Main Image: Ed Baker with perch from a Patuxent creek.
August 19th, 2020 - Spot, Perch and Spanish Mackerel
Spot, perch and Spanish mackerel lead the news in this week's fishing.
Spot are of excellent size more plentiful in both the Patuxent and Potomac than we have perhaps ever seen before. The spot are also in the bay off Second Beach between Drum Point and Little Cove Point Run about 25 feet of water. These fish can schooled up most anywhere from Cove Point to Cedar Point on the Chinese Muds.
The Potomac has spot everywhere and especially at Ragged Point in 18 to 25 feet.
Spot love bloodworms; use a double hook bottom rig and catch them two at the time.
Tiny croaker are everywhere sized around 4 to 6 inches. These croaker are the future fishery that will fill coolers next year in the 10 to 14 inch range. In 2022 they will be 12 to 17 inches.
White perch can be caught by bottom fishermen on the oyster bars of the Potomac and Patuxent. The creeks are chock full of perch ready to take tiny spinner baits on moving tides.
Ken Lamb with perch from the Patuxent.
Mackerel love those spoons.
The Spanish mackerel feed on small spot and they can be found breaking and jumping in the bay near the mouth of the Patuxent and both south and north of Cedar Point. Cedar Point Hollow was hot as was 72A and Point No Point this week. There are an equal number of bluefish mixed with the mackerel schools. These fish are always feeding and move fast; if they are not where you are, go find them.
The two days of heavy rain over the weekend may change the fish patterns, and we will have to adjust to their new normal.
Rockfish are now out of season until the Potomac reopens on Friday, Aug. 21. Maryland waters open back up on September 1.
Capt. Luke on his charter boat "Rockstar" scored this week on mackerel and blues in Cedar Point Hollow.
Spot by the hundreds brought in by Capt. Bernie Shea on his boat the "Shea-D-Lady" 301-672-3282.
Big reds are in the bay but are scattered about. Trollers are using bigger spoons when trolling for mackerel as they will occasionally attract a bull red from 30 to 70 pounds. Don't set those drags too tight! Sight casters for reds and cobia will start to connect by the weekend and the water will clear from the rain, and the winds are predicted to be fairly calm. As a bonus the temperatures will top out at about 83 degrees.
Snakeheads have spawned and their tiny offspring form bait balls that are guarded by the parents. All this takes place in the headwaters of the creeks in shallow water. The fish will rarely feed at this time, so they ignore lures.
Bass and bluegill be very active the next few days as the water clears from the big rains.
Capt. Bernie gets plenty of Spainsh mackerel and bluefish too.