I will be moving to the Chesapeak bay are in June/July of 2008. Thought i would take a minute to drop a line and say hello. I intend on learning as much as i can from the posts on this forum so i will be up to speed on the fishing when i get there. Any help would be apriciated. By the way, i have a 19ft CC Bayliner with a 120 Force and a 56 GAL tank.... What can i expect as far as good fishing areas within my range. I am currently in Pensacola and i normaly fish for Kings, Snapper, Trigger fish and grouper. Like i said... looking forward to the VA BCH area fishing. Just going to need a little help. Thanks, Matt.

In a 19ft you'll have to pick your days and spots up here, even the bay can get a little rough from time to time, but you've always got the inlets and rivers to fish on those days. Off shore you'd really have to pick your days and even then I might worry about it but there's plenty of fishing inshore. Lets see what can you catch . . .

Flounder (gotta be 18.5" to keep this year, but there a good numbers 6lb plus fish around most of the lower bay structure), Big Black and Red Drum, spadefish, cobia, rockfish(striped bass) in the hordes in the fall and winter, um big black sea bass off shore lost of 5lb+ citation fish taken by the deep drop charter boats, if you head a ways off shore the blue fin run really good too . . . lots of fish just not the pretty blue water you guys have down there unless you head offshore, and the seas tend to be bigger up here.

Look forward to hearing from you, lots of knowledgeable guys on this forum, so you can learn a lot if you can tell good stuff from the BS , I'm still pretty new to the game and fishing forums and friends that fish have helped me a lot. It really is a great fishery.

Welcome to the board and the Hampton Roads area (when you get here!). Youngguns covered most of the bases. What I recommend is you read the posts here regularly, and when you get here attend a couple of meet and greets. Lots of great folks in the Liar's Club. Tight lines and good luck.

Your going to love fishing in this area. The seas can be rougher up here, but the fishing is well worth it. I grew up just in Mobile right down the road from you. The 19ft bayliner will limit you to the bay and nearshore wrecks on bluebird days. Were talking about the mouth of the Chesapeake bay here with the bay bridge tunnel, year round action.

Welcome , keep on reading and you will get to know all the ropes from this group of fine fisherman.

I am looking forward to the fishing up there... but man that is gonna be wierd not bering able to get out in the open water with a 19ft boat. I was 12 miles out just this last Sunday down here. I guess i will need to upgrade by the time i get up there next year.

Welcome.

This is the right place to get info. Search the pages and if you can't find it, ask. Someone will help.

Like all said before, you will have 2 pick your days you fish but you shouldn't have any problem in this area. Just keep reading the posts on this site too, you will be able to pick up alot of info. from most people on this forum. I have a 23ftCC now, but I used to have a 19ft Proline CC and probally fished as many days or more in that boat as I do my 23 now. Heck, I used to take it offshore Hatteras NC to 25 miles on the good days. Had a little more fuel cap. ( 70 gal..i think) & a 130 Yamaha.

Good Luck and Welcome to the area!

M.E.

Bay Fisherman,
My only regret about fishing in the bay is that I didn't start doing it earlier. I have a 18.5 Triumph CC. Like everyone else said, you will have to pick your days. Anything more then 1-2 will beats me up pretty good but I have been out in 3-4' when the fishing is on and hardly noticed if you know what I mean. There are plenty of places to put in where you don't have to go very far at all to get in the fish. Last fall we were catching stripers up to 45" within casting distance of shore. Good luck, I look forward to hearing some fishing reports from you once you get up. This board is a wealth of information and a lot of good people.

Shep

JUST MOVED TO VA IN APRIL, WATCHED THIS FORUM EVERY DAY, LISTENED TO WHAT THESE GUYS HAD TO SAY, ASKED ALOT OF QUESTIONS AT THE TACKLE SHOPS AND JUST PLAIN FLAT OUT WORKED MY TAIL OFF TRYING TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM THE GULF TO THE CHESAPEAKE, AND ALL I CAN SAY IS IT WAS WORTH IT! THIS PLACE IS A WORLD CLASS FISHERY! AND THE PEOPLE ARE WORLD CLASS AS WELL! YOU ARE GONNA LOVE IT HERE.