The fall is the best time to fish
The best time to fish Va. Beach on shore for big fish is in the fall. The fish get fatter and they are more active. During the summer, I fish only during the night and usually I go out no more than a few trips per year except when I am on vacation. In the fall, I go just about every weekend fishing for large flounders and other big game.
You can catch big fish during the hot summer like cobia. But for the shore fisherman, it is more like hunting than fishing. I personally cannot stand the heat during the summer which would not have been a problem this year with so much overcast.
You really need to know the pattern for a particular spot for a particular species and the optimum time for each species for the spot that you are fishing. For example, cobia were hot in the lower chesapeake bay about a month ago, but they have since moved further north.
You could go to the marine resources commission web site and get the anglers guide. This will help you out. Try the link below. It is loaded with good information. Just check out the pictures of the big fish in the guide and you will notice most large fish were caught when it was much cooler.
http://www.mrc.state.va.us/vswft/angler_web.pdf