Stafford two-sport standout Natalie Bohmke has orally committed to play field hockey for Virginia Commonwealth University.

Bohmke was The Free Lance–Star Player of the Year in 2012. The junior defender helped lead the Indians to the Northwest Region championship and a trip to the Group AAA state semifinals.

While serving as Stafford’s defensive anchor, the speedy Bohmke, who also plays tennis, scored two goals, registered 14 assists and five saves.

She chose VCU over William & Mary.

WILDCATS ON THE MOVE

Several Mountain View track and field athletes have determined where they’ll compete in college.

Wildcats coach Dave Davis said Ben Sorensen, who won Commonwealth District titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 this past Friday, is headed to VCU.

Distance runner Maddie Biddle will compete for Division II St. Joseph’s (Ind.) College.

Sprinters Travis Geris and Brandon Watts will run for Mary Washington and Bridgewater, respectively.

Davis also said standout sprinter Jean Rouse is choosing between Indiana and Louisiana State.

“As long as we can get kids to run, to compete and become athletes instead of players,” Davis said, “that’s what it’s all about.”

HORTON ON THE RADAR

North Stafford junior football standout Jae’Wuan Horton has picked up a full scholarship offer from Division II West Virginia Wesleyan.

Wolverines coach Joe Mangano said Division I schools are close to offering Horton a scholarship, as well.

Horton (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) was a first-team all-Commonwealth District and All-Area selection as a defensive end in 2012. Mangano said he’s also an honor student who has already achieved SAT qualifying scores.

HENDERSON GAINS SUITOR

King George junior linebacker and quarterback Corey Henderson has received a scholarship offer from Virginia Military Institute, Foxes assistant coach Chuck Eley said.

Henderson previously picked up a scholarship offer from Kent State.

Eley said Henderson (6-foot-3, 243 pounds) has attended several combines recently and has worked out as a middle linebacker, tight end, H-back and defensive end.

EAGLE PICKS KEYDETS

Colonial Forge senior track-and-field standout Desmond Weinberg–Jones will compete for VMI.

Weinberg–Jones said he chose the Keydets because he liked the atmosphere in Lexington and he also knows former Colonial Forge athlete Pete Reed, who is a rising sophomore for the VMI track team.

Weinberg–Jones said he expects to compete in the 400 hurdles and the pole vault for the Keydets.

FOX TO JOIN TEAMMATE

King George senior thrower Jessica Swenson will compete for Bridgewater College, Foxes coach Rudy Pekarek said.

Swenson won the Battlefield District championship in the shot put last Wednesday. At Bridgewater, she’ll join former King George standout Brittany Kersey, who won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship in the high jump last month.

Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526

tcoghill@freelancestar.com

The King George boys soccer team got a taste of the Region I tournament last year and had a goal to return again this season despite losing several players to graduation and they had the chance to return this year with a win on Wednesday.

This year’s team still has key contributors from that squad, and they came up big to lead the fourth-seeded Foxes to a 1–0 win over second-seeded Courtland in the Battlefield District consolation game played on King George’s home field.

In the nightcap, top-seeded Culpeper started off fast, scoring 12 seconds into the game, and cruised to a 3–0 win over third-seeded Chancellor to claim the tournament title.

King George (9–6–1) started off Wednesday’s action slow, but did get the first opportunity just 2:20 into the game, but had an apparent scored called back due to a foul.

After that, the Cougars (10–5–3) dominated play for the next 20 minutes, but Foxes’ goalie Johannes Gulick made several big saves to keep the game scoreless until his side settled into the game.

Gulick made seven saves in the opening half, many during this stretch as his defense worked to get organized early on.

“Johannes played the best game out of a keeper I’ve seen this year, making some huge one-on-one saves,” King George coach Jeff Butler said. “He was real aggressive coming out to the ball and making sure he was challenging their strikers hard and it paid off.”

“I just wanted to keep my team in the game and then to let them settle in and get to what they’re good at,” Gulick added.

Once the play evened out, King George started creating some chances for itself and would eventually break through.

The Foxes were awarded a free kick near midfield with just over 13 minutes left in the half. Jacob Perkins sent a long ball into the Cougars’ goal area and senior Matt Walseman beat his marker to it, heading it past a diving Yurgel to give King George a 1–0 lead.

“We didn’t really have a lot of chances besides that,” The forward said. “With a team like Courtland, if you don’t score first, you never have a chance because they’re so good and they can pin you down really hard. Once I got that first goal, we all knew we really had a game.”

The score stayed that way until the half and the Foxes came out fast after the intermission, but Yurgel was up to the task and made two important saves in the opening two minutes to keep King George from extending its lead.

The play was back and forth from there until the Cougars began to push harder in search of a tying goal as the clock wound down.

Gulick was there again to back up his team when they needed it. The sophomore, who finished with 12 saves, came up with huge one-on-one saves against the Cougars’ Josh Tomaso with 14 minutes to play and then again against Zach Ogden with six minutes to play.

The Foxes then held off Courtland from there to advance to Tuesday’s region quarterfinals where they will travel to either Grafton or Lafayette next Tuesday.

“We’ll go down there and give them a game,” Butler said. “Hopefully, the experience from last year will help. It was all new to us last year, now we’re trying to build on that and do something new.”

CULPEPER 3, CHANCELLOR 0

The Blue Devils remained unbeaten with a dominate win against the Chargers.

Kyle Ollinger got onto the end of a long ball off the opening kickoff to score just 12 seconds in the game game.

Jacob Burke nearly leveled the match for Chancellor (11–4–3) with eight minutes left in the first half on its best chance of the game, but Blue Devils’ junior Clay Metcalf slid and block the shot at the last second to preserve the one-goal lead at the half.

Nick Pitorri then scored 2:21 into the second half and Justin Gillispie added a third with 20:39 to play before Culpeper’s defense sealed the shutout win.

Culpeper (14–0–3) will host Prince Edward in Tuesday’s region quarterfinals.

Tom Leiss: 540/374-5440

tleiss@freelancestar.com

Caroline’s baseball team punched its ticket Wednesday to the Region I tournament, pounding Courtland 17–0 in the Battlefield District tournament consolation game. 

Eastern View edged Culpeper 5–4 in 11th innings in the championship game.

The Cavaliers scored 13 runs in the second to decide the contest early. Leadoff hitter Alex Jeter and left fielder Collin Hess both went 3-for-3 and scored three runs to set the pace.

Justin Pitts contributed two hits and drove in four runs.

“This was unexpected,” Caroline coach Frank Dow said. “Our guys made some adjustments from Monday, we’re excited to be going back to the region tournament.”

Caroline (14–5) will visit either New Kent or War Hill on Monday in the Region I first round. Courtland closes its season at 10–12.

R H E

Courtland 000 00 0 3 2

Caroline 3131 0x 17 18 0

ZACH SMITH, Conner Forster (2), Jacob Harris (2) and Tommy Haught. ADAM DESJARLAIS and Ryan Hickman.

Steve Franzello: 540/374-5440

sports@freelancestar.com

It was the strong arm of Taylor Brandts that led King George’s softball team to the Battlefield District’s regular-season title this spring.

And with her second straight strong outing Wednesday, Brandts also delivered a tournament crown to the Foxes.

The senior struck out 12 Culpeper batters—giving her 28 strikeouts in the two-round playoff—as the Foxes blanked the Blue Devils 2–0 in the district championship game.

King George will host a Region I tournament game Monday at 1 p.m. Culpeper will play in the quarterfinals, but its opponent and the location of the game is still to be determined.

The Foxes are 21–1, their only loss coming against Culpeper with Brandts out injured. So to finish off the district tournament with a bit of payback was sweet, Brandts said.

“We wanted to finish it with just the one loss,” she said. “To win it against Culpeper was a big deal for us. Just to finish off so strong was amazing.”

Savannah Nalls drove in both King George runs with a third-inning double to right-center, plating Brandts and Taylor Balmaz.

That was more than enough wiggle room for Brandts.She allowed just two hits—a soft single by Kara Cuccherini in the fourth and a hard double by Eryka Arzola in the seventh.

EASTERN VIEW 9, SPOTSYLVANIA 5

Lesley Waller was 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs and earned the pitching win as the Cyclones clinched their first Region I tournament berth since 2009 by beating the Knights in Wednesday’s consolation game.

Spotsylvania scored runs in the first and second innings to take a 2–0 lead, but Waller had one of three hits in the bottom of the second that led to five Eastern View runs and put the Cyclones in control.

Waller also had a two-run single in the fourth and a solo home run in the sixth. Brianne Pollard had two hits for Eastern View.

Casey Shaeffer and Makayla Baker had two hits each for the Knights, and Baker drove in a pair of runs.

Eastern View will play at Smithfield on Monday in the Region I quarterfinals.

Justin Rice: 540/368-5045

jrice@freelancestar.com

Henry Hoffman battled back in a crucial singles match Wednesday to lead James Monroe’s boys tennis team to a 5–2 win over Poquoson in the Region I semifinals

Hoffman overcame a first-set loss to defeat Royce Bowden 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 at No. 3 singles as the Yellow Jackets won four of the six singles matches at the University of Mary Washington’s courts.

After winning their respective singles matches, Fitzhugh Johnson and Walton Mahon teamed up for the decisive point at No. 1 doubles.

The Yellow Jackets (18–1) qualify for the Group AA state tournament and will visit top-seeded Jamestown in the regional finals Friday.

Jamestown defeated visitng Grafton 5–0 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.

Singles: Fitzugh Johnson (JM) d. Austin Gilliam 6–1, 6–3; Walton Mahon (JM) d. Jason Leseburger 6–1, 6–0; Henry Hoffman (JM) d. Royce Bowden 3–6, 6–4, 6–3; Tyler Moore (P) d. Simon Hu 4–6, 6–0, 6–1; Sam Washburn (P) d. Blake Olsen 6–4, 6–4; Warner Cohen (JM) d. Braeden Royal 6–0, 6–0.

Doubles: Johnson–Mahon (JM) d. Gilliam–Leseburger 6–0, 6–1.

GIRLS TENNIS

EASTERN VIEW 5, YORK 3

The Cyclones earned a trip to the Group AA state tournament with their Region I semifinal win. Eastern View will visit top-seeded Jamestown in Friday’s regional final.

BOYS SOCCER

WASHINGTON & LEE 8, LANCASTER 1

Juan Ochoa scored four goals to lift Washington & Lee to a win over Lancaster in the Northern Neck semifinals. Juan Izaguirre had three goals, J.T. Thompson scored a goal and Alex Lane had two assists.

Jose Chipres had three assists and Anthony Martinez had one assist for the Eagles.

BASEBALL

NORTHWEST REGION

Today’s first round

Broad Run at Riverbend, 6

North Stafford at Patriot, 6

Forest Park at Patrick Henry, 5

Franklin Co. at Osbourn Park, 6

Monday’s quarterfinals

Franklin Co.–Osbourn Park

winner at Colonial Forge, 4

North Stafford–Patriot winner

at G.W.-Danville, 6

Broad Run–Riverbend winner

at C.D. Hylton, 6

Forest Park–Patrick Henry

winner at Battlefield, 6

BATTLEFIELD DISTRICT

At Spotsylvania

Monday’s semifinals

Eastern View 4, Courtland 0

Culpeper 3. Caroline 1

Wednesday’s final

E. View 5, Culpeper 4 (11 inn.)

Wednesday’s consolation

Caroline 17, Courtland 0

SOFTBALL

NORTHWEST REGION

Today’s first round

Mountain View at Franklin Co., 5

Patrick Henry at Albemarle, 6

Battlefield at Woodbridge, 6

Forest Park at Broad Run, 6

Monday’s quarterfinals

Broad Run-Forest Park winner

at Orange, 6

Albemarle-Patrick Henry winner

at Osbourn, 3

Franklin County-Mountain View

winner at Osbourn Park, 6

Battlefield-Woodbridge winner

at Halifax County, 6

BATTLEFIELD DISTRICT

At Spotsylvania

Monday’s semifinals

King George 6, Spotsylvania 1

Culpeper 3, Eastern View 1

Wednesday’s final

King George 2, Culpeper 0

Wednesday’s consolation

E. View 9, Spotsylvania 5

JEFFERSON DISTRICT

At Monticello

Tuesday’s semifinals

Powhatan 4, W. Albemarle 2

Fluvanna 2, Louisa 0

Today’s final

Powhatan vs. Fluvanna, 6

GIRLS SOCCER

NORTHWEST REGION

Today’s first round

Patriot at Patrick Henry, 6

Mountain View at Woodbridge, 6

Osbourn Park at Colonial Forge, 6

GW/Halifax play Tuesday at Broad Run, 6

Monday’s quarterfinals

Patrick Henry–Patriot winner

at Albemarle, 5

Woodbridge–Mountain View

winner at Battlefield, 6

Broad Run/GW-Halifax winner

at Forest Park, 7

Colonial Forge–Osbourn Park

winner at Franklin County, 2

BATTLEFIELD DISTRICT

At King George

Tuesday’s semifinals

Courtland 2, Chancellor 0

Spotsylvania 1, King George 0

Today’s final

Courtland vs. Spotsylvania, 6

Today’s consolation

Chancellor vs. King George, 4

BOYS SOCCER

NORTHWEST REGION

Wednesday’s first round

Stonewall Jackson at Osbourn Park

Today’s first round

Franklin Co. at Colonial Forge, 4

Massaponax at G.W.-Danville, 6

Woodbridge at Battlefield, 5

Monday’s quarterfinals

OP–Stonewall Jackson winner

at Mountain View, 6

Battlefield–Woodbridge winner

at Patrick Henry, 6

Franklin Co.–Colonial Forge

winner at Forest Park, 5

Massaponax–G.W. winner

at Broad Run, 6

BATTLEFIELD DISTRICT

At King George

Monday semifinals

Culpeper 3, King George 0

Chancellor 3, Courtland 1

Wednesday’s final

Culpeper 3, Chancellor 0

Wednesday’s consolation

King George 1, Courtland 0

NORTHERN NECK DISTRICT

At Essex

Wednesday’s semifinals

Wash. & Lee 8, Lancaster 1

Essex 2, Rappahannock 1, OT

Friday’s final

Essex vs. Washington & Lee, 8

BOYS LACROSSE

NORTHWEST REGION

Thursday’s quarterfinal

Colonial Forge 11, Freedom 9

Friday’s quarterfinals

Battlefield 12, North Stafford 5

Osb. Park 22, Brooke Point 8

Broad Run 9, Forest Park 4

Tuesday’s semifinals

Broad Run 10, Colonial Forge 9

Battlefield 10, Osbourn Park 4

Today’s final

Broad Run vs. Battlefield

TENNIS

REGION I BOYS

Monday’s quarterfinals

Jamestown 5, Courtland 0

Grafton 5, Prince Edward 0

James Monroe 5, Bruton 0

Poquoson 5, Eastern View 3

Wednesday’s semifinals

JM 5, Poquoson 2

Jamestown 5, Grafton 0

Friday’s final

James Monroe at Jamestown, 2

REGION I GIRLS

Monday’s quarterfinals

Jamestown 5, Courtland 0

Smithfield 6, Prince Edward 0

Eastern View 5, Lafayette 4

York 5, James Monroe 1

Wednesday’s semifinals

Jamestown 5, Smithfield 0

Eastern View 5, York 2

Friday’s final

Eastern View at Jamestown

The Tidal Rappahannock River between Port Royal and Leedstown now has 61,000 more largemouth bass in it than it had last week.

A multi-year initiative by a group of local bass anglers came to fruition Monday when they stocked the river with fingerling bass purchased from the American Sportfish Hatchery in Alabama.

The Rappahannock Chapter of Concerned Bass Anglers of Virginia (CBAV) formed in late 2011, specifically to address the issue of sustained poor fishing for largemouth bass in the tidal section of the river, which was once a premier fishery.

Bass fishermen formed the CBAV nearly a decade ago and targeted the Chickahominy River for the first stocking initiatives. That stocking, funded primarily by money raised by CBAV and with technical support from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, proved successful. A substantial number of bass fingerlings survived, and today “the Chick” shows evidence of a rebounded top-quality bass fishery.

Anglers who considered the Rappahannock their “home waters” hoped the river would be the next target for improvement. Habitat loss and fish mortality due to drought and storms greatly reduced bass populations, as measured in electro-fishing surveys by the VDGIF. The prolonged drought in the 2002–2003 timeframe temporarily increased the river’s salinity. Severe storms reshaped habitat.

Years ticked by without the Rappahannock being selected for VDGIF-funded stocking. So King George residents Shaun Tate and Buddy Fines and Caroline County resident Bruce Lee decided they needed to be the catalysts. The new chapter was organized, fundraising began and within a year, the group had collected nearly $30,000 that they could devote to fish stocking.

TIGER BASS

Working with VDGIF biologists, they selected late May as the optimum time to introduce the fingerlings to the water. Water temperatures have warmed, protective grasses and lily pads are flourishing and ample food is available for young bass.

Scott Hermann, a VDGIF regional fisheries biologist, met the anglers at King George’s Wilmont boat landing Monday to assist with fish dispersion. He said he wanted to assess the overall size and health of the fish before they were transferred to the river.

“The first couple weeks are the most critical in terms of survivability of these stocked fish,” Hermann said.

That’s about how long it would take for the stocked fish to reach about 2–3 inches in length, and their predatory instincts have them begin eating the fry of other fish, he added. Until then, they’ll dine primarily on zooplankton.

The fish are trademarked by American Sportfish Hatchery as “Tiger Bass,” a crossbreed between a strain of aggressive Northern Bass and a pure strain of Florida Bass. The fish have been known to gain up to 2 pounds per year and could reach 6–8 inches in length by this fall.

Some mortality is inevitable, but Lee’s team assembled a stocking plan that tried to give the juvenile bass the best chances of success.

The water temperature of the transport truck was within 3 degrees of the river temperature. As the fish were transferred to thick, clear plastic bags, Robby Mays of American Sportfish injected the water with oxygen. The bags were placed in coolers, and CBAV members were assigned specific locations to release the fish.

I rode with Kellum Brooks in his jon boat on a mission to distribute six bags of fish in the creeks near Portabago Bay. Each bag held approximately 500 fingerlings.

At all distribution points, the goal was to get as far into the creeks as possible. Such locations offer ample hiding places for small fish, protection from rough weather and reduced access for larger, predatory fish.

Brooks emptied one bag in shallow water adjacent to a massive expanse of lily pads and other vegetation, declaring: “If they can’t find a place to hide in there, I don’t know where they can hide!”

The fish are “chemically marked” with a dye that is supposed to stain the bony-like otoliths in their ears. As VDGIF agents conduct fall electro-fishing surveys on the Rappahannock, they’ll visit places where the fingerling were stocked to assess survival, and a number will be tested for the chemical markings.

SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

 The satisfaction of the gathered fishermen Monday was palpable. Chapter secretary Buddy Fines of King George called the assembled men “probably the most dedicated group of people I’ve ever worked with. They believe in commitment and they live to fish,” he said. 

As Mays blasted oxygen into the final bags of fish being prepared for distribution, he casually asked Lee, “So, do all you guys belong to a bass club?”

Lee paused, and then answered, “No, we’ve all belonged to clubs at one time or another. We’re all, really, just Rappahannock River rats who care a lot about this river.”

The VDGIF is stocking another 125,000 of the same fingerling bass next week in Back Bay near Virginia Beach. This is year two of a three-year stocking project that will see an astounding 375,000 total bass placed into Back Bay. That area has seen considerable hurricane and tropical storm damage in recent years.

NOTE:

CBAV Rappahannock Chapter committee members include President/Coordinator Bruce Lee, Treasurer Shaun Tate, Secretary Fines, Rondal Eller, Sam Musselman, Greg Crowe, Terry Curtis, Roger Williams, Donald Satterfield, Earl Cooper and Kellum Brooks.

Ken Perrotte can be reached at The Free Lance–Star, 616 Amelia Street, Fredericksburg, Va. 22401, by fax at 373-8455 or e–mail at outdoors@freelancestar.com.

For more on outdoors things to do around Fredericksburg and the region, sign up for The Free Lance-Star’s newest e-newsletter, Mighty Outdoors, at http://fredericksburg.com/topics/mightyoutdoors/about.html

June 1: 15th annual Possum Point Ducks Unlimited Banquet. Events begin at 2 p.m., Elks Lodge #2355, 14602 Minnieville Rd, Dale City. Call Bruce Baehre for details: 540/659-9091. Tickets available online at ducks.org.

June 15: Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation fundraiser benefiting wildlife habitat and youth programs of Virginia. Shady Grove Kennels, Remington. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Adult and youth shooting, archery, raffles, silent auction and demonstrations. For details call 703/232-3572 or e-mail jsaggers@gmail.com.

FISHING TOURNAMENTS

May 24: Night catfishing. Motts Run Reservoir. 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Discount advance purchase prices. For details, fees and private boat limitations, call 786-8989. Night fishing also on June 21, July 19, Aug. 16 and Sept. 20.

HUNTER EDUCATION CLASSES

Note: Sign up online for Hunter Education classes at huntfishva.com.

June 8: Potomac Hunt Club. Primary instructor Stanley Burrell, 540/582-5492.

July 9: King George Recreation Department. Primary instructor Rick Wilks, 540/775-4625.

HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS

E–mail the information, with subject line stating “Outdoor Calendar,” to Ken Perrotte at outdoors@freelancestar.com or mail it to Box 1069, King George, Va. 22485.

TIDES AT  FREDERICKSBURG

Friday, May 24 High: 6:38 a.m., 7:18 p.m. Low:  1:11 a.m., 2:14 p.m.

Saturday, May 25 High: 7:28 a.m., 8:09 p.m. Low:  2:05 a.m.,  3:06 p.m.

Sunday, May 26 High: 8:19 a.m., 9:02 p.m. Low:  3:01 a.m., 3:58 p.m.

Monday, May 27 High: 9:11 a,m., 9:56 p.m. Low:  3:56 a.m.,  4:49 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28 High: 10:05 a.m., 10:52 p.m. Low:  4:52 a.m., 5:42 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29 High: 11:02 a.m., 11:52 p.m. Low:  5:50 a.m., 6:34 p.m.

Thursday, May 30 High: 12:03 p.m. Low: 6:49 a.m., 7:27 p.m.

The following difference in hours can be subtracted from the tides at Fredericksburg to determine the high and low tides for fishing points in this area (all tides are approximate):

POTOMAC RIVER

Quantico Creek 1 hour

Aquia Creek 2 hours

Mathias Point 4 hours

Colonial Beach 5 hours

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER

Port Royal 1 hour

Green Bay 2 hours

Leedstown 3 hours

Tappahannock 5 hours

Source: tides.mobilegraphics.com

OVERVIEW: The weather continues to change on a daily basis. Cold fronts blow through every few days, followed by a few warm days. The good news is that most everything is becoming active from the bay to the mountains. We should have a great month ahead of us.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: Bass fishing has been decent over the last week. The river is full of small catfish which are easily targeted with night crawlers or cut bait. Bigger catfish should be targeted with fresh cut perch or bream. Crappie fishing has slowed in recent weeks. Upriver, conditions are perfect for smallmouth bass fishing. Water levels are good and grass and algae are not growing yet.

POTOMAC RIVER: Reel Bass Adventures reports that warmer waters have increased bass activity in all portions of the river. Grass bed action has picked up with plastics producing good catches. Grass frogs worked over grasses as well as stick worms and plastic jerk baits or swim baits work well. Spinner baits worked along marsh banks catch bass, as do shallow-running crank baits. Some croakers are being caught in the river, along with some white perch. Catfish are also active in the river. Downriver, rockfish are being caught by trollers.

LAKE ANNA: High Point Marina reports fish are continuing their postspawn feed as they slowly pull from the backs of coves and creeks. Bass are chasing faster-moving baits such as crankbaits and swimbaits. Pick your favorite ones and fish 4–10 feet deep over points, humps and ledges. Don’t ignore the soft plastics. Stripers continue to make the slow trek from upper to mid-lake. Most are being caught are from the 208 bridge up to Stubbs and Holiday bridges. Fish shallow in low light, deeper in bright light. Most fish will stay in the upper water column 5–15 feet, but have been found as deep as 25 feet in some areas. Sassy shad, sea shad, spoons and live bait are producing many nice fish. The bluegill/sunfish spawn is beginning. Live worms and very small poppers will do the trick around boat docks and bulk heads. Crappie are reschooling and moving to deeper structure and bridges. Minnow and 2-inch grubs produce some nice slabs.

LAKE ORANGE: Darrell Kennedy (540/672-3997) reports that the water is clear with temperatures near 70 degrees. Post-spawn largemouth bass are readily taking top water baits during low light. Bass prefer minnows and soft plastics during light periods of the day. Crappie are also in a post-spawn mode hanging around brush piles in 8–10 feet of water taking small minnows. Bluegills and shell crackers are getting ready to spawn. They are moving shallow, hitting on red wigglers and night crawlers. Catfishing is great on chicken liver and night crawlers.

CHESAPEAKE BAY: The influx of warmer-water species is showing promise of a good season. The red and black drum scene continues to draw anglers to the Eastern Shore side of the bay. The best luck is coming from near buoys 13 and 16 off Cape Charles, and around buoys 8 and 10 off Fisherman’s Island. Offering a mixture of both clams and crabs in your spread will give you a good chance at both drum varieties. Trophy-striped bass are also patrolling these same areas, taking bait intended for drum. Anglers are still finding good striped bass action along the CBBT, throwing top water lures at all four islands, especially at first light and at dusk. Nice stripers are taking live bait presented over the tubes, with some fish over 38 inches. Bay guidelines allow anglers to keep two fish per person ranging from 18–28 inches, with one allowed to measure over 32 inches. But read the regulations, since you must report the larger fish. Hordes of bluefish, some pushing to 38 inches, are shredding baits and lures within Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Little Creek Inlets. Striper anglers fishing the lower Bay crossings are also encountering huge bluefish. Remember, you can keep only 10 bluefish per person. The bay flounder bite continues to improve. Nice-sized flatfish are responding to live bait and jigs presented around the structure of the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Speckled trout anglers are also excited with catches of nice keeper fish. A few keeper-sized grey trout are also rounding out catches, but you can only keep one fish at 12 inches. Seabass season has reopened. Reef areas are good to try. Anglers can keep 20 fish per person at 12.5 inches. With black seabass season reopening this month, anticipate an increase in deep-dropping interest. The Carolina blue water bite is still going on with yellowfin tuna, bull dolphin and wahoo dominating the scene. A few billfish are also still a possibility.