the
Virginia Rock Fish / Striped Bass season opens in just a couple weeks on
10-4-16 and stays in until 12-31-16.
During the first few weeks of this season, we will be anchoring and
chumming for these fish and using light spinning gear to land them, you can
also expect to catch bluefish during this time.
As the air and water cools
down, we will transition to trolling & jigging for the rest of the season.
Once the water temperature
hits ~55 degrees, and down into the mid 40’s the fishing is usually very
good. Typically, during the period of
November to the end of December is when we have the best chance of catching the
larger striped bass that have come in to the bay from the ocean.
Over the past seasons, we
have been lucky enough to catch a good number of legal sized fish and do a lot
of catch and release fishing during the months of November and December.
Don’t worry about getting too
cold out on the water. Once you are in the cabin, we can close the curtains and
you will see that it is literally like a greenhouse, plus there is a large diesel
“heater” right below the cabin, but you are certainly welcome to stay out on
deck and be closer to the action.
Typically, with just a coat,
you will stay comfortable all day.
Currently, I do still have
some great Weekend dates available in November and December. This is prime time to take part in the best
Striped Bass fishery on the East Coast during that time of year. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to
catch-up with your fishing group soon and give me a call 804-436-3241 or Email southerntideguideservice@gmail.com with the dates
that you would like to make a trip. All
you need to bring with you is what you want to eat and drink, I take care of
the rest. All bait, tackle and ice has
been included in the cost of the trip. Once we get back to the dock, your catch
will be cleaned, packed and iced in your cooler for the trip home.
As always, the bunk house is
available for you to stay in the night before your fishing trip. This has always been a very popular option
for those who travel long distances to fish with us. There is no need to leave home early in the
morning to drive to Reedville, you can spend the night before, wake up, walk
down to the boat, and go fishing!
I hope that you will be able
to make a trip with us this year! I look
forward to hearing from you soon.
Joe Biddlecomb
Captain, Southern Tide Guide
Service
