July 31, 2019 - We’ve Got it All!

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

The spot are concentrated near the O'Club, Sandy Point, Drum Point, Green Holly and Point Patience. Capt Bernie Shea on the "Shea-D-Lady wore his party out in a couple of hours catching spot "two at the time'on Saturday morning. There are plenty of spot at Hawk's Nest at the mouth of Cuckold's Creek, but the perch mix is a greater percentage. Further up the Patuxent at Helen's and Gatton's Bar and at Broome's Island there are smaller spot, perch and tons of eight inch rockfish. The big spot will move up the river in the next few days if we stay out of big rain squalls.

The Potomac has spot, perch, and some small croake, enough to satisfy bottom fishermen and charter boats such as Capt. Lee Tippett's "Fin Finder" who has excellent catches everyday fishing out of Tall Timbers.

Cobia are creating lots of excitement in the lower bay. Capt Kyle Johnson on the "Rock Solid" (240-538-5180) running out of Point Lookout is venturing about two hours running time into Virginia waters to Windmill Point where he is sight casting to the big fish gathered on the surface. Others are trolling surgical eels or chumming ground alewife with live eel baits. The fish are working their way up the bay and some have been taken below the Target Ship on the Middle Grounds. Each day the fish get closer.

Two big red drum were caught Sunday on the Middle Grounds. The Bull Redfish run is set to begin any time. Make sure your reel's drag is not too tight.

Strippers are scattered on structure in the bay and rivers. Lure casters using swimming plugs, bucktails and surface poppers can strike them in the dusk and dawn. Jiggers at the Solomon's Bridge can find them on the change of tides when the water is not rushing.

Catfish are retreating up the rivers seeking less salt as the bay heats and the dry conditions gets salinity up. There are plenty at St. George Island Bridge, Colton's Point, Bushwood Pier, etc. in the Potomac. The Patuxent has catfish from Hawk's Nest north to Brandywine. There are still some mixed with perch in the creeks that will take a Beetle Spin and can weigh up to four pounds!

Fresh water fishing slowed on this moon, and will get better when the dark moon starts to wax later this week. Happy Fourth Of July!

Ken Lamb with perch from the Patuxent.

Shawn Ramey used a live minnow to catch this 19 inch rockfish in the St. Mary's River

Two spot at the time!

Julie Tomsaic show off stripers that took a cast bucktail from her kayak in the Patuxent at daybreak.