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In this week’s Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, host Luke Barton catches up with Captain Bill Pappas from Playin Hookey Charters for a wide-ranging early-fall report covering an unusual nearshore mahi bite, excellent billfish action, swordfish, tuna, and what anglers can expect as the Lower Chesapeake and Virginia Beach fisheries move into October.
Bill reports that mahi have pushed surprisingly close to Virginia Beach, with quality fish showing around the CB buoy line and other nearshore structure. Offshore, the marlin and sailfish bite has been outstanding, while Bill and mate Russ recently hooked an enormous daytime swordfish before following that heartbreak with a deep-water tuna. Looking ahead, Playin Hookey is preparing to shift toward deep dropping, sea bass, triggerfish, bull drum, swordfish, and eventually the late-fall bluefin tuna season.
Conditions Recap
Cooler temperatures are beginning to move fish around the Lower Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach, but warm, clean ocean water has continued to create some unusually tropical opportunities close to shore. One of the biggest stories has been mahi showing around the CB buoy line and other structure within roughly 15 miles of Rudee Inlet. Bill says local crews have been taking advantage of the bite, catching quality mahi along with small tuna and false albacore while fishing water that would not normally be associated with that kind of pelagic action.
Luke has seen the same pattern firsthand while diving with Capt. Michael Hosang. Exceptionally clean blue water, abundant bait, buoy chains, towers, and other structure have been holding mahi and other species much closer to shore than anglers might normally expect. On one trip, Luke caught a roughly 20-pound bull mahi on a cobia jig after seeing bait rush past the boat near the buoy line.
Farther offshore, billfish action has also been excellent. Bill highlighted strong marlin and sailfish fishing from the Virginia Beach fleet, including a recent double grand slam aboard FLY’N FISH. At the same time, daytime swordfish remain an option in deep water, and the first signs of the coming fall fisheries are beginning to take shape.
Nearshore Mahi And Billfish Action With Capt. Bill Pappas
One of the most unusual parts of the current Lower Chesapeake Bay report is how close anglers have been able to find mahi. Bill says several local captains have been catching them around the CB buoy line, giving customers on relatively short trips a chance to experience a fishery normally associated with much longer offshore runs.
The common denominator has been clean water, bait, and structure. When favorable ocean water pushes toward the coast, mahi can simply follow the food with it. Buoys, chains, towers, grass lines, and other structure then provide places for bait to concentrate and give the fish a reason to stay.
Luke experienced that pattern while diving around the buoy line with Capt. Michael Hosang. After seeing bait suddenly race past the boat, Luke grabbed a rod rigged with a roughly two-ounce cobia jig and cast toward the commotion. Within a couple of cranks, a large bull mahi ate the jig and began making long runs. Luke eventually gaffed the fish by himself while the other divers were still in the water.
The nearshore mahi have not been the only pelagic surprise. Anglers have also encountered small tuna and false albacore, while barracuda have been active around offshore structure. Luke and Michael have even encountered tripletail during their recent diving trips.
Bill also praised the Virginia Beach offshore fleet for an exceptional stretch of billfishing. Marlin and sailfish have been producing consistently, and Capt. Jake Boltz and the FLY’N FISH crew recently put together a double grand slam. Bill explained that a grand slam consists of three billfish species in a single day, making a double grand slam an especially notable accomplishment.
A Giant Daytime Swordfish And A Deep-Water Tuna
Bill and mate Russ recently took advantage of a rare day off to go daytime swordfishing. Their first drop produced almost immediate signs of a bite. After sending the bait close to 1,000 feet deep beneath a buoy setup, Bill noticed the buoy begin to move and spin differently. He started retrieving the rig and soon realized the heavy sinker no longer felt like the only weight on the line.
The fish eventually came tight and began a fight that lasted roughly four hours. At first, Bill estimated it might be around a 100-pound swordfish. That changed when the fish made a surface run and jumped, revealing a dramatically larger fish than they had expected.
The sword repeatedly moved between roughly 200 and 400 feet before making one run all the way back toward 1,400 feet. Bill and Russ traded turns on the rod while carefully managing drag because of the relatively soft mouth of a swordfish. Eventually they worked the fish back to the surface and alongside the boat.
Bill estimated the swordfish could have been in the 400- to 500-pound class, although the fish was never landed or weighed. After Bill placed a harpoon dart in the fish, the sword circled beneath the boat. The harpoon line eventually became involved with the boat’s trim tab, and during the struggle both the dart and hook pulled free. The swordfish disappeared back into deep water.
The loss gave Bill several lessons for the next giant fish. His biggest takeaway was the importance of keeping the harpoon and main line working from the same side of the boat whenever possible and positioning the rod farther forward to create a better angle away from the motors and running gear.
Bill and Russ did not wait long to go back offshore. On a later trip, they dropped again for swordfish and hooked another deep-water fish. Its behavior initially made them question whether they had hooked a sword or a shark, particularly as the fish became extremely heavy and made several unusual runs.
When the fish finally reached the boat, they discovered it was a tuna that had been foul-hooked near the tail. Bill harpooned it and Russ followed with the gaff. Bill estimated the fish at roughly 70 to 80 pounds and believes it was a small bigeye tuna, although the identification was not presented as definitive in the conversation.
The catch also reminded Bill of one of his earliest bigeye tuna adventures aboard a 19-foot Key West. On that trip, Bill and his crew fought a tuna for roughly three and a half hours before landing a 186-pound bigeye. The experience helped establish the offshore fishing obsession that eventually grew into Playin Hookey Charters.
What Comes Next For Lower Chesapeake Bay Anglers
The next several weeks should bring a major shift in available species. Bill expects only another trip or two targeting mahi before Playin Hookey begins concentrating more heavily on the fall and early-winter fisheries.
Deep dropping will be one of the biggest October opportunities. Bill plans to target blueline tilefish along with blackbelly rosefish and occasional golden tilefish when conditions allow. November brings the closure of the blueline tilefish season, making October an important month for anglers who want to make a deep-drop trip.
Closer to shore, black sea bass should remain a strong option through the end of the year. Triggerfish are also becoming increasingly important as the flounder bite begins to taper. Bill expects some tautog opportunities as temperatures continue falling, although the arrival of bluefin tuna around Thanksgiving can quickly shift his attention offshore.
Bull red drum will also become an important part of the fall program. Bill expects to target large reds in both the ocean and the bay, with some trips providing opportunities for keeper-sized fish as well. As daylight becomes shorter, Playin Hookey may also offer evening trips and combine different fisheries to maximize time on the water.
Swordfishing will remain on the schedule too. Depending on conditions, Bill may run dedicated daytime swordfish trips or combine swordfishing with mahi and other offshore opportunities. Anglers interested in fishing with Bill can follow Playin Hookey Charters for updates as the fall pattern develops.
Fish Care And Making The Most Of The Catch
Bill and Luke also spent time discussing fish care, particularly when anglers bring home premium offshore species such as tuna. Bill is meticulous about vacuum sealing his catch. As the bag seals, he presses and works remaining air toward the opening, then flattens each package before freezing it.
He stacks the flat vacuum-sealed packages together so they freeze into a compact block. The method makes the freezer easier to organize and reduces air around the packages, helping preserve the quality of fish that may have required a significant offshore run to catch.
Luke also shared a simple preparation he has been using for cobia, mahi, and other firm white fish. He cuts the fish into thin pieces, applies butter spray and Kinder’s Cowboy Butter seasoning, then sears the fish in a hot skillet. He serves it in warm tortillas with finely chopped English cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce for a Mediterranean-style fish taco.
Another fish Luke has recently added to the menu is filefish. After cleaning the fish and removing its leathery skin, he coats it lightly with mayonnaise and Kinder’s buttery garlic herb panko before frying it in peanut oil. Luke described the resulting meat as exceptionally white and compared its texture and flavor favorably with other prized reef fish.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Forecast
The Lower Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach fisheries are entering one of the most diverse periods of the year. Mahi and other warm-water pelagics are still available while favorable water remains close to shore, and offshore anglers continue to have opportunities for billfish and daytime swordfish.
At the same time, the fall transition is opening the door to an entirely different group of fisheries. Deep-drop species, black sea bass, triggerfish, bull red drum, and eventually tautog and bluefin tuna should become increasingly important as temperatures fall.
For anglers planning the next few weeks, flexibility will be the key. A calm offshore forecast could mean a deep-drop or swordfish trip, while less favorable offshore conditions can still leave excellent sea bass, triggerfish, and drum opportunities closer to home. If the unusually clean, warm water continues hanging around the coast, there may still be a few more surprises before the fall transition takes complete control.
