# Croaker Season comin soon 2 a pier near u



## Hard Head Hitter (Feb 5, 2007)

Ha guys. what happening My name is HHH im new to the forum im a waterboy by nature and try to spend as much time on the water as possible. i wont to start my fishing season off right for 2007 thinking of going to the James River Bridge Pier in the beginning of April and doing some croaker fishing,I hear alot about this pier in the spring. I was introduced to JRBP in july of 2006 and caught my personal record number of fish in one day, 176 in a little less than 12 hrs most huge Croakers and a fue smaller ones i was just wondering if there is anyone who has fished this pier from the opening to the closing of the season who knows the best time to fish here and what other fish this pier has to offer at different times of the year?


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## FishinAddiction (May 9, 2006)

croaker bore me:--|


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## jay (Feb 19, 2004)

FishinAddiction said:


> croaker bore me:--|


Yes we know http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35470 lol!   

Hey but yeah about JBP... April and maybe some times Oct. trust me that's really about it. It's basicly when the fish come and go... once in a while you'll here a good day like a big drum caught here and there (If the moon turns yellow and the sun turns white)


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

It can be a good place for stripers in Novemeber and December. Tossing lures.


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## Fly Wacko (Aug 8, 2005)

*FishinAddiction:*

Try croaker on a 3wt fly rod. Don't be a snob. If you are outclassing them with heavy tackle, that's your problem.

But, use ultralite tackle and they will out fight everything else in the Bay. 

FW


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

yeah im begining to think he was beaten up daily as a young boy by a school a angry croakers.hes definately not fishing right for 'em. ive caught everything about in the bay and every year i so look forward to catchin 'dem horses in the Elizabeth river on little taclke, cant beat it.. but ,to each his own(more for me)


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

jiggin fer flounders...and then....wham!!!! 1 1/2 lbs horse head hits your grub......ya either thinkin puppy drum....but its a hard head....that's fishin (lika box of chocalates)....if I got the heavers, the croaker's bait 

nuthin wrong w/ croakers..they's break the monontany when feeshin's slow.


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## Gills McGee (Feb 3, 2007)

I love croakers fishing!!!


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

Gills McGee said:


> I love croakers fishing!!!



*Croakahs!!!!!!!*


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## RACN35 (Oct 17, 2004)

I love croakers too.......FOR BAIT ONLY


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Catching a croker for the first time at the Whitestone bridge. Brilliant. Then making out in the water were we'd been fishing with my then girlfriend . Double brilliant


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## cgsteiger (Apr 13, 2006)

croker in the ware river in the back yard at night is when i go thats when the monsters are out.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Fly Wacko said:


> Try croaker on a 3wt fly rod. Don't be a snob. If you are outclassing them with heavy tackle, that's your problem.
> 
> But, use ultralite tackle and they will out fight everything else in the Bay.
> 
> FW


I just want to stand up for heavy tackle people BECAUSE unlike some locations around the bay and oceans many places I fish require you to reach a bit farther from the shore or pier to get into a mess of croaker. Of course i would prefer to use light tackle but when you have 3ft of water out to 80 yards until it gets to 6ft then you may need to break out the big guns.

Now I try to use 9', 10', and a medium 12' in these situations. Consider yourself lucky to always have the option of light tackle for croaka feeshin'

They are so much fun to catch but my least favorite bay fish to eat.


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## Gills McGee (Feb 3, 2007)

Nserch4Drum said:


> *Croakahs!!!!!!!*


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## togman (Oct 12, 2003)

Take a kid fishing & you will thank the croakers for biting!


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## Fly Wacko (Aug 8, 2005)

*Cygnus:*

Try those shallow waters at night. I have caught good croaker in ankle deep water at night. And some big specks with them.

Togman: Took the grandkids on their first fishing trip last summer. The croaker were willing, and the little munchkins are hooked. They can't wait till next year. Me too...

FW


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Welcome aboard. I would try along the ocean front first especially around the the sandbridge area first. Alot of times that is where they will show up first.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

Actually, they may show up along the oceanfront first, but they will bite on a hook and line up in the rivers first. Croaker make a huge migration into the bay later this month and work their way upriver, but they are only caught in nets until water temps hit around 50-55. Obviously, water temps upriver begin to warm in the spring way more quickly than the open bay or the oceanfront. Therefore your best bet, with hook and line, will be river mouths and upriver, late in the day/early evening on a falling tide. That's why you hear of such good catches early on from JRB, Willoughby, Lafayette R., York R., Rappahanock R., etc


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## justfishin (Aug 30, 2006)

Dr. Bubba , what about the Elizabeth river ? Is that one of the spots also for early season croaker ?


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Fly Wacko said:


> Try those shallow waters at night. I have caught good croaker in ankle deep water at night. And some big specks with them.


Thanks Fly Wacko ... I would but two of the places I haunt don't allow night fishing  and the others are up North (not Crisfield) and there are no specs around. 

But I will stick an ultralight out for you just in case! This is how I usually get my spot for bait anyway


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

justfishin said:


> Dr. Bubba , what about the Elizabeth river ? Is that one of the spots also for early season croaker ?


Yes, Elizableth R. too. I've heard of a lot of guys workin em behind harbor park.


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## justfishin (Aug 30, 2006)

Thanks for the info Dr. Bubba . I started fishing that area last fall and its pretty good around there and down towards the jordon. Caught a half dozen schoolies sat. down by the rr bridge ( from a boat ) .


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## erfisher (Feb 9, 2004)

FishinAddiction said:


> croaker bore me:--|


YOU ARE TO COOL FOR ME!


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

justfishin said:


> Caught a half dozen schoolies sat. down by the rr bridge ( from a boat ) .


well, even though you were cheatin on a boat , ain't it a weird year. February...catchin schoolie rock that far upriver....


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Tom you're killing me!! You know a 40" Striper on a 30 wide bores me but I don't fish that way because of it.  

This years top citation for Croaker was over 5lbs.  Could you imagine that on a Lt. Wt. combo with 6-8 lb. test. YeeHaa

Oh yeah I work just around the corner from Harbor Park and believe me the Rock are all over the place and still feeding hard !! Or so I heard.


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## firebox (Feb 3, 2003)

Any fishing is better then no fishing, Crocker, flounder or any fish. Just to get a line wet.:fishing:


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## justfishin (Aug 30, 2006)

Hey Jay , do you think they will still be around and feeding with this cold snap ? It seems like there all between 15-20" but I have caught a few between 20-25". Water temp at the hot ditch sat. was 64 but in the 40's around the JB.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

FishinAddiction said:


> croaker bore me:--|




Hey it must be that name cause some think I'm boring too but I love catching them in Burwells Bay Croakers 
B B Croaker.


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

jf I always watch the local water temps via the NOAA bouy site and Sewells Pt. today was almost 46. Stripers normally feed good until it gets down below 40 so I'm sure they'll be available for a while. Good luck if you go and remember a single hook with a smashed barb is the quickest way to release them.


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## justfishin (Aug 30, 2006)

Thanks for the info J . I have been using the storm and chesapeake bay lures in green and set the hook as soon as I feel them and lip hook or right inside the mouth everytime for a quick release but I here ya on the smashed barb though and both of those lures are single hook. Everyone has swam right off. I will post when I get back down there.


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## FishSlaya (Aug 9, 2001)

Hey HHH

My stepson works at the Crab Shack, the restaurant at the beginning of the pier, anyway I fish it a few times a week when I go to get him from work. The springtime you can catch croaker by the cooler full, you can also get a catfish or two in the early part of the season. The croaker kind of cool off near the end of May. From May threw the summer it is hit or miss sometimes the bite is on sometimes not. I have caught Flounder towards the end of the pier and got my secret spot. There are a lot of skates/rays caught at night in the summer months. There is a pretty good spot run towards the end of the season. In the winter months Stripers can be caught near the rocks by the restaurant and jigging the bride side usually will get you one or two. Hope to see you out there some time. 


They are looking to open up in Mid Marh for the 2007 season.


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## FCPRO (May 14, 2002)

Anyone Out There Ever Remember Catching Large Bluefish Off The James River Pier. From 1980-1983 They Usedto Show Up In Late April Thru Mid May. That Was Also When They Used To Enter The Bay In Large Numbers. One Of The Coolest Days I Can Remember Was Sight Casting To Cruising Fish With A Hopkins. Had Never Seen Blues That Large In The James River. They Were From 10 To 14 Pounds. Will Probably Never See Them In Their Again??


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## fishininov (Jan 20, 2005)

After the croaker get here, it seems like its only a short while before everything else


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

FCPRO said:


> Anyone Out There Ever Remember Catching Large Bluefish Off The James River Pier. From 1980-1983 They Usedto Show Up In Late April Thru Mid May. That Was Also When They Used To Enter The Bay In Large Numbers. One Of The Coolest Days I Can Remember Was Sight Casting To Cruising Fish With A Hopkins. Had Never Seen Blues That Large In The James River. They Were From 10 To 14 Pounds. Will Probably Never See Them In Their Again??



I remember one spring in the early to middle 70's when the blues blitzed WPJ. Thats when I caught my first big bluefish.


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## Freddrum (May 19, 2000)

The croaker we used to fish for 40 miles up the potomac (Colonial Beach) were up to 25-28 inches long and would put a hurtin on small rods & reels, alot of fun and not too bad to eat. Now bluefish? Y'all can eat them......YUK....but thats just me


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## Fly Wacko (Aug 8, 2005)

*Freddrum:*

The croaker are still in the CB area. It is one of my secret spots. I have caught them in there as early as mid March, but usually I don't target them till June. 

They do tend to be larger up there. Great on a lite fly rod.

FW


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Freddy-boy what you been smokin' ?? 25-28 inch Croakers  Pulllleze..did they have spots on their tails ?? Just another inquiring mind.

Jay


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

yeah thats what i was thinkin... the world record i think was around 26"(i believe)
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2006/090806.html
also found this 7+lber netted on the eastern shore that was only 25.5in..
http://web.odu.edu/sci/cqfe/pdf & sound files/species update/atlanticcroaker_species_update.pdf


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

21"the biggest in Burwells Bay back in the late 50's and early 60's when i was just a kid getting into fishing.
Used to rent a14 alum. boat and 7.5 hp motor there and go out to buoy 10 and catch them all day long.
Also caught trout and rock fish if we got there early before the sun got up to hi.
Now that was prime :fishing: in those days.


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