FISHING REPORT: September 18, 2026
Weather/Water Conditions
We've had a few spotty weather days this week, but for the most part, there have been some great mornings and evenings to get out and get after the fish without being bothered too much by the weather.
As we start closing out summer and moving toward fall, the mornings and evenings are getting noticeably cooler. Even with those cooler temperatures, the bite has stayed hot.
Water temperatures have continued holding in the high 70s to low 80s into the evening, keeping plenty of fish active and the bite moving.
What's Biting Inshore
The inshore bite has stayed strong with overslot red drum, keeper flounder, and striped bass all making an appearance.
- Red Drum: Overslot drum continue to be the main drum story inshore. We're still seeing bigger fish around, while puppy drum have been much harder to come by.
- Flounder: The flounder bite continues to impress, with some solid keeper-size fish being caught. Citations are still coming in after what has been a great flounder season all summer.
- Striped Bass: Stripers are showing up around the docks during the later evening and early morning, making those cooler low-light hours a great time to target them.
There hasn't been one bait or lure that has dominated. Some days the paddle tails have been getting it done, other days the glide baits have produced, and live bait has continued to be a solid option.
Most consistent setup we've seen: Don't be afraid to switch it up. Match what the bait is doing and fish the low-light windows around docks and structure.
What's Biting In The Bay/Ocean/Offshore
The surf fishing bite has been unreal for about the last two weeks.
Every evening we've been seeing plenty of glass minnows running alongside the mullet, and the predators have been crashing into the bait right along the beach.
We've seen:
- Spanish mackerel
- Bonito
- Bluefish
- Ladyfish
- Mullet and glass minnows by the thousands
Yes you read that right, ladyfish are being caught right off the beach. They're a blast to catch, and they also make excellent cut bait if you're looking to target something bigger later in the evening.
The fish have been feeding heavily on the glass minnows. Matching that hatch with a small paddle tail has been working, and metal casting jigs have also been getting plenty of attention.
Once that hot evening bait activity starts to slow down, anglers have been switching gears and catching sharks and cobia as the night goes on.
The flounder bite has stayed great all summer, with citations still coming through. Sheepshead aren't being caught in the numbers we saw earlier this year, but they've continued to provide a solid bite throughout the summer.
Hot Tip: If you see glass minnows getting pushed against the beach, don't overlook them. A small paddle tail or metal casting jig that matches the size of those baitfish can be all you need.
Bay & Offshore
This is where things have gotten really interesting.
Despite the up-and-down weather, the Bay and offshore bite has stayed excellent. The water has remained unusually warm this year, and we're seeing some fish around Virginia Beach that we don't normally get in these numbers — or sometimes at all.
We've seen pictures come through the shop of:
- Tripletail
- Bonito
- Tons of mahi-mahi
- Grouper
- Spanish mackerel
- King mackerel
- Barracuda
- And several other fish that we rarely, if ever, see around the area
Some of these catches are the kind of fish that you probably wouldn't believe were caught around Virginia Beach if you hadn't seen the pictures yourself.
It's been an incredible year for variety, and these unusual catches have made for some awesome memories and some even better stories for the anglers who have been out there.
Flounder and sea bass are still producing as well, giving anglers plenty of familiar targets while some of these more unusual species are showing up.
Best Bite Window
The cooler mornings and evenings have become some of the best times to be on the water. The surf, in particular, has been coming alive in the evenings as glass minnows and mullet push along the beach.
Best times:
Early morning and evening, with the evening bait movement along the surf being especially productive.
Tide influence:
Watch the bait as much as the tide. When glass minnows, mullet, or other baitfish are getting pushed along the shoreline, around docks, bridges, or structure, predators are usually close by.
Fishing Tips
Some of the best options we've seen recently include:
- Paddle tails — especially when the glass minnows are thick along the beach
- Metal casting jigs — great for Spanish, Bonito, Blues, Mahi and other fast-moving fish
- 3 Deep Custom glide baits — still producing for larger inshore fish or even the speckled Trout
- Yo-Zuri glide baits — another solid option around structure or even off the beach.
- 5" NLBN paddle tails — a versatile option for stripers, blues, and drum
- Live spot, croaker, mullet, and eels — still producing for bigger fish
- Squid — a reliable choice for flounder and sea bass
- Cut bait — especially useful once the evening bait activity slows down and sharks and other larger predators move in
Stop by and we’ll get you rigged up right for current conditions.
Looking ahead
We're officially making the transition toward fall, but the fishing definitely hasn't gotten the memo yet.
The warm water has kept an incredible variety of fish around the area, and we're excited to see how long some of these unusual species stick around. The surf bite is still going strong, flounder continue to produce, and striped bass are starting to show themselves around the docks during those low-light hours.
Looking ahead, we're excited for the speckled trout bite to really heat up, and we're hoping for a strong fall and winter striped bass bite as the water continues to cool.
We're also keeping an eye out for puppy drum to become more consistent in the inlets as we move farther into fall.
Summer may be winding down, but the fish are still here. Keep those pictures coming, keep those lines tight, and let's see what Virginia Beach brings us next!