Tips For Great Fishing In Virginia Beach
Situated on the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach is the ideal location for world-class, year-round fishing. The proximity to the ocean and bay, as well as their streams and tributaries, allows Virginia Beach anglers to experience freshwater, saltwater, near-shore, and offshore fishing from one central location. The mild climate of the region also allows anglers to experience this great destination almost year-round.
Rudee Inlet
Heading out of Rudee Inlet you are immediately thrown into the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. Near shore, there is an abundance of species to be caught including Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Red and Black Drum, and many more. As you move away from the shoreline you come across the Chesapeake Light Tower, an abandoned lighthouse and communications center that sits around 14 miles off the coast. Since many fish enjoy the safety of structure you can expect to catch a variety of fish typically associated with such structure including Amberjack, Jack Crevalle, King Mackerel, and Grouper. Traveling even further offshore (close to 45 miles!) the trophy fish begin to appear. The Gulf Stream waters off of Virginia Beach are teeming with Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Bluefin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and a variety of sharks. Just be sure to bring sunscreen and motion sickness prevention as a trip offshore means an entire day spent on the water.
Lynnhaven Inlet
If heading offshore doesn’t interest you, there are plenty of species that can be caught in the Chesapeake Bay. The Lynnhaven Inlet provides a fantastic starting point for your trip out on the Bay. Situated right next to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel it is one of the easiest inlets to locate due to the bridge serving as a beacon. The Bridge is a 14 mile long bridge and tunnel span that connects the Southside of Virginia to the Eastern Shore and provides excellent fishing opportunities along the entire stretch. The pilings which support the bridge section hold varieties of fish including Flounder, Croaker, Black Sea Bass, Sheepshead, and spadefish. Over the tunnels and alongside the bridge expanses, anglers can expect to catch the two most famous fish in the region, Cobia and Striped Bass. Cobia and Striped bass are the most sought after species of fish in the Virginia Beach region. With Cobia appearing from June-September and trophy Striped Bass from October-April, it’s easy to see how Virginia Beach is a top angling destination year round.
Virginia Aquarium
If you’re in the region and cannot make it onto the water there are numerous other opportunities to see some of the local species of fish from the comfort of dry land. Head over to the Virginia Aquarium and get up close and personal to some of the different varieties of fish that populate our local waterways as well as numerous other species of wildlife that are seen throughout Virginia Beach. Another opportunity to see some local examples of fish are to head over to one of many seafood restaurants that are spread throughout the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. One of our favorites is Waterman’s Restaurant located on Atlantic Avenue whose specialty, after fresh seafood of course, is the Orange Crush, a local creation and favorite with the beach crowd.
So whether by land or by sea, there are a variety of ways to experience the waters off of Virginia Beach. For more ways to experience Coastal Virginia check out some of our other articles on our Blog, Facebook, or View It page.
Martin Walsh is an owner of The Vacation Channel, and filmmaker with over a decade of experience making engaging travel content. He’s on a mission to make sure your family has fun this year with a trip to Coastal Virginia. If you would like a local’s opinion, you can always send him a question via email. Now get outside and go have an adventure!