# Cape charles fishing pier



## Jaron15 (Aug 14, 2007)

Any reports on it there hows it been?


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## Crashman65 (May 29, 2007)

*will let you know*

I plan to fish that pier this weekend, my first time in over a month. Not many people on this board fish there. I've seen some nice catches of striper and flounder this spring but the summer fishing has been slow with sporadic croaker, small spot, rays, etc. 

That pier is relatively new. It seems the fish have not settled in there yet.


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## bscheel (Jun 16, 2005)

I would like to hit the Cape Charles Pier within the next few weeks. Does it get crowded at all or is it good pier fishing without casting elbow to elbow like OVP on a Saturday night? Also, what are the regs on bringing some cold ones with you? Any signs or authority stating that we can't tote a cooler with a few cold ones? Last question... how far is the drop from the pier to the water (let's say at high tide)? Would a pier gaf or pier net be necessary if I hooked up with a larger fish? Any answers would be greatly appreciative and I will most definitely post the report after going. I will probably go a week from this coming Sunday (cannot go this Sunday due to Fantasy Football Draft).

~Brandon~


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## Jaron15 (Aug 14, 2007)

thanks crashman i plan to try it for drum and striper in a few weeks


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## Crashman65 (May 29, 2007)

*it's a small pier*

I have been fishing there since it was built about 2 years ago. The pier is only about 8' +/- above the water depending on the tide and if you hooked a big cobia or ray and wanted to land it you would need a net or gaff (but to my knowledge there have been no cobia caught there to date, I could be wrong but I doubt it).

I have never seen it elbow to elbow there. It is more like a community pier with a few locals but since it is small the end can get crowded. The pier is "L" shaped and maybe 200' long total with a "T" at the end. Cape Charles maintains the pier and carries the saltwater license.

I don't recall seeing any "no alcohol" signs and "the man" is not a frequent visitor. Be cool and drink from a cup. You should have no problems. I take airplane bottles of bourbon and mix a drink or two.:beer:  

Just a nice pier with nice people. Lot's of curious/bored tourists out for a walk. Not crowded but not always productive. Mostly croaker, some spot, skates, occasional trout, blue, flounder. You know, the usual suspects.

http://mrc.virginia.gov/vsrfdf/capecharles.shtm


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## Jaron15 (Aug 14, 2007)

has there bee many people there fishing for cobias?


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## Crashman65 (May 29, 2007)

*Good Question*

Jaron,

I haven't seen anybody going for Cobia there. But:
(a.)I am by no means a Cobia or Drum expert. 
and (b.) I haven't fished there since late June. 



All that sort of fishing seems to be down south toward Kiptopeke, Fishermans Island and CBBT around structure and shoals. I've been told puppy drum can be caught at Kiptopeke Beach with the right wind and water conditions.


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## Jaron15 (Aug 14, 2007)

i usually fish seagull pier for cobia but i was jus wonderin how fishing is there


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## rndhededflip (Apr 19, 2006)

how do you get there????


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

You pay $12 to go across the CBBT (route 13)take a left on the first light (about 10 miles north of end of bridge). That is the town of Cape Charles.
If you come back within 24 hours, you pay 5$. If not, it will be another $12. This is why the pier is so quiet. 

I've been going to Cape Charles jetty since I was a child (about 30 years ago). The pier is an extension of a pier they built about 12 years ago. The first one was built to prevent people from going to the end of the jetty.

People would get hurt trying to come back from the end of the jetty costing the town money (rescue). The middle of the jetty have rocks that are very slippery (submerged during high tide). The end of the jetty is outstanding fishing.

If only they would have built the pier over the jetty going to the end, it would have been fabulous. They got a grant from MRC to build an extension and it is FREE.

The end of the pier is still not close to the deep channel and so fishing is still limited. You can catch stripers by the lights by the hundreds during the fall, but they were small last year.

Don't know about Cobia. I would not advise if there are other people around. Not enough room to be hospitable.


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## Crashman65 (May 29, 2007)

*CC Pier Saturday 8/25*

Fished the pier Sat. night starting about 7 pm. After catching a small spot on bloodworms I cast him out toward the harbor channel on a carolina rig. After about 20 mins the drag was singing! Well I knew this was no flounder and from the way it took line and went back and forth so I figured it was a ray. Once I started to gain on it the line went slack. I thought I'd lost the rig or tied a bad knot. Turns out the monster threw the hook.

Dragged the bottom around the pier with squid strips on a carolina rig and pulled up TB flounders for a couple of hours until the bite turned off around 11 pm.

I've never braved the jetty but I have seen guys coming in with a stringer full of keeper flounder. I tried to wade out there on the beach side at low tide in June but once it got chest deep I turned back. That would be a great spot for a kayak.

Too bad they didn't build the pier out to the channel.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

The end of the jetty is excellent fishing. That is why people still go there despite the signs warning them not to.

You can go to the end of the jetty during low tide and come back during low tide. The area where the jetty is submerged during higher tides is extremely slippery. You cannot go there by wading on the beach. It gets too deep.

As a boy and a young man, I've been to the end of the pier many times. I've had cuts from the shells and close calls. I'm very lucky not to have busted my head wide open.

It just isn't worth it. 

What a lot of people don't know is that during high tide, the fishing on the beach side can be spectacular right on the pier. Try that some times. It gets a little deeper during high tide on the beach side and you would not believe the size and variety. I've caught large stripers during the summer and they were fun to catch albeit throw backs.


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## Crashman65 (May 29, 2007)

*Thanks CCC*

I'll give it a try. Planning to go back 9/7 thru 9/9.


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