FISHING REPORT: June 11, 2026
Weather/Water Conditions
This week we've seen warm summer temperatures settle in across Hampton Roads, with daytime highs ranging from the low 70s to upper 80s and even touching 90° on some days. While we've had some windy stretches that have made ocean conditions challenging at times, anglers have still found plenty of opportunities inshore and throughout the bay.
- Water temps are sitting around 68-72°, with a rising and stabilizing trend.
- Wind: Moderate to strong on several days, especially affecting ocean condition
- Water clarity: Fair to good depending on wind and location
- Overall conditions: Improving rapidly
What's Biting Inshore
The inshore bite has been hot and getting better by the day.
- Bluefish – still roaming the inlets in good numbers and providing consistent action
- Striped Bass – continuing to get picked up during the evenings and nighttime hours, including fish around Sandbridge and backwater inlets
- Flounder – showing up in better numbers, with fish being brought by the scales and plenty of reports coming from the Sandbridge area
- Bull Drum – moving through the islands in strong numbers and giving anglers plenty of opportunities
Most consistent setup we've seen:
- Live bait, frozen bait, and soft plastics are all producing.
For beach anglers, covering water has been the key. Don't spend too much time in one location—make a handful of casts, move down the beach, and repeat until you find fish.
What's Biting In The Bay
The bay has been absolutely firing up.
- Cobia – still showing up in strong numbers throughout the bay and oceanfront, with dozens of fish being spotted and caught regularly
- Bull Drum – thick around the islands right now and becoming one of the hottest bites in the area
- Spanish Mackerel – continuing to improve, with fish hitting casting spoons from the beach and trolling spoons throughout the bay and oceanfront
- Sheepshead – still crushing fiddler crabs around bridge structure and hard cover
- Flounder – beginning to make their way around the islands as well
Hot tip:
If you're targeting cobia or drum, don't be afraid to move around and cover water. The anglers finding fish have been staying mobile and taking advantage of cleaner/warmer water when they find it.
Best Bite Window
For those trying to time it right, here's when we're seeing the best action:
Best times:
- Early morning for cobia, Spanish, and drum before the wind picks up
- Late evening and nighttime for striped bass
- Midday can still produce well for cobia when visibility is good
Tide influence:
Moving water continues to be the key. Fish are feeding best around tide changes and current flow, especially near bridges, islands, and inlet structure.
If you're new, plan your trip around these windows—it'll make a big difference.
Fishing Tips
Shop Recommendations:
What's been working consistently (and what we've got ready for you):
- Fiddler crabs for sheepshead
- Spoons for Spanish mackerel and bluefish
- Live bait and soft plastics for cobia
- Frozen bait options for drum and flounder
- Bottom rigs for croaker, spot, and mixed-bag fishing
- Live eels, 3 Deep Custom Glide baits, Cobia Killer / Gettin Jiggy bucktails, NLBN 5" paddle tails
- Bull Drum hitting on cut bait, jigs, and paddle tails
Stop by and we'll get you rigged up right for current conditions.
Looking ahead
Heading into next week, expect:
- Continued warm weather and summer conditions
- Water temperatures holding in the upper 60s and low 70s
- More flounder showing up around the islands and inlets
- Strong bull drum and cobia opportunities continuing
- Spanish mackerel numbers continuing to build along the oceanfront
We're expecting the Flounder, Spanish mackerel, and Bull drum bite to continue heating up, so now's the time to get on it. After a slow start to the season, fishing around Virginia Beach is officially back in action and the bite is hot.