THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996 TAG: 9605090504
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Bob Hutchinson
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
If the thermometer ever stops going up and down like a yo-yo, anglers along the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina should be in for some decent action.
This is a season of change, when warm fronts and cold fronts battle for dominance along the East Coast. But this doesn't make the cold, wet part any more conducive to good fishing.
Still, a few anglers have recorded some impressive hauls, and most agree that things will only get better as the weather pattern continues to improve.
Anyway, lots of croaker either have moved or are moving into the Chesapeake Bay system. This means it looks like another banner year for these tasty, popular panfish.
Another bright spot has been the abundance of sea mullet along the beaches and from ocean piers between Cape Henry and Ocracoke Island. It's been one of the better runs in years.
One of the season's biggest disappointments has been the relative scarcity of shellcracker at Western Branch Reservoir in Suffolk. While the impoundment is producing a scattering of big fish, numbers are way down.
Anyway, sooner or later we're going to put together a couple of good weekends. When it happens, fishermen will rejoice. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Map
Fish of the Week
Places to Fish
For complete copy, see microfilm
by CNB