MAY 13, 2020 - GOOD ROCKFISH

On the scale of poor, fair, good, and excellent that is not too bad. Trollers finding a school of fish manage to get their limit of one per day per person and the fish are on the large size. Most of the big stripers are 45 inches or better, truly trophies.

The best area seems to be north of the Gas Docks in described in olden days as "The Gooses", or Parker's Creek.

The proposed striped bass Maryland regulation of one fish per day with a 19 inch minimum is set for Saturday the 16th. I could find nothing posted at the DNR website to that effect. The striper fishing is limited to the bay proper until June 1.

The Potomac River opens to two fish per day with a 20 inch minimum on the 16th of May.

The warming weather this week starting Wednesday will break all fishing wide open.

There are perch in the creeks now, but the action is slowed by the cold and wind which has blown the water out. The creeks are low where there should be a couple of feet of water. The tide will return and the 80 degree temperatures will make the fish and crabs eager to make up for lost time.

A bluefish wandered into a pound net in the lower Potomac River this past week, the first of the year.

There are catfish galore in the upper Potomac and in St. Clements Bay. The catfish are plentiful in the Patuxent at Benedict and Chalk Point.

For the hardy souls using the parking lots at St. Mary's River State Park off Indian Bridge Road and walking over a mile in to the lake, there are crappie, pickerel, and largemouths eager to bite. The main entrance to the lake is closed for renovations