July 24, 2019 - It Doesn’t Get Better Than This

The spot fishing in the Patuxent has been praised by one charter captain as "the best he has seen in 52 years of fishing".

The spot have moved from the mouth of the Patuxrnt to locations Grren Holly, Sandy Point, Point Patience, Kingston Hollow and Hawk's Nest.

They have grown in size to where many are 10 inches in length, broad and fat.

The spot have even moved into the creeks and are taking Beetle Spin type lure intended to tempt perch.

Spot are in the Potomac as well with good catches available most everywhere. Find an edge in the Rivers and drift with bloodworm bait on the bottom. When several rods go down at the same time drop anchor and pull them in two at the time.

The spot can vary the depth that suits them on any given day. If the deeper areas are not working try them in depths of twenty feet or less.

The X factor is porpoise that moved into the Patuxent last Sunday. The porpoise eat the spot like candy and scatter the schools of fish. If porpoise are around the spot are elsewhere if they can escape.

Perch fishing is excellent. Either bottom fishing in the rivers or lure casting in the creeks they are plentiful. One has to be mindful of tide and sun angle.The bite during the day is driven by these factors.

They bite at dawn and dusk no matter.

There are plenty of rockfish for lure casters in the shallows in the Patuxent. Early and late are best. Live spot will produce rockfish at the Solomons Bridge pilings. The live spot should be eaten by rockfish at the steep drop off at Point Patience. The tide can not be running too fast to make this work. Check your tide charts to find when the tide is slack or just beginning to run.

Spanish mackerel are now active all along the ship's channel. The mackerel were breaking and leaping out of the water on the bay side of Point Lookout light this week. There were a ton caught at Point No Point Lighthouse. Trollers are using trolling planers and small spoons. Last wee the hot color was pink.

Cobia are closer, at Smith Point. Some have advanced to ths Target ship. You can catch the cobia trolling surgical eels, chumming using live eels in the ground alewife chumline, or sight casting to them.

Red drum are now at the Target ship too. There have been some breaks of redfish chasing mackerel.

Spanish mackerel and spot are the lure for the big predatos to come to southern Maryland waters. We have both here in mass now.

Catfish, perch and spot are in the Potoamc in Breton Bay, St. Clements Bay, and at Ragged Point. Bush Wood pier has plenty of fish when the sun is low on the horizon.

Crabbing is spectacular.

There are few to no sea nettles theis year so far, so you can swim in the bay like it was a big fresh water lake.

The heat wave will be over by the time you read this. The fish and weather will be excellent for this weekend.

Rockfish from the Patuxent caught on a popping rig.

Mike Tomsaic shows off stripers from the Patuxent that took one of his popping rigs marketed by Hard Head Custom Baits.

Tony Barret with the biggest from a perch outing, an eleven and a half inch beauty.

Tony's catch of Perch.

Ken Lamb with a string of perch and a 3 pound catfish that took his Beetle Spin lure in a creek off the Patuxent.

Brian Versetti caught this 24 inch spanish mackerel at Piney Point in the Potomac jigging a bucktail.