Live-lining with spots produced some of the best action for both stripers and bluefish in this area last year. Three- to 5-inch spots were plentiful and effective, but larger ones often accounted for the biggest stripers. Anglers working depths of 15 to 30 feet around the northern end of the Southwest Middle Grounds did particularly well.

As temperatures drop during October, more stripers will move into Virginia waters, where they can be taken at the Northern Neck Bar, Windmill Point Bar and around the marsh grass on Poquoson Flats. When larger fish become more plentiful, most anglers will concentrate on trolling big spoons, parachutes, bucktails and shad imitations, often behind an umbrella rig, along the bay's main channel edges.

By December, large striped bass will begin congregating around deep-water structure in the lower bay, notably the CBBT. Here, big stripers following menhaden and other bait down the bay are met by still more 30- to 60-pounders migrating south from New England. When they all converge at this huge buffet table and their final feeding orgy before moving on to ocean waters produces spectacular angling opportunities through the end of the year.

Trophy striper fishing in 2006 was about as good as it gets. In December alone, the state's tournament program awarded more than 700 citations for lunkers weighing at least 40 pounds or released fish measuring at least 44 inches. For the year, 74 stripers weighing 50 pounds or more were registered, the highest number in the program's history.

Many of the December trophies were taken off Cape Charles and along the CBBT. The Concrete Ships off Kiptopeke and the High Level Bridge section of the CBBT were particularly productive, with the lion's share of fish from these locations being taken on live eels fished around structure. In open water, trolling large plugs, spoons and heavy ball jigs is a more effective tactic.

From Oct. 4 through Dec. 31, anglers are allowed to keep two striped bass measuring between 18 and 28 inches, or one fish in that range and one 34 inches or longer. All stripers between 28 and 34 inches must be released.

Anglers thinking about putting away their fishing gear for the season may want to reconsider. If the above-mentioned species aren't enough to keep you occupied this fall, there's more.

Trophy-sized speckled trout are just now becoming active, and are available right through the winter. Try casting shiny lures, small bucktails and soft plastics to grassy areas near shore. Productive locations last fall included the Eastern Shore creeks, Dameron Marsh, the Rappahannock, Piankatank and Elizabeth rivers, Mobjack Bay, Poquosan Flats, Lynnhaven Inlet, the CBBT and the HRBT.

Then there's the run of big yellow-bellied spots that pounce on bloodworms as they head toward the ocean each fall, offering easily accessible light-tackle fishing from small boats, inlets and piers. By late September, they begin moving out of the tidal rivers and down the bay, finishing the season at the lower-bay bridge tunnels, Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets and along the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

In addition, "horse" croaker to 4 pounds can be taken on cut bait in the Back and James rivers, the bridge-tunnels and inside the Virginia Beach inlets. Double-digit sheepshead and tautog will welcome crab offerings around the CBBT's islands, and puppy drum strike jigs and soft plastics along shallow bay and inlet shorelines and from oceanfront piers. If you missed out on Spanish mackerel in August, they'll still attack a small trolled spoon in September.

There's plenty of time and many quality angling opportunities left this year. Unless you've already enjoyed enough good fishing to last until spring, you should get out there and experience the "second season."