After the Storm
Six days of rain, wind, cold, and storm surge changed the bay around in a hurry.
The spot and mackerel ran for the Atlantic, the rockfish proved their love for inclement weather, the red drum and black drum and trout started to move south, the perch moved out of the creeks and schooled up in the rivers. The bluefish have remained consistent and will stay in the bay and river mouths until genuine cold sets in around the first week in November.
Puppy drum still in the mix.
During the nor'easter the stripers were crashing the shorelines on moving tides. Lure casters using swimming plugs and jigs with swimming plastics tails found consistent rockfish in the mouth of the Patuxent around Hog Point and Goose Creek on the Naval Air Station. It was not uncommon to have half a dozen or so anglers all hooked up at the same time. The fish are all healthy 20- to 30-inch fish.
When the sun came out the early boaters casting at Cedar Point and the mouths of creeks found eager fish. As the week wore on the fish became a little less cooperative with bright sunlight and high pressure. Early and late is the key to rockfish catches in the daylight hours in the shallows. There are fish for trollers anytime the tide is moving in the deeper waters on the edges of oyster bars in around 25 to 40 feet.
Perch are around the pilings at the Benedict bridge for jiggers using small metal. There were catches reported there in excess of 60 fish in an outing. The perch are also stacked up in the mid-river for bottom fishermen or jiggers.
Since the storm my experience throwing Perch Hounders and Beetle Spins in the creek has been a lot of time with few fish. But the perch remaining in the shallows are in the 9 1/2 to 11-inch range. If I can get five or so of those in an hour, I am a happy fisherman.
The salt islands from Hoopers to Tangier have rockfish on the points and on structure in the 20-to-28-inch range.
Eric Packard with rockfish from Cornfield Harbor.
Adventurous fishermen have found red and black drum in the 30 pound plus range fishing at night on cut bait around Cedar Point.
Snakehead and bass are in the ponds and upper Potomac and Patuxent and eager to hit lure.
JD Jamsiuk shows off typical bluefish from Patuxent.
Fresh cut bait, sturdy gear, big hooks, and perhaps insomnia.
What huge fish lurk in the shallows in the middle of the night? Ask Tony.
Tony Rez night fishing in mouth of Patuxent catching bull reds and black drum on cut bait.
The original Tackle Box.
This is some of the best fishing of the year and old man winter is coming; let's go get them while we can!