JAMES RIVER

Castaway Sporting Goods, (804) 706-9100, reports Jeff Wilson caught a 42-inch gar fish, and Mark Anderson nabbed 56 ½- and 33-pound blue cats.

Results from Saturday's tournament at River's Rest Park (120 boats): Johnny Jackson-Stan Keyser , five fish, 17.47 pounds; Bob Hinds-David Cole 16.38; Jim O'Neill-Ed Smiley 16.15; Chuck Schultz-Mark Brannock 16.13, big fish 6.14; Adam Lathan-Robert Lathan 15.57. Eighty-seven teams had fish, 44 teams had limit. Fish had to be 14 inches to protect the spawn. The next tournament is May 11 at Satterwhite.

Eberwien's Catfishing reports the following catch-and-releases in the Dutch Gap area: Francis Mayhew 75 pounds, Tyler Simpson 32, Chase Lawson 62, John Lawson 57, Pat Hall 50, Dawn Newmen 66, Justin Simpson 53, Jeff Housden 50 ½, D.F. Housden 41, Ryan Painter 67, Joe Mitchell 51, Rodney Winston 43, Jason Saunders 59, 33, Christopher Singleton 53, 41, 46, Buddie Hollie 37, C.W. Authur 54, Nick Jones 63, Kenball Hall 50, 51, Donald Jones 70, Dustin Hines , 39 ½, Tony Hines 38, Todd Marr 34, Steve Ferrell 55 ½, Steve Smith 40.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE

Capt. Art Conway of Conway's River Rat Guide Service, (804) 746-2475, reported water temperatures in the high-60s in the mornings and rising into the mid-70s by the afternoons last weekend. The lake level was about a foot above full pool. Small-to-medium crappie were primarily along the creek channels. Nice pickerel, and small blue and channel catfish were up the creeks, along with bluegill, shellcrackers, white perch and yellow perch. Wright Bait Co. 1and 2-inch curly tail grubs, crappie tubes and stingers, and live minnows were the most effective baits. Fishing with Capt. Conway, Bruce King and Hollis Pruitt caught 23 crappie, two white perch, two pickerel, a yellow perch, warmouth and channel catfish.

Jill O'Brien-Jones of Eagles Landing reports water temperatures in the upper 60s, the water level 9 inches high and fairly clear.

Team BASS tournament results: Mike Korth (Newport News)- Walter Shattuck (Lanexa) five fish, 15.94 pounds; Kenneth Sweeney, Sr.-Kenneth Sweeney, Jr. , Providence Forge, five fish, 13.33 and big fish of 5.02. The next Team BASS Tournament at Eagles Landing is Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER

Riverside Campgrounds, (804) 966-5536, reports Valerie Thomas , Culpeper, catfish, 30 pounds on herring; Gary Belk , Newport News, 100 or more crappie on small jigs; Mike Buchanan , Richmond, 10 bass, largest 4 pounds, crankbait. Bass are being caught using shallow crank bait on top of lily pad fields.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR PARK

Walter Elliott reports the reservoir is at full pool with an estimated surface water temperature of 65 degrees. Largemouth bass are being caught in 2to 15-feet of water off points and in the back of coves. Top water baits early followed by rattle traps, jerk baits and soft plastic baits later in the day are recommended. Anglers who can find crappie and yellow perch have caught fish on minnows and small jigs in 5 to 10 feet of water on structure. Chain pickerel are hitting minnows, spinner baits, crank baits, plastic worms and lizards.

Josh Norton , Gloucester, caught a 2-pound, 1-ounce, 16-inch crappie using bait unk. Mike Schneider , Hampton, caught a largemouth bass up to 6 pounds on bait unk.

Results of the Rule 9 Bass Club fishing Tournament on Sunday: Danny Ferk-Brad Webb , Hampton, 14.79 pounds; Mike Cherry-Rob Uzzle , Hampton, 14.76; Kevin Mills [Chesapeake]- Mike Schneider [Hampton] 14.70 lbs., Schneider had the big fish at 6.06.

OTHERS

Lake Gaston Bass Club tournament results: Mack Strickland-Chuck Rush 13 pounds, 1 ounce, Mack had big fish of 4.14; Rick Smith-Belvia Smith 11-2; Stephen Colwell-Ross Dufalla 10-13.

Chickahominy Anglers, Lake Gaston, tournament: Bubba Isbell-Bobby Harlow , 5 fish, 10.36 pounds; Johnny Fuller-Robert Henicheck , 10.32; Henicheck caught the big fish of 3.10.

Jim Talley caught and released a 9-pound, 12-ounce largemouth bass using a Powerbait 7-inch lizard in a private pond in Louisa County.

The Tuesday Night Invitational Bass Fishing Tournament out of Hopewell results: Calvin Hunter-Alan Jenkins 11.59 pounds (also big fish, 4.39 pounds), Cavin Young-J.C. Young 11.24; Trey Goodman-Jeff Hamilton 8.87; Jon Dodson-Scott Mozingo 8.04; Bryan Elrod-Michelle Elrod 7.77.

The April 18 results of the Friday Morning Invitational Fishing Tournament out of Hopewell: Bruce Clark-Liz Clark 9.15 pounds; Marc Wagy-Billy Wells 7.90; Donnie Bell-Fletcher Bell 7.28 (also big fish of 4.03); Bubba Eubank-Catfish Hunter 6.93.

George Allen Jr. of Ed Allen's Boats and Bait (804) 966-5368, reports the following tournament results: Mike Korth (Richmond)- Floyd Balus (Newport News), five fish, 13.22 pounds and big fish; Danny Gratton , Richmond, 12.58; Garrett Geouge , Lanexa, 10.59; Daniel Oden-Craig Miller , Lanexa, 9.11.

Surf fishing in a 4-plus tournament in Buxton, N.C., Barry Temple of Chester caught an 8-pound, 10-ounce big blue.

PAMUNKEY/LAKE ANNA

Last Friday, McCotter's Guide Service on Lake Anna had eight bass that weighed a total of almost 33 pounds. The best five went 23-6. Anna's bass and crappie are spawning and will continue through the May 19 full moon. Water temperatures are in the mid-60s and will top out around 74 later this month, bringing the spawning phase to a close for bass and most of the crappie. Panfish will begin to bed on the May full moon. Striper fishing has been good for bait runners.

Docks and stumps continue to draw largemouth bass in the lower and midlake regions. The extensive willow grass lines are best up lake. Wacky rigged worms, soft plastic jerkbaits, topwaters and the drop shot rig are all good bass producers this month. If you find them on one type of structure or setting, look for that same set up elsewhere and fish the pattern, not the spot.

There are many stripers in the upper stretches of the lake. The S-turns of the Pamunkey are loaded, as is the area of the North Anna above the last bridge. These fish are spawning and tricky to catch. Come down lake and fish areas such as Rose Valley and Big Ben Flats and the shallows flats/points just above and below Stubb's Bridge for more catchable stripers. Live lining shad and herring is excellent. Casters will find more and more fish willing to take soft plastic jerkbaits and big topwaters retrieved over flats and points.

A nice late spawn for crappie developed on the April full moon in the midlake region. Expect the last of the crappie to go on the May full moon. Plenty of fish spawning in willow grass in the up lake region. The best places have pea gravel bottom in the grass with stumps. The Berkley Atomic Tube with teaser tail has been excellent. When fish won't move from spawning areas, use small minnows right on the grass line. Fish up lake for the best catches.

CHESAPEAKE BAY/OCEAN

Anglers are reporting catches of big red drum with the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore offering some catches of fish of more than 50 inches. Peeler crabs, blue crabs and bunker fished on the shoals and in the surf can put you into some escalating red action. These fish are fierce fighters and can weigh upward of 50 pounds. Carl Moore of Richmond released a nice 51-inch red while fishing with cut bait along the barrier islands this week.

The black drum also is on the move, pushing its way into the usual haunts. These two species are often caught in the same areas. According to Chris at Chris' Bait and Tackle, some boats are taking scattered blacks near buoys 13 and 16, with buoy 36A another good place to try. Some larger fish also are coming from the seaside inlets along the Eastern Shore, especially from the Machipango and Quinby areas. Smaller fish are coming from the surf.

With the wind and muddy water, flounder pounders are struggling to find fish, with protected areas offering the best opportunity. Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle reports some keepers are coming from within Lynnhaven Inlet, along with lots of 4-pound snapper bluefish. The Fishing Center reports surf anglers are pulling in lots of snapper blues and scattered flatfish from the bulkheads and the beaches from within Rudee Inlet. The Oyster area and Ship Shoal Inlet on the Eastern Shore are providing limits of keepers. Drifters at buoy 36A also are hooking a few flatties in between dogfish encounters.

Some good numbers of speckled trout are coming from lower bay inlets and shallows, where John Dunn of Norfolk landed a 5-pounder while working a grub inside Rudee Inlet this week. Folks fishing the inshore waters in Oyster as well as the Eastern Shore seaside inlets are catching decent fish up to 6 pounds on peeler crabs, live bait and swimming lures. Puppy drum are available in these areas.

Croaker are hitting along the ocean front, Hampton bar and the lower bay rivers and creeks. The Ocean View Fishing Pier reports steady action with anglers hauling in a mixed bag of croaker, spot, sea mullet, gray trout to 26 inches and striped bass to 24 inches. Anglers are finding the best luck on blood worms, squid and Fishbites, especially after dusk. The Virginia trophy striped bass season has begun, but be sure to check the regulations on the VMRC Web site at www.mrc.virginia.gov before targeting these fish.

The tautog season is closed until late June. Some nice sea bass are coming from both inshore and offshore locations with squid, cut bait and jigs working well. Grouper, wreckfish and big blueline and golden tilefish are coming from deep waters off Virginia. Mike Delbridge of Chesapeake scored with a nice 11-pound blueline tile while fishing aboard the Blue Neon 2 recently.

The Carolina offshore fishing fleets are experiencing good numbers of gaffer dolphin, as well as decent numbers of yellowfin tuna. Wahoo and marlin also are adding a little variety. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.

OUTER BANKS

Leonard Nuchols reports the fishing on the Outer Banks is improving as the weather continues to warm the water. Good numbers of big chopper blues are being reported from Ocracoke Island to Cape Point. The big surprise was a 35-pound citation striper landed last Friday by Brian Salerno of Quinton. The Cape Point area reports good numbers of big blues up to 11 pounds on cut bait along with sea mullet, blow toads, black drum, flounder, puppy drum, one striper and one big drum. The Hatteras Village Beaches report big blues up to 13 pounds along with catches of sea mullet, blow toads, puppy drum, yearling drum and a couple of big drum. Ocracoke Island reports good numbers of big chopper blues up to 12 pounds where Jon Ryan of Centreville landed a 36-inch blue last Sunday. Ocracoke also reports black drum, big drum, sea mullet, blow toads and flounder. The northern beaches report sea mullet, blow toads, blues up to 10 pounds, flounder and puppy drum. The southern beaches report blow toads, sea mullet, puppy drum, blues up to 10 pounds and flounder on Berkley's Gulp! Shrimp Alive Pearl White. The offshore boats out of Hatteras Inlet report good catches of blackfin tuna, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel, amberjacks, cobia and one spear fish, along with releases of blue marlin and white marlin. The inshore boats report puppy drum, big blues, sea mullet, flounder and speckled trout. The offshore boats out of Oregon Inlet report mako sharks, yellowfin tuna, dolphin, king mackerel, wahoo and big eye tuna up to 206 pounds, along with releases of blue marlin and sailfish. The inshore boats report gray trout, small stripers, puppy drum and speckled trout.