Rockfish Minimum Drops

Maryland waters are still restricted to the bay with some exceptions that include some river mouths that are now open on 16 MAY. For our area, the most meaningful opening is the Patuxent River which allows stripers as far up as Point Patience. Check your published regulations. All Maryland waters are open on June 1.

Robert Le Grande with 38 inch catfish from Hog Point, Patuxent River.

Rockfish were caught by lure casters, in the 19-to-24-inch category off the shoreline at Hog Point on Monday morning. Simple 4-inch white shads with white jig heads were the ticket. About five fishermen fished the sunrise on the falling tide at the mouth of Pearson Creek at Hog Point in the mouth of the Patuxent on the Naval Air Station. All were successful catching four or five each of keeper length.

Catfish are in the mouth of the Patuxent on both sides of the river. The fishing pier under the bridge at the Solomons boat ramp is steadily producing blue cats up to 30 inches on fresh cut bait. There have been some small perch there too. Rockfish are fair game there now and the pier has produced some trophy-sized stripers in the past, especially at night.

Eric Packard with bass from St. Lake last week,

Trollers continue to get big fish, but the atrocious weather has limited opportunities. Many will now change over to smaller lures to attract more numerous fish in the 19-to-24-inch range. However, the cold may keep the 35-to-50-pound trophy stripers in our area for several more weeks.

Crappie, pickerel, and bass are very active in St. Mary's lake. Hardy fishermen there are reporting catching smaller largemouth bass in double-digit numbers in an afternoon. They like colorful Fat Albert style square-lipped crankbaits. Plenty of crappie and pickerel are eager to bite, too.

Still getting trophy stripers like this in bay and Potomac.

Capt. Greg Buckner on the Miss Susie with catch Monday, the opening day of 19-inch minimum for stripers.