September 5, 2018 - Fishing pretty good all over

Spanish mackerel are favorite target now in the bay from Cedar Point south to the Virginia line. Trollers are using flashy spoons and planers and many are getting their limits of 15 per day, and some of these fish are 27 to 30 inches.

Rockfish are scattered in the rivers and bay. Lure casters can find them around structure in the shallows. Trollers are doing well in the Potomac from Swan Point to St. Clements Island. Traditional Tony Accetta spoons in the 15, 17, and 18 sizes have been very effective. Big catfish are in the area and will take the lures right alongside of the stripers.

The upper bay is ground zero for the big schools of rockfish. Boats out of Chesapeake Beach and Arnold are loading up on stripers using live spot. The perch fishing up there is grand, and there are spot for bait too.

Big blue catfish are in the Potomac above Port Tobacco and will take fresh cut bait most anytime, but after dark improves the fishing in both numbers and size. One whopper more than 50 pounds was caught this week on a live eel. Catfish of hefty size are in the Patuxent most anywhere above the Benedict Bridge.

Spot , Perch, and croaker are all mixed together in The Patuxent with really good action from the Solomons Bridge to the mouth of Cuckold Creek. This area is known as "Kingston Hollow" due to the entrances to both Kingston Creek and Little Kingston Creek define the that stretch of shore line. A favorite anchoring location in the hollow is just off the Town Creek Pier.

White perch are plentiful around Ragged Point in the Potomac and at the mouth of Nomini Bay. Spot are in the area too.

There have been a lot of cobia in the lower bay south of the Target Ship. Chummers using live eels, and Trollers using spoons, big jigs, and surgical eela are doing well. They can be sight cast to if you are lucky enough to come across some on the surface. Most of these fish do not meet the 40-inch Maryland minimum length.

The big redfish run is still on, but big schools of breaking fish feeding on spanish mackerel have not been sighted lately. Most are caught blind trolling with big spoons. Catching a couple of these huge coppery- colored fish is well worth the effort. even if they are way over the 27 inch maximum and have to be released.

Bass, pickerel, and bluegill are feeding heavily now. Good catches can be had on crank baits, whacky worm rigs, and all manner of plastics. The bluegill love live crickets.