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This week, host Luke Barton checks in with Capt. Bill Pappas of Playing Hookey Charters and Capt. Travis Kemp of Foolproof Fishing. Offshore anglers will enjoy Bill’s in-depth recap of the Ladies Billfish Tournament and the phenomenal late-summer tuna, mahi, and marlin bite off Virginia Beach, while inshore listeners will get Travis’ insights into cobia, puppy drum, and the coming fall trout season inside the Bay.
Conditions Recap
Early September brought shifting winds across the lower Bay, with northeast breezes beginning to push through. Calm mornings have allowed offshore boats to chase tuna, mahi, and marlin, though sloppy southeast winds and opposing outgoing tides around Cape Henry created tough conditions on some days. Inshore, the rivers and creeks have offered calmer waters with steady puppy drum action, making them a great fallback when the Bay turns rough.
Offshore Report – Capt. Bill Pappas
Capt. Bill Pappas of Playing Hookey Charters shared a detailed recap of the recent Ladies Billfish Tournament. His team built an all-female crew through a social media contest and headed offshore in search of tuna and mahi. False albacore, or “fat Alberts,” kept rods bent early, but the highlight came when his anglers battled a bruiser tuna estimated at 70 pounds before losing it at the leader. Later, a solid mahi nearly claimed the leaderboard, falling short by just over a pound. Despite heartbreaks, the team gained valuable experience and set the stage for future tournaments.
The real offshore buzz, however, has been the white marlin bite. Bill described one trip that felt like “National Geographic,” with massive schools of marlin feeding aggressively beneath flocks of diving birds. Double and triple hookups were common, and even a massive blue marlin lit up in the spread, providing a heart-pounding moment for the crew. Anglers also found mahi along grass lines and FADs, with Bill sharing tips for chumming and even improvising bait when supplies run low.
Bill also added another recipe to his growing cookbook collection—a simple grilled mahi preparation using a Worcestershire and A1 marinade that pairs perfectly with charcoal grilling. As always, he reminds anglers that success offshore depends on reading water temperature breaks, tracking bait, and adapting quickly when conditions change.
Inshore Report – Capt. Travis Kemp
Closer to home, Capt. Travis Kemp of Foolproof Fishing has been targeting cobia, puppy drum, and preparing for fall speckled trout. The cobia bite has been unpredictable, with fish holding deeper and belly-stuffed with crabs. Travis shared tactical advice for bridge and buoy fishing, including why it’s critical to work the down-current side of pilings to avoid spooking fish with prop wash. He even recounted a creative save—tying his rod to a boat fender and floating it through bridge pilings to land a cobia that otherwise would have been lost.
As the season winds down, big red drum are also starting to show in the Bay. Travis has several trips booked for them once cobia closes. Inshore, puppy drum have been steady, with recent trips producing double-digit catches on light tackle. Live bait, cut bait, and soft plastics are all producing, with popping cork rigs proving especially effective when worked slowly in current. Speckled trout are expected to turn on by late September and peak through November and December, when Foolproof often relocates to the Elizabeth River to dial in the bite.
