July 1st, 2020 - Spot Fishing

Spot fishing has taken off like a bottle rocket on the Fourth of July.

Main Image: Brian Freeman (right) lnded this 78 pound, 61 inch cobia June 23rd below the Target ship.

Capt. Bernie on the Shea-D-Lady Charter (301-672-3282) loaded up Sunday morning landing 450 fish before 9 AM. Capt. Gordy Thomas on the Miss Bobbie also out of Solomons has been getting all he can carry every day this past week. The hot weather has brought in these fish (officially, Norfolk Spot) in huge schools at Drum Point, Green Holly, Seven Gables, Hawk's nest, and most everywhere else in the mouth of the Patuxent River.

Perch fishing is excellent too, in the creeks and rivers for lure casters and bottom fishermen.

One issue for all fishermen at the moment is the availability of bloodworms. There is a labor issue in Maine (the source of this wild-caught bait), and there were not enough to go around this past week. We can only hope that the supply will be better for the Fourth of July weekend.

First Image: Christopher Mabry shows off his 12 and one half inch perch. Second Image: Ken Lamb with an evening catch of perch in the Patuxent.

There is good rockfishing for trollers up the Patuxent. Lure casters using popping rigs from Hard Head Custom scored on stripers in the shallows of the Patuxent all week. The Potomac rockfishing is very good too. The fish are retreating up the Potomac, and trollers are going all the way to Port Tobacco to find the most activity. The shallows are great for stripers at dusk and dawn most anywhere for lure casters.

Cobia hunters are doing well now. The Middle Grounds and Mud Leads have cobia catches most everyday. The problem is a lot of boats are setting up chumlines and there are not enough fish to go around yet. The thrill of hooking up with a huge fish is worth the risk of having to watch the boat next to you be the owner of the lucky chum line while you become the audience to the fight instead of being in the ring.

First Image: Michael Jordan leads the Tackle Box big perch contest for June with this 13 inch beauty. Second Image: Fine striper caught on rocky shoreline just north of the Solomons Boat Ramp on a Hard Head Custom Bait popping rig. Third Image: Mike Jordan with speckled trout from salt islands, west of Tangier.

Speckled sea trout are being caught in Tangier Sound and in the Salt Islands. The Potomac and Patuxent have some too, but the real migration is just beginning. Our specks will come.

Catfish are big and eager to hit fresh cut bait north of Benedict in the Patuxent, and from Bushwood north in the Potomac.

St. Mary's Lake has plenty of eager largemouths that hit wacky worm rigs in the shallows.

First Image: Capt. Bernie Shea's party with spot and rockfish. Second Image: Serious string of perch caught on soft crab by the Romer family. Third Image: Cpt. Bernie's spot catch from Sunday morning.