July 17, 2019 We have great weather in the good ole summertime.

The spanish mackerel and cobia are coming. Below Smith Point is fabulous for cobia; the closer you get to the mouth of the bay the better. We are ready for them when they arrive in quantity on the Middle Grounds, but they are not here yet.

Chumming, sight casting, and trolling will all work. They find live eels in the chum lines irresistible. We just need them to travel another thirty miles north.

Chummers find snapper blues in the bay. Thirty or forty blues in an outing is normal. They range in size from 14 to 18 inches. Plenty of fun on light tackle.

Rockfish are in the shallows around structure. You have to have the tide and sun right to score. Some very good-sized rock (up to 32 inches) are in the Potomac around the 301 bridge. You can throw lures on the drop offs, troll, or catch them bottom fishing in the deep holes. Rockfish are caught daily at the Solomons bridge in the Patuxent. Catch some small spot and sink them around the pilings (using the required circle hook) let them swim freely and hang on when the rockfish move in for the treat.

Spot, rockfish, and perch are biting well off the Navy Recreation Pier north of Point Patience. Night fishing is fabulous there but the location is restricted to DOD Personnel. However there is the Public, Pepper Langley Pier around the corner of Point Patience where fishing is excellent. Crabs in profusion come up at both locations under the lights at night.

The big story for fishing is the huge schools of spot that have invaded the Potomac and Patuxent. If you can see water in these rivers you are in the presence of spot. With a dozen bloodworms, a double hook bottom rig and a little effort you can fill a cooler. Bring lots of ice.

I haven't mentioned catfish yet, but they are plentiful. They seem to be retreating up the rivers to fresher water. Bushwood in the Potomac has tons of catfish, as does the Patuxent from Captains Point to Wayson's Corner.

Snakehead are in the headwaters of the St. Mary's River in the Potomac, and are prevalent anywhere there are catfish. For some reason the snake head have invaded St. Jeromes Creek in a big way.

Plenty of bass, bluegill, crappie and pickerel at St. Mary's Lake and most everywhere else in fresh water.

Dallas Croce and a string of perch.

David Correll with a nice white perch from the Patuxent.

Joey Marmor and his 11and a half inch perch.

Ken Lamb and perch from a creek off the Patuxent.

Michael Snyder with the largest of a sting of perch from Cornfield Harbor at the mouth of the Potomac.

Mike Snyder leads the big perch contest for July with a 12 and one half incher.

Nine year old Joey again caught this 20 inch rockfish while perch fishing. Surprise, Surprise!