Kipto & Rudee - March 31, 2015

[ComeOnFish]

At the HRBT (Hampton Road Bridge Tunnel), I decided to hit the Concrete Ships at Kiptopeke State park for tog. The water at HRBT was flat. Based on the wind forecast and the current prediction, I could fish at the Concrete Ships for 3 hours before the strong wind in the morning during the slack tide.

Kiptopeke State Park:
I was the only one fished. I fished 3 hours for tautog before the wind picked up.
Water Temp: 42F
Skunked, zero bites.
I think tog will start to bite in ten days.

Rudee Inlet:
Fished 5 hours in the afternoon during strong wind. The wind was very strong. I noticed a kayaker kept paddling in the same area without fishing. Later I recognized that he had been trying to get back to the boat ramp for about an hour. So I went to him. (He wasn't young.) Without saying any words, I grabbed his kayak and started to pedal as hard as I could toward the boat ramp. I had no reason to ask him if he wanted to go back to the boat ramp.

Water temp: 45-46F, The temp rose by 3-4 degree since March 28.

There were 7 kayakers and 3 boats. We saw puppy drums. Though the puppy drums completely ignored the anything we threw at them.
We, all, got skunked.
Puppy drum may start to bite this coming weekend.

Joe

[JohnE]

Thanks for the report. I thought tog might be biting by now. I will be heading that way for the first time this year within 2 to 3 weeks. I thought I would have gone already...seems like I always start heading that way around mid-April in previous years. I don't think I will hit Rudee unless it is too rough to fish anywhere else...I have been there so many times and mostly only catch smaller fish. Hoping to hit Kipto, cbbt, and Lynnhaven.

[Goody]

At the HRBT (Hampton Road Bridge Tunnel), I decided to hit the Concrete Ships at Kiptopeke State park for tog. The water at HRBT was flat. Based on the wind forecast and the current prediction, I could fish at the Concrete Ships for 3 hours before the strong wind in the morning during the slack tide.

Kiptopeke State Park:
I was the only one fished. I fished 3 hours for tautog before the wind picked up.
Water Temp: 42F
Skunked, zero bites.
I think tog will start to bite in ten days.

Rudee Inlet:
Fished 5 hours in the afternoon during strong wind. The wind was very strong. I noticed a kayaker kept paddling in the same area without fishing. Later I recognized that he had been trying to get back to the boat ramp for about an hour. So I went to him. (He wasn't young.) Without saying any words, I grabbed his kayak and started to pedal as hard as I could toward the boat ramp. I had no reason to ask him if he wanted to go back to the boat ramp.

Water temp: 45-46F, The temp rose by 3-4 degree since March 28.

There were 7 kayakers and 3 boats. We saw puppy drums. Though the puppy drums completely ignored the anything we threw at them.
We, all, got skunked.
Puppy drum may start to bite this coming weekend.

Joe

Doesn't the water temp need to get to around 50 before the togs start showing up? It's getting close. Thanks for the report.

[ComeOnFish]

Goody,
Locals said 48F. I think It will be at around 50F This coming Sat. Though for us, who drive hours, I think 55 F is minimum. It was 57F on April 7 last year.

Joe

[rwh]

What really sucks is that as the water temperatures are rising, so are the winds! Strong winds almost every day lately and the season closes May 1st.

[tufnik]

Good try, Joe. Thanks for the report.

Ideal temp for peak tog activity is 55 deg. They'll bite in the low 40's, but not often. Typically, Kipto water is warmer than at CBBT. So, most people seem to try Kipto first.

Temp is rising, so I'll probably try within 2 weeks.

[ComeOnFish]

I compared my records of the last year and this year. It seemed that the water temp this year is cooler than that of the last year. As you see, getting skunked is quite normal in the beginning. The water temp will rise rapidly from now on. I didn't include E.R (Elizabeth River) because I won't fish E.R. until November.
I also checked 2013 records. The 2015 water is colder than usual. I think Rudee will be good in 7-10 days, CBBT Kipto will be OK from Apr 18, CHSP will be good from Apr 25 this year.

Last year, 2014
Mar 23 CHSP Water: 40F skunked (no bites)
Apr 01 Kipto water: 44F skunked (no bites)
Apr 05 Rudee water: 57F 1 puppy drum, 1 flounder
Apr 08 Rudee water: 58F several puppy drums
Apr 12 CBBT water 54F several tog
Apr 19 CHSP water: 46F several tog
Apr 23 Rudee water: na 1 30”+ grey trout, bluefish, many Puppy drum
May 02 CHSP water: 53F 1 tog, 1 flounder
May 06 CHSP water: na Many togs

2015
Mar 28 Rudee water: 42F skunked (no bites)
Mar 31 Kipto water: 42F skunked (no bites)
Rudee water: 45-46F skunked (no bites)

Joe

[Shady]

Thanks for the report Joe, I'm planning to fish CHSP at the beginning of May, I'm sure I'll see you there

[moc]

Thanks for the report Joe as always. I always learn something from you, or you remind me what I have forgotten..

[coastal_dan]

Ryan - I'll be at CHSP May 1, 2 and 3...Romo, I believe, will be there as well. Hope to try the outer wall at some time for some toggies. I have some new jigs and snafu rigs I'd like to try out. Maybe see you there...

[Shady]

If I'm not there the first weekend of may, I'll be there the second one

[ComeOnFish]

I will be back from my vacation, and I am planning to hit CHSP on May 2 and 9

Joe

[JohnE]

Tried kipto this evening. Current was ruuning too hard to fish the ships when I arrived. Waited it out and tried all the spots I could with live fiddlers for bait...not one bite. Tried to see if any flounder might be around yet while I was waiting. Saw a school of peanut bunker outside the ships. Heading for 1st island tomorrow to hopefully catch a tog.