Mid-Atlantic · named fishing ground
Chesapeake Light Tower
The tower off Virginia Beach — a structure beacon for cobia, red drum and Spanish mackerel through the warm season.
What's biting here — right now
Spanish Mackerel100
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F in the prime band (68–82°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (10–66 ft ideal)
Small shiny spoons cast or trolled fast through surface bait showers.
Cobia100
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F in the prime band (70–84°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (26–131 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Sight-cast jigs or eels to fish on buoys, rays, wrecks and channel markers.
Weakfish59
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F workable (63–77°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (10–49 ft ideal)
Soft plastics or bloodworms on channel edges at dusk; light tackle.
Bluefish45
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F outside preference (64–75°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (7–98 ft ideal)
Metal lures or poppers through bait schools and birds; wire leader.
Summer Flounder (Fluke)5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F outside preference (59–72°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (26–131 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Bucktail + strip bait drifted over sand near channel edges and structure.
Black Sea Bass5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F outside preference (55–72°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (33–148 ft ideal)
No charted structure within 250 m — scored cautiously (charts don't mark all hard bottom)
Squid or clam on hi-lo rigs directly over wrecks, reefs and rockpiles.
Scup (Porgy)5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F outside preference (55–73°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (26–131 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Small hooks with squid or worms over hard bottom and mussel beds.
Atlantic Bonito5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F outside preference (63–73°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (16–131 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
Trolled small feathers or cast metals around bait; moving water.
Yellowfin Tuna5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F in the prime band (72–84°F prime)
Charted 36 ft marginal for this species (197–4920 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
In NOAA-designated Essential Fish Habitat
Troll skirted lures on blue-water edges, rips and canyon walls; chunk at night.
Mahi-Mahi5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F in the prime band (75–86°F prime)
Charted 36 ft marginal for this species (131–6560 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
Better near weedlines and floating debris, not bottom structure if you can find it
Run and gun to weedlines, boards and birds; pitch ballyhoo or jigs.
White Marlin5
In season (Jul)
SST 79°F in the prime band (75–82°F prime)
Charted 36 ft marginal for this species (328–6560 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
Troll naked ballyhoo with dredges over 50-100 fathom lumps and edges.
Striped Bass2
Off-season here in Jul
SST 79°F outside preference (54–68°F prime)
Charted 36 ft suits this species (3–66 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Live bait or plugs on rips, ledges and boulder fields; dawn/dusk moving tide.
Live habitat-envelope scoring at this exact cell — SST, charted depth, charted structure and seabed, NOAA-designated habitat. The same engine and cards as tapping the spot in Fish mode.
Water temperature — last 10 weeks
2026-05-13 → 2026-07-22 · 58–79°F
Best months here
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Species in season by month for Mid-Atlantic (from the knowledge base). In season now: Bluefish, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Black Sea Bass, Scup (Porgy), Weakfish, Atlantic Bonito, Bluefin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi-Mahi, White Marlin.
Other grounds in Mid-Atlantic
The Mud Hole
Summer Flounder (Fluke) · Black Sea Bass · Bluefish
Baltimore Canyon
Yellowfin Tuna · White Marlin · Bluefin Tuna
Wilmington Canyon
Yellowfin Tuna · Mahi-Mahi · White Marlin
Reuse welcome with attribution. Weekly regional report: Mid-Atlantic · Feed: RSS · all US grounds: /fishing.