Debbie Sweeps in Great Fishing
Last week's storm is gone and, in its aftermath, big schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish have come up the bay and gone on a feeding frenzy.
Trollers using planers and small spoons have found plenty of fish to enjoy catching, and great table fare. The fish are as far north as Hooper's Island light and heading up the bay.
Spanish mackerel have made it up to Hooper's Island as evidenced by this catch from charter boat Shea-D-Lady out of Solomons Island.
Blues are here in big numbers as shown by Captain Greg Buckner's charters now running from Solomons.
Mackerel too!!
The striped bass have turned on in the Patuxent and Maryland tributaries of the Potomac. The Potomac River proper is still closed to rockfish until August 21. Lure casters found rockfish in the slot (19 to 24 inches) in the mouth of the Patuxent at Fishing Point, Hog Point, and off the rocks at the marina entrance this week. There were some tackle busters exceeding 30 inches in the mix. Swimming plugs by Yozuri, Bomber, and Rapala were all attracting fish. The Maryland Potomac tributaries found stripers hitting colorful jigs at Piney Point at the head of St. George's Creek. Often successful fishermen casting around piers and boat docks will encounter waterfront owners who seem amazed that fish are being caught at their feet. When asked if they have ever caught fish there, they respond "Oh, we never fish off the pier here." If one never fishes, one never catches.
The fish are at these folks feet.
The mackerel are very consistent now.
The redfish played hide-and-seek during the stormy weather and high tides. It seems as if the reds went to the shallows just before the rains and wind, abandoning the edge of the weed beds in the St. Mary's River where they had been consistently inhabiting. We found a surging school up the river that hit top water poppers and popping cork rigs (Hardhead Custom Baits) in a brief encounter that left us with two slot reds and several hefty puppy drum before they darted off and disappeared. We learned of a big thrash of reds up the head of St. Inigoes Creek in the height of the storm. The return of normal weather and clean water should bring back some consistency to location and bite. A report came in late last week of slot reds hitting lures cast to the shoreline at Sotterley (Patuxent River) after the storm. The eager fishermen left The Tackle Box with handfuls of Rapala swimming plugs.
Ken Lamb with 21 inch redfish that hit a popping rig in St. Mary's River last Tuesday.
Rockfish showed in the Patuxent and Maryland Tributaries this week after the storm.
White Perch and puppy drum are hitting tiny spinner baits in all the creeks and shallows of the rivers. Tipping the hooks with Fishbites, bloodworm, or peeler crab can be very helpful.
Captain Bernie is getting spot in the Patuxent.
Crabbing is very good, Big crabs!!
Decent sized croaker are in the Patuxent.