Fishing Report: April 30, 2026
Weather/Water Temperatures
- Bay + Ocean: ~48–52°F right now
- Virginia Beach: Average in April: ~60-70°F
- Trend: Slowly rising toward mid-50s (this is when things really turn on)
Important:
- Below 55°F = sluggish bite, tight windows
- 55–65°F = fish start pushing shallow + aggressive
What's Biting Inshore
- Red Fish: Holding inshore but very picky
- Striped bass: Schoolies + some bigger fish hitting late night bite window
- Freshwater Bass: Eating aggressively as it is spawn season
Fishing Tips
- Fish are still cold-mode but transitioning
- Holding:
- Channel edges
- Dark mud flats (warm faster)
Current bite:
- “A little slow… but fish are there”
Slow presentations:
- Soft plastics (paddle tails, flukes)
- Suspending twitch baits
Fish midday incoming tide (warmest water)
What's Biting In The Surf
- Red drum (starting to show)
- Black drum (early arrivals)
- Occasional stripers
- Skates/rays are heavy in the surf right now
- Blues are slowly on the move
Spring trend:
- Spring is Red drum, blues, and black drum
Target:
- Sloughs + cuts near shore
- First trough at high tide
Best bait:
- Fresh cut mullet
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Sand fleas (when available)
Things to consider:
- Still early — not wide open yet
- Next 2–4 weeks = big improvement window
What's Biting In The Bay
Fish:
- Striped bass
- Tautog : The bite is HOT
- Some black sea bass offshore structure
- Tautog bite turns on when temps are around these low 50s/60s
Right now:
- Tog
- Stripers = primary target
Where to Fish:
- Bridge pilings
- Rock islands
- Tunnel edges
- Current seams
Best Methods:
- Stripers:
- Soft plastics jigged near structure
- Tog (as they turn on):
- Crabs (green crab / fiddler)
Best Bite Window
- Early morning + sunset
- Find the moving bait and stick with it
Right now:
- Midday (warmest water) is often best
Play those incoming tides right, wait for that mid day warmth, and chase those reds through the mud flats