Fishing is only getting better as the summer days get near. Summer starts today, June 21, so it is time for all the fish to get here from the ocean. The Spot are showing up in decent numbers and good size. The trick is to find them on the oyster hills and edges of a incoming tide. This is when they are biting best. Blood worms are the key for them. The Croaker are in the shallow waters, 12 to 16 feet along the second beach area, in the river in front of the Solomons Island and above the bridge in 25 to 40 feet, but at dusk using peeler crab or squid. There will also be a few big Perch caught as well.
Stripers are starting to school up in front of the Gas Dock again in the mornings, look for the birds working. Most are still trolling as this is the most productive method and the fish are up to 28 inches at times. Mark LaRow from Woodbridge, Va., enjoyed the family outing Saturday for his fiftieth birthday catching their limit of 12 fish by 10:30 that morning trolling.
Flounder are there, just hard to get a legal 19 inch fish to show up in the Bay. But check on the local spots like the three legged buoy, buoy 74 and Cove point bar to see if you can get bigger Flounder. Live lining is getting hotter with the Spot here now . The Kody group went out to do a little live lining on the reef, what a quick day that was finding nice fish that wanted to be taken. T.K. Kody was at his best catching a nice 26 inch Striper shown in the picture below. T.K., his dad and best friend limited out on nice fish in an hour with great fun. So get out there by calling Capt. Sonney for a half day trip (443) 532-0836.
Down the Bay there are Stripers on the Point Lookout Reef but watch out for the Bluefish that have shown up. Some are chumming there and doing well. Across the Bay is Croaker heaven. They are there for the taking, just show up just before dark and anchor up near the edge in 28 to 34 feet and wait for it to happen. Capt. Andrew Turner on Fin Finder tells me he has a few evenings open so get on the boat, this is reel fishing. They are large and heavy hard pulling fish. You will be worn out in no time. Again, squid seems to work and bloodworms.
Up the Potomac River they are catching Croaker, Spot and Stripers at the month of most Creeks so the boats are not having to go far. They are catching the Stripers first , than bottom fishing for Spot and Croaker. This seems to be pleasing all aboard according to Capt. Greg Madjeski on Temple M out of Ridge, MD. Capt. Phil Langley on Chesapeake Bay Charm said, we have Rockfish good at Point Lookout and Bluefish are over on the Middle Grounds. He is using spoons and Eels trolling to get his box full . Capt. Gary Sacks fishing aboard the MARICA II, is trolling at the mouth of the Potomac and limiting out most days on Stripers before heading over to the Middle grounds for the Bluefish that are there. They move around so much feeding, he has to fish them daily to keep tract of them. He also is using hoses and spoons trolling about 4 knots seems to work for him.
Over all summer fishing is about to start up and swing into high gear. Give yourself a day off and go fishing. The outdoors stuff is still fun and you can enjoy it with friends and family. There is great access to the water by calling any charter boat or guide who can ensure your day on the Bay.
