Been off the Forum for awhile. How did your trip to the beach with Brownsville Tony go? Jack

You’re welcome and good luck with the Stripers- they’re a great gamefish.

I lived in Portsmouth for many years and fished the James mostly between the Monitor/Merrimack tunnel and the Rte 17 Bridge. Had some good years in 1990’s and early 2000’s. Started decline around 2010 as more and more blue cats moved downriver and fewer menhaden in lower Bay. Now retired to South Texas

Season opens May 16. Cannot take fish in river now due to spawning

Striped Bass, locally called Rockfish, are making spawning runs in the James River now, however the season on them doesn’t open until May 16, and closes June 15. Bag limit is one per day within slot of 20 to 28 inches. The season reopens for a longer period in the fall. The season for ocean fishing differs from the season for the Chesapeake Bay and it’s tributaries.

I’m mostly a spin fisherman. Use fairly short, light rod with 6 lb line and small spinner lures, usually about 1/8 once. Mepps and roosters are my favorites. If these don’t work, try a small Rapala plug and tie a wet fly about 6 to 12 inches behind the plug. A Wooly Bugger often works in this combo. Good luck.

The New is a very long river and covers a lot of different geography. I have fished a few locations west of Winston-Salem and hope to camp in the area this summer. Good for smallmouth bass and rainbows.

We caught the same fish off the Virginia coast and called them roundheads or sea mullet. Small but good eating.

My job change took me to NC, and then back to VA. Retired from last job and started RV travels around the country, eventually settling in Deep South TX. I still have a Bay Skiff and fish in the Laguna Madre between Port Mansfield and South Padre Is.

I lived on Fripp Island about 25 years ago and caught Red Drum from the surf. If you could locate a creek that feeds into the ocean, try fishing at the mouth of the creek with live shrimp under an adjustable depth bobber.

Can’t comment on the mid to upper Rappahannock but the Striped Bass fishing should be very good off Virginia Beach this time of year. Best fishing is by trolling from boat. Check on local charters out ofLynnhaven and Rudee Inlet.

Whiting in the surf on frozen shrimp or fish bites. Sheepshead should be at the jetties next month. Best on live shrimp.

Plenty of gamefish now migrating down the mid-Atlantic coast although they may not be available at a given time along the coast close to Myrtle Beach piers. Go anyway and talk to locals that might share some knowledge. Live bait should work if you can find it ( shrimp or finger mullet). If live bait not available, buy some fresh oily fish at bait shop or supermarket. Cut it into appropriate size chunks, put it on bottom rig with enough weight to keep in in place and cast it out. You never know what might come along and take it. Good luck.

Try trolling for Stripers around some old piers or other structure near mouth of the Western Branch. Used to be good in December when I lived there.

Fishing for Stripers should be good along Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel now. There is a fishing pier on 1st Island for non-boaters. Consider joining Va Beach Fishing Club. A lot of knowledgeable fishermen there who will share their knowledge.