Virginia Vacation / Report

[Hi-Tech Redneck]

I headed down to my old stomping grounds of Virginia Beach last week. We rented a house on the beach with my wife's side of the family down in Sandbridge (south of the main tourist area, considered to be the northern part of the Outer Banks) Thought I'd share what few fishing experiences I got in. Would try to get up early every morning and fish for an hour before the tourists began crowding the beach. Caught tons of whiting (called sea mullet locally) - one morning I couldn't set a pole into the holder without having one on, one spotted seatrout, some croaker (a tasty saltwater relative of our beloved sheephead), a few spot, some silver perch (which turned into bait), a stargazer, a porcupine fish, some small sharks and some stingrays. Got away from the family stuff once to do some crabbing in my old spot and caught just under two dozen keepers. Had enough fish and crabs for a nice big seafood dinner at the end of the week.

My nephew with a stingray he caught
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/Surf_Ray.jpg

An assortment of fish caught in about 30-45 minutes before the sun set
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/Surf_Fish.jpg

A blue crab dying to jump into my steamer
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/Blue_Crab.jpg

And a small shark caught about 25 yards into the surf
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/Surf_Shark.jpg

Had lots of fun, fishing in the salty stuff is the only, and I mean ONLY thing I ever liked about living there.