September 25, 2019 - Summer Continues

The lures used are Clarke, Drone, and Hard Head Custom Bait spoons in bright colors with pink being the favorite this week. Number one planers are the device that gets the spoon in the right water level, and brings the fish to the surface once it takes the lure. The mackerel are up the bay all the way to Baltimore Harbor. It appears the migration to the ocean of this species may not begin until well into October.

Rockfish and bluefish are in the mix of breaking fish everywhere. Most of the stripers are undersized, but there are plenty of hefty rock in the shallows and around structure for lure casters.

Spot and perch are most everywhere for bottom fishermen.

The perch fishing in the creeks is excellent for casters of tiny spinner baits. Tipping these lures with bits of bloodworm or squid will bring eager strikes. The perch are still in summertime mode where they want to bite in the early morning and at sunset. As water cools in a few weeks the fish will bite mid-day on moving tides.

Cobia are available for trollers and sight casters.

Big red drum (redfish, bull reds, channel bass) are still crashing around tearing up tackle of the those fishing for smaller game. A charter captain actually told me that he was done with them for this year, and heads in a different direction when they show up. That is a luxury seldom experienced in the Chesapeake.

Bass fishermen are telling me that they are catching thirty, forty, or even fifty largemouth a day in ponds and at St. Mary's Lake. There are crappie, pickerel and bluegill eager to take lures, live minnows or night crawlers in those same venues.

Dallas Croce shows off rockfish from the mouth of the Patuxent.

Gary Rue with some rockfish.

George Flackos shows off a 47 inch, 37 pound cobia caught near the Target Ship.

James Jahn with a 24 inch spanish mackerel.

John Staruch with a catch of perch form a Patuxent creek.

Jophn Staruch with a fine perch from the Patuxent.