Waterlands

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Spanish mackerelPeak season

Cape · Virginia

Gum Point

37.33°N · 76.59°W · Cape · York River

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Best score today · 7 AM · Spanish mackerel

72/100Great
Now
576 AM EDT
Best window
6-11 AMEbb tide
Tide now
Flooding2.3 ft ▲

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 6 AM · now

Time6ANOW
Score57Good
Tide2.3 ft ▲Flooding
CurrentFlood0.5 kn · toward NW
Wind3 kn WNWgusts 5 · steady
Air temp72°Warm
WeatherMostly cloudy82% cloud
Water81°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

IN EFFECT NOW

No rule for Spanish mackerel is on file here yet, so its status is unknown, not closed. Confirm limits with VMRC before you keep a fish.

Source: VMRC · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Spanish mackerel is best here

Peak season for Spanish mackerel · 1 more week at peak

Spanish mackerel season by week of the year. Peak season for Spanish mackerel · 1 more week at peak.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • Not here
  • This week

Spanish mackerel in Virginia

Spot profile

Gum Point

Depth
2-6 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Point · Inner · ProtectedPoint · flat bottom
Season
Peak seasonSpanish mackerel

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Gum Point

Gum Point is a cape in York River, Virginia. Depth is 2-6 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, inner water and protected.

Waterlands scores 17 species here; the best right now are spot, scup and Atlantic croaker. It is peak season now for spot, scup, red drum and Spanish mackerel, and shoulder season for Atlantic croaker, spotted seatrout, cobia and king mackerel. Spot peak from August through October. Scup peak from June through October. Atlantic croaker peak from June through August.

Tackle & technique

Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel school along beaches and around inlets, jetties, piers and bridge-tunnel structures, and along tide rips in 5 to 40 feet of water once the water climbs above about 68 degrees F. Troll small spoons or cast metal jigs and retrieve fast, or look for birds diving on bait and cast into the school. FWC calls for a 30 to 60 pound monofilament leader because their teeth cut light line.
Spot
Spot school over mud and sand in bays, tidal creeks and channels and around piers and bridges, generally in less than 25 feet of water. Fish a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and bits of bloodworm or shrimp, and move until you find a school. In fall the biggest fish run out of the sounds past piers and inlets, and the bite can go all day.
Scup
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Blundering Point

    Cape · 1.4 mi

    70
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 70
    • Scup 61
    • Atlantic croaker 58

    3 kt WNWH 6:29 AM · 2.3 ftL 12:20 PM · 0.8 ft

  • Green Point

    Cape · 2.9 mi

    70
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 70
    • Scup 60
    • Atlantic croaker 58

    3 kt WNWH 6:29 AM · 2.3 ftL 12:20 PM · 0.8 ft

  • Penniman Spit

    Bar · 3.4 mi

    70
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 70
    • Spanish mackerel 62
    • Scup 60

    3 kt WNWH 6:29 AM · 2.3 ftL 12:20 PM · 0.8 ft

  • Poley Point

    Cape · 3.7 mi

    70
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 70
    • Scup 60
    • Atlantic croaker 58

    3 kt WNWH 6:29 AM · 2.3 ftL 12:20 PM · 0.8 ft

Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with VMRC before you keep a fish.