Species guide · Virginia
Scup fishing in Virginia
Stenotomus chrysops, a nearshore species also called porgy and northern porgy. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Peak season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Chesapeake Bay from Little Creek VA to Cape Henry VA including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel at 65, one of 10 Virginia bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Peak seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Mid-Atlantic
Peak season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Off season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Peak season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Not present
Peak: Jun to Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): May to Nov.
Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region
Coastal from Chesapeake Bay north from spring to fall and most important to anglers in New York and New Jersey. Present inshore whenever water is above about 45 F (7 C); late fall fish hold on ocean wrecks before moving to the outer shelf south of New Jersey for winter.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 10
Virginia bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's scup score this hour.
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 8 AM (72) · 135 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (75) · 89 named spots
Best window today 8-9 PM (62) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (66) · 4 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (65) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (72) · 45 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (72) · 33 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (65) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 5 PM (72) · 32 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 5 PM (71) · 15 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (73) · 99 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (73) · 25 named spots
Best window today 11 PM-12 AM (60) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (70) · 24 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 48°F to 80°F, best between 55°F and 75°F.
- Water depth
- 5 to 100 ft of water.
- Structure
- Reef, ledge, jetty, pier, wreck, channel, bay and beach, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and high tide, with light current.In harbors and along beaches scup move shallow on the flood and high tide and drop back to deeper channels as the tide falls (NOAA EFH source document). Over offshore rock piles and wrecks a light current keeps chum and bait near the bottom.
- Light
- Little tied to dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Scup school over hard and mixed bottom, rock piles, mussel beds, piers and jetties, usually in 10 to 60 feet of water. Fish a high-low rig with small hooks and squid or clam strips on the bottom, and chum with clam to hold a school under the boat. If nothing bites within 15 minutes, move to the next piece of structure.
- Methods
- bottom fishing, chumming
- Lures
- small bucktail jigs tipped with squid, teaser rigs
- Bait
- squid strips, clams, sandworms, bloodworms
Regulations
Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Synced with VMRC Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed scup rule for Virginia is on file yet. Check with VMRC before you keep one.