Lynnhaven Area

[kayakdannj]

Hey guys, four of us NJ kayakers area headed down to Lynnhaven from October 10-12th. We are all Hobie owners and experienced kayakers. We are staying at First Land State Park and plan on fishing both day and night. We plan to fish the 1st Island of the CBBT if the weather is good. My two favorite fishing types are eeling at night for bass and togging. I plan to tog a lot as the weather permits. If not then we can fish inside Lynnhaven Bay for red and specks? What baits and what is the go to lures? I know we are going to stop at Oceans B&T, but I want to bring as much as I can with me. On Sunday on the way home we plan to fish the concrete ships. Whats the best for there? Plugs and plastics and crabs for tog? Are there any sheepshead or spades around this time of year?

Not looking for exact spots and if anyone is ever up in NJ I will be sure to reciprocate and take you out fishing!

[ComeOnFish]

I think I can fish you guys on Sat or Sun during day time if you don't mind. Some of us will help.

Joe

[daolai]

Dan - I sent you a PM a few of us are heading down there and camping at First Landing as well.

[AbuMasgouf]

Hey Dan. Like Dao said, some will be camping there as well and will be sure to hook up. Looking forward to it

[ComeOnFish]

Dan,
All right. You already got the help. Good Luck!

Anyway, here are my answers and comments:

I think bull reds will be still there around the mouth of the Bay. You can use cut baits (mullet and spot) or buck-tail. Though I don't touch mullet. The smell is strong and never goes away.

When I dove a week ago, I didn't see many tautog in the first Island. The water is still too warm for tog. It will be tough to catch them with rod and reel. Ocean East T&B runs out of the baits often. I usually bring blue crab and shrimp because I think they are better baits than others. They are excellent baits for Tautog. Bull reds eats blue crab too.

I once caught a 20" tog with a 7" ZOOM fluke. But I don't think plastic will be a good bait for tog.
Sheepshead, trigger fish, spade fish will be gone that time.

I know you guys catch cow Striped Bass in NJ. Now stripers between 18-28" can be kept if you want. I am bringing striper lures. I believe the large ocean stripers are moving into the bay.

Fluke will be there until Mid November.

Concrete ship: if togging doesn't work, try for fluke if you have time. I usually pay for boat launch. The sandy path to the surf launch area is too much for me. Large balloon tires help a lot. I don't remember the parking fee. Usually there are no attendants. I think parking fee is per vehicle. Contact the office for clarification. Bring $1.00 and $5.00. Otherwise you will use $10.00 or $20.00 bill.

The parking fee (per vehicle) for the out-of-town at Lynn heaven is $5.00 this year. Day time only parking I believe. Bring few $5.00 bill and $1.00. The slot on deposit box for each parking spot is very narrow and small. There are no attendants. You can't use a $10.00 for two parking spots.

Rudee: 24x7 fishing. No parking fee. There are plenty of light sources at night

There is a large Asian grocery store called "Grand Mart" 5-7 minutes from Ocean East T&B. You may buy baits (blue crab, shrimp) here:

Grand Mart
649 Newtown Rd,
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 490-7901

Do you need lure info for speck and puppy drum (small redfish) at Rudee and Lynheaven?

Joe

[JohnE]

I will most likely be out there next weekend as well. This weekend, I got into small specks up to 14" at lynnhaven and some nice flounder. Cbbt I got into small specks, bluefish, and lost a really big flounder at the side of the kayak out closer to the island. Hrbt small specks again and a small striper. Hopefully bigger specks and stripers will be showing up in numbers down there soon (the water felt a little chilly this weekend). Not sure how long the flounder action is going to last, but it has been pretty good lately.

[AbuMasgouf]

Thanks for the info Joe and John.

John, what kid of setup did you have when you were catching small specks and blues at CBBT? Top and bottom /bucktail and teaser? or were you trolling?

The winds look like they may be bad this weekend, but I'm crossing my fingers for that to change so CBBT will be a target location...

[JohnE]

Thanks for the info Joe and John.

John, what kid of setup did you have when you were catching small specks and blues at CBBT? Top and bottom /bucktail and teaser? or were you trolling?

The winds look like they may be bad this weekend, but I'm crossing my fingers for that to change so CBBT will be a target location...

Yeah, bucktail w/ teaser. Specks were hitting the teaser. Got the blues dragging the flounder rig. Actually got a double header one time dragging it that day. Not much size to them. Biggest blue I got in the last couple months was about 17".

My tip if you want big flounder...big bait. You won't get as many, but the flounder I lost on Fri was the biggest of the year for me, a real doormat (much bigger than the 21.5 at lynnhaven, which was actually really good size for what we have been catching lately). I was dragging bigger bait on a heavy bucktail for reds at that time out near that hole by the island.

I was also getting specks on chatterbait with shrimp and just shrimp on plain jighead. The small ones are feeding near the bottom, not sure where the big ones are but I usually catch them closer to the top. The specks at lynnhaven were the largest of the three places, but only up to barely keeper size. I am mostly targeting larger fish and it is has been tough lately. Other years I was catching 20-24" specks this time of year.

Wind/current over there is very tricky. You never know, some days the forecast looks terrible and it turns out to be decent and vice versa. There is almost always another backup location if cbbt is too tough. Good luck...maybe I will see you out there. Might try some backpacking in the mountains on the holiday before it gets cold if the wind is real bad.

[JohnE]

If you run into the blues, I would just troll some metal if you want to get into them. They were in between first and second boat channel last weekend. A boater guy I talk to also told me Sat morning that he got into some around the same location on Fri.

[AbuMasgouf]

Thanks John. I really appreciate the tips!

[JohnE]

No problem. I might want some tips on your fish roast. I would like to try one at a clambake I am planning at the end of the month...I am trying to replicate the clambakes my family has done up in New England for a couple hundred years, but my Uncle was the last in the line and he just passed away so we are going on what we learned when we were young and info I get online. I found that I can have the rockweed we need for the clambake shipped fresh from Maine, but my cousins are coming down and offered to bring some with them.

[AbuMasgouf]

No problem. I might want some tips on your fish roast. I would like to try one at a clambake I am planning at the end of the month...I am trying to replicate the clambakes my family has done up in New England for a couple hundred years, but my Uncle was the last in the line and he just passed away so we are going on what we learned when we were young and info I get online. I found that I can have the rockweed we need for the clambake shipped fresh from Maine, but my cousins are coming down and offered to bring some with them.

My condolences about your uncle. Awesome that you're trying to continue the legacy.

I'll be happy to help with any questions you have bro. Since we'll be camping at First Landing down there, if we get into some non flat fish , we'll probably Masgouf them for dinner... So if all goes well come on by and share a meal!

[AbuMasgouf]

Hey guys, four of us NJ kayakers area headed down to Lynnhaven from October 10-12th. We are all Hobie owners and experienced kayakers. We are staying at First Land State Park and plan on fishing both day and night. We plan to fish the 1st Island of the CBBT if the weather is good. My two favorite fishing types are eeling at night for bass and togging. I plan to tog a lot as the weather permits. If not then we can fish inside Lynnhaven Bay for red and specks? What baits and what is the go to lures? I know we are going to stop at Oceans B&T, but I want to bring as much as I can with me. On Sunday on the way home we plan to fish the concrete ships. Whats the best for there? Plugs and plastics and crabs for tog? Are there any sheepshead or spades around this time of year?

Not looking for exact spots and if anyone is ever up in NJ I will be sure to reciprocate and take you out fishing!

Hey Dan,

Sorry bro. Change of plans. The winds don't look very promising. So our group is going to stay local. If you guys are still going, best of luck and hopefully they'll be another opportunity to fish with your group.

[Romo]

I'm still going so if anyone wants to fish tomorrow or Friday morning hit me up!

[JohnE]

I am still going back on forth on going. I might be out there Friday...forecast looks too good to pass up.