Along with some superb summertime fishing action in July comes the inevitable periods of high temperatures. Anglers able to adjust their fishing time to either early morning or evening hours can, in most cases, “beat the heat.” For others, the wait could be on for cooler temperatures unless you are ready to try the excitement of nighttime fishing. Fishing cooler times which in July can begin in the late evening hours, provides more then just relief from the day’s heat. During the summer, some of the best angling opportunities can come about as darkness falls. Catfish anglers on the Rappahannock, James, Potomac and many of these rivers’ feeder creeks and tributaries have found that bigger cats prefer cooler hours of darkness to feed, once summer heat sets in.

     One of the more popular spots for fishing the Rappahannock is a long stretch of river between Port Royal Landing and a location several miles upriver known as the “Three Dollar Hole”. Other favored catfish locations are downriver from the town of Port Royal and include sections located close to shore at places like “Horseshoe Bend” and “Owl Creek Hollow”. These can be located for you on a Rappahannock River map by those familiar with local waters. Anglers both in boats and in shore side locations can be seen as dots of anchor lights along the river’s edge or lantern lights for those fishing right from the bank. Some may call it an eerie sight as you move slowly upriver, but to us it is a welcomed part of a seasonal tradition on the tidal Rappahannock.

     Favored baits and rigs for catfish action on local tidal rivers include slip sinkers of two to four ounces and large hooks with three foot leaders. The strategy in these rigs is for bigger more wary catfish to be able to pick up a bait and feel no resistance. Baits of choice include live eel or cut chunks of eel, peeler crab and cut herring or mud shad. Port Royal Landing offers the opportunity to fish in a nighttime catfish tournament next month on August 4-5, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. 

     Prizes and categories for angling teams, women anglers, youth anglers and the “lunker pot” are included in a modest cost per boat of $40/boat prior to July 30 and $50/boat through the tournament date. The optional “lunker pot” category is $10/angler. Call 804-742-5820 for information on how to register. Port Royal Landing can also provide information on current fishing action on the river, the bait and tackle to use and what licenses are required.

     In more salty sections of Maryland & Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay and tributary waters, two different species are popular among evening and nighttime anglers. Both croakers and gray sea trout will often provide better action during these cooler times of hot summer periods. For the croakers, double hook rigs baited with squid or peeler crabs fished right on the bottom are the rigs of choice. In the late evening and nighttime hours, larger croakers may move into shallower, inshore waters, joining the smaller ones there. Sea trout will also hit squid strips or peeler crab. Look for changes in bottom structures such as wrecks, grass beds or drop-offs where contours include significant changes. Signs of baitfish are also a good indicator that forging sea trout will be around. Our preference when using bait for gray trout is to include spinner hooks, especially when fishing at night. 

     Some charter boat captains fishing Maryland & Virginia waters offer nighttime fishing trips so contact one and see what they have to offer. For trips on your own, make safety and preparation you constant fishing partner, when planning to fish after dark. 

© 2001 Chelly & Steve Scala All rights reserved