The sun was breaking through the tree tops as the dew started to sparkle from its rays.

A variety of birds sang a chorus of songs that broke the silence.

A cottonmouth snake slid out of the water to start sun bathing.

On a little pond where its waters sneak in and out of a Back Bay creek, it was obvious this was going to be a crappie morning. In fact, one of these beautiful speckled perch took the first jig cast and the bite continued to be good for most of the first few hours of fishing.

While crappie fishing has always been a favorite and a good alternative when you just need to wet a line for sanity’s sake, there is nothing crappy about the current fishing scene – both fresh and saltwater.

Yep, we’re off to a banner start and things are just going to improve as time passes.

With that, how about a Fishing Forecast?

SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA

Where in the heck do we start?

How about inshore waters and work our way out? In the lower Chesapeake Bay, a variety of species are already here and poised for your angling enjoyment.

Speckled trout fishing remains good around the mouth of the York River, along the Poquoson Flats, in the Elizabeth River and in all three southside inlets. Puppy drum are available in just about all the same places.

Action for big red drum has been hot on the shoals near the Eastern Shore, around barrier island breakers, the mouth of the bay and along the coast.

It shouldn’t be too much longer before big bull shark and tarpon arrive in some of the backwaters of the Eastern Shore’s seaside.

Look for big black drum to have their best showing in the Eastern Shore barrier island inlets, and along some of the shoals before moving to the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

Cobia have arrived in the bay and along the coast, but in Virginia the season doesn’t start until June 15. So it’s a good time to hone your skills with some fun catch-and-release action.

Striped bass seem to be plentiful throughout the region – with the bay limit at one fish between 20 and 28 inches through the June 15 closure in the bay, and one fish between 28 and 36 inches in coastal waters out to three miles through the end of the year.

Flounder action has been best in Eastern Shore barrier island backwaters, but fish also are starting to show along the CBBT and in some of the inlets. Also look for them around many artificial reefs and other bottom structures throughout the lower bay. In a nutshell, if the start of the flattie season is any indicator, we might just have a better year than during the past several.

Sheepshead should, if they aren’t already, be showing along the CBBT.

Spot, croaker, sea mullet, bluefish, trout and puppy drum are available along the coast and from most piers.

Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are appearing along the coastal beaches and these fisheries will get a lot better really soon.

Spadefish have likely started to arrive at numerous navigational structures like buoys and towers, but also will be joining triggerfish at area wrecks. The water is still a little too chilly for a real bite to start, but you’ll know when it has by the hundreds of boats swarming the Chesapeake Light Tower.

Good numbers and variety of species of shark can be found throughout the region.

Lots of sea bass are available at offshore wrecks, but the season its closed until June 16. Tautog season reopens at the end of June.

Bluewater trollers are starting to encounter tuna, wahoo, dolphin and billfish – especially when they head southeast.

Deep-dropping for tilefish has been good and should continue to be.

NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Bluewater action has typically been pretty good, but there have been days when catching has been tough.

Look for tuna – blacken, yellowfin and bigeye – to be the favorite of charter customers. But dolphin, wahoo and an increasing population of billfish also are on the menu.

Bottom-bouncing coastal wrecks has been producing a good variety of species.

Along the coast, big red drum and growing numbers of cobia top the list, although Spanish and bluefish are becoming more abundant. Carolina’s cobia season is open and will remain so through the end of the year.

Striped bass are being caught from the beaches, from piers and inside the inlets. Check the regulations, because in Carolina you just about need a lawyer to figure them out.

Pier and surf anglers can expect a large mixed bag that includes spot, croaker, blow toads, bluefish, Spanish, puppy drum, speckled trout, sea mullet, red drum, cobia, skate and shark. The same species will be available in and around the inlets.

In the sounds, look for speckled trout and puppy drum to highlight the action. And those in the know – and it’s a very limited number, can expect tarpon to start rolling.

FRESHWATER

Largemouth bass will rule the roost until waters get hot. Action has been good throughout tidal waters in both states, as well as public lakes and private ponds.

Bass also are waking up along Back Bay grass beds.

Giving bass a run for their money are shellcracker, also known as stump knockers. Their real name is a redear sunfish. No matter what you call them, these tasty panfish are incredibly fun on microlight tackle. Many anglers are finding them on their beds and lots of fish are topping a pound. Bluegill will be joining them along the shorelines.

While bluegill will remain in the shallows throughout the summer, bigger shellcracker will move to waters between 5 and 10 feet not long after the spawn.

Crappie will bite throughout the summer in shallow bodies of water – but where they can move deep, that’s what they’ll do.

Blue catfish continue to put on a good show in the James, Chickahominy and Northwest rivers.

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