# Any Croaker yet???



## sutphinda (Feb 9, 2012)

I have heard rumors of croaker out seagull's pier... Has anybody caught any croaker anywhere else... cuz when i went to seagulls last friday i aint catch nothing but a cold and I was fishing 4 rods for tautog (Clam, mussells, and SHrimp) and Croaker (Shrimp & squid) oh i also tried the same baits targeting the same fish at the green mile pier in newport news NO FISH ...

LET ME KNOW ASAP I want some fish


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

I would definetly wait until April 1st or 15th, the fish do carry pocket calenders ya know...


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## sutphinda (Feb 9, 2012)

yea i know ... right now its like praying to catch a couple instead of knowing ur going to catch em ...


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## earl of DC (Jul 7, 2007)

check this out !!
http://vbsf.net/2012/03/15/virginia-inshore-offshore-report-8/


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Another good way to find out is to call or go by the Dockside Marina or Bubba's both at the Lynnhaven Inlet and both fish gill and pound nets. Ask them how they're doing because they are always the first to catch.


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## 7.62 (Apr 15, 2011)

In the report Earl of DC linked to, it says, "Hook and line catches of croaker have been confirmed in the lower Bay and contributing rivers. The bigger hard heads are coming from the rivers..."

Does anyone know the migratory patterns of croaker? If they're starting to get caught in the rivers first, does that mean they spend the winters laying low in the brackish areas of the rivers and, as things heat up, move into the bay from there, and so on?


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## andrews (Jul 20, 2009)

7.62 said:


> In the report Earl of DC linked to, it says, "Hook and line catches of croaker have been confirmed in the lower Bay and contributing rivers. The bigger hard heads are coming from the rivers..."
> 
> Does anyone know the migratory patterns of croaker? If they're starting to get caught in the rivers first, does that mean they spend the winters laying low in the brackish areas of the rivers and, as things heat up, move into the bay from there, and so on?


From what I've been told about them and experienced, you're assumption is pretty much dead on.


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## 7.62 (Apr 15, 2011)

Hmmmmm...I wonder then if they are already starting to hit Gloucester point, etc.


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## Macman (Dec 27, 1999)

Croaker gouge!

http://www.gofishn.com/content/atlantic-croaker


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## Spiker (Jan 26, 2010)

Great weather...go fishing.


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## RocknReds (Jun 13, 2010)

The commercial guys started bailing them yesterday.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

7.62 said:


> In the report Earl of DC linked to, it says, "Hook and line catches of croaker have been confirmed in the lower Bay and contributing rivers. The bigger hard heads are coming from the rivers..."
> 
> Does anyone know the migratory patterns of croaker? If they're starting to get caught in the rivers first, does that mean they spend the winters laying low in the brackish areas of the rivers and, as things heat up, move into the bay from there, and so on?


JMO but in typical winters like last year when the Bay got down to 35* the croaker head out into the warmer waters of the ocean for the winter and come back in when the water gets up above 40* or so, once they come back in they head on up into the rivers where the waters warm quicker with the sun, as the water temps rise they move around more. With this warm winter I doubt they ever left the Bay but will typically not start feeding until the water temps get right.


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## jay (Feb 19, 2004)

@7.62 my grandfather great uncle and dad would go up to Richmond in the dead of winter and run nets to catch them back in the day- i know other members of my family that still run nets and commercial fish still do it but they've actually gone more north now way up the York. YES the majority of them leave but quite a few stay here, more then people think

Btw- they've been boating them in nets heavy now since the beginning of march


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## map120277 (Jul 17, 2008)

RocknReds said:


> The commercial guys started bailing them yesterday.


I heard the same. I talked to a guy that caught a couple thousand pounds of croaker. :beer:


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## ba0021 (May 23, 2007)

has anyone heard when the jrbp is opening i hope thats where the croakers starts


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## pierfisher9678 (Jun 12, 2009)

jrb pier is open..seen some peeps out there yesterday dont know if the croakers are in yet or not


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

I heard there were a few at PLO but just not biting maybe caught by boats


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