May 2025 Fishing Report

AI generated marsh in the early summer, and I'm trying to determine if the shore bird is a Heron, Egret, or Ostrich.

A long and brutal winter was followed promptly by a blustery spring that, while offering some highlights, kept a lot of folks off the water, and those on the water, guessing.  In my opinion, the spring can be the toughest time of year to pattern fish, but as the temperatures get higher, so does the aggression and number of our targets here in Virginia.  The flats and marsh are finally filling up with hogleg mullet and fingerling baitfish, and May will bring some species we haven’t seen since last summer or early fall. 

The run of shallow bull reds is over as they’ve moved deeper and further north, but the migratory schools are on their way, and the Lower Bay will be loaded with monsters prowling again, soon.  The more reasonably sized fish are already starting to get very active in all of the local waterways, with big numbers possibilities from Rudee up through the York River area.  Crab patterns have been productive on sand and grass flats, and while the drains of those areas are always great, this is a particularly good time to target those entrance and exit pathways.  As May progresses, targeting the edges just off the flats will overtake as the areas to target.  Water clarity will, unfortunately, plummet this month,  but that does allow moving up in leader size from the 10/12 class to the 16/20 class for fly anglers. Spin fishermen can get away with a little more pizzazz, with paddle tails, spinning blade baits, popping corks, and big topwater lures coming into fashion.  For now, I’ve been Texas rigging Zman Kicker CrabZ with a 1/8 oz bullet sinker for sight-fishing situations, and puppies through over-slot fish seem to respond very well.  Fly anglers have various crab pattern choices, as long as they have enough weight to get the lure down fast.  Crab hunting redfish will be at the bottom of the water column, so be sure to lead your targets by enough to let the fly fall to the fish’s depth before beginning your retrieve.  While this may sound like permit fishing, I can assure you that our reds are far more forgiving if you get it close to right. 

Trout would normally be on the same grass flats, but hiding in potholes or by points to ambush their prey.  Unfortunately, the numbers I’ve seen seem commensurate with what we saw this winter.  They have been tough to find, to say the least.  They will be moving off to much deeper areas this month, so watch for them if you’re fishing particularly shallow.   

The rockfish bite should explode to the north of us, with Stripers on the hunt shallow while the water temperatures continue to suit them.  There are opportunities for those of us here in Hampton Roads, and low-light conditions are always best.   The golden hours of sunset and sunrise, along with the overnight hours, will certainly up your chances, and they are active in Lynnhaven/Broad Bay if you know where to look.  The James River will provide some action as well, and while it’s not sight-fishing, good electronics and some sinking line should bring fish to hand from the mouth all the way up through the Williamsburg area. 

For those of us who love the under-appreciated Bluefish, there’s good news!  While we didn’t have the numbers that were showing up last April, the reports out of North Carolina suggest a bonanza is coming up the coast.  All signs point to another strong showing from these toothy critters.   When targeting blues on the fly, a wire leader can work, but larger fish seem far more apt to bite a heavier line class of mono- or fluorocarbon.   Simple baitfish pattern flies are best, and rarely last more than 3 or 4 fish.  The same rules of engagement apply to spin anglers regarding leaders, but when using lures, I strongly recommend using Zman.  I’ve yet to find a soft plastic that a decent “Chopper” Blue won’t destroy, but the elaZtech unquestionably lasts considerably longer.

And of course, to the joy of spin and fly anglers alike, this will be the month that the first cobia start coming around the corner of Cape Henry and entering the Bay during their summer migration.  Time to get to Ocean’s East and stock up on your favorite colors and head shapes for big jigs before they’re sold out, and fly anglers should have spent the cooler months tying huge articulated flies and eel imitations while fine-tuning the 11 wt rod and reel that have been collecting dust over the winter.  While the season doesn’t start until June 15th, the action will heat up well before then. 

While not drawing as much interest as Cobia, Spanish Mackerel will arrive on roughly the same timeline.  Most of the targeting comes from offshore boats looking for bait, but we get some decent Spanish here in the lower bay.  You’ll often see them popping out of the water on the dirty/clean water lines outside of inlets on an outgoing tide or simply chasing schools of bait.  Chasing them is an absolute blast on light tackle, and while it can be taxing, it's even more fun on the fly.   Got-Cha plugs and casting spoons are pretty well-known offerings from spin anglers, but the fly-rodder should be looking for a fly similar to what they cast to Blues – a durable and sleek baitfish pattern that can hold up to teeth.

The spring is a time of renewal and change.  It makes patterning fish difficult as they’re finding their own routines, but it also gives us the opportunity to hunt, explore, and find active targets, and it’s sure a hell of a lot nicer to be on the water than it has been since last year.  Get out if you can, and if you’re hoping to learn how to find them, want to refine some skills in targeting them with spin or fly, or just want a day to escape and relax while being put on fish and have someone else deal with the gear and boat cleaning… give me a call.  I’ve got dates open, and would love to fish with you.