June 5, 2019 - Good Stripers on the First of June
It was a good week fishing as the weekend weather was perfect and the catfish and perch were eager to bite.
Many boaters trolling small to mid-sized bucktails found the stripers eager to bite from Sheridan Point to the mouth of Cuckold Creek, the fish are in the edges of the drop offs and oyster bars and most are about 20 inches with some close to 30 inches. White lures seem to be most productive. There were rockfish caught by surf casters at Myrtle Point Beach.
The Potomac has good rockfish from Point Lookout to the 301 bridge for trollers and chummers. The rock piles off Tall Timbers have been consistent in catches of mostly keeper rockfish. The St. Mary's River had some catches of smaller stripers with the ratio so keepers to throwbacks about four to one. Chummers are setting up chumlines off St, George Island with success. There are some bigger fish hanging around the steep drop at Cornfield Point.
Bay fishermen are finding plenty of rockfish off the Gas Docks. Trollers found good fish at Buoy 76, the PR, and Hoopers Island Light. There are good catches out of St. Jerome's Creek and Point No Point Light.
Cat fishing is still good most everywhere for shore fishermen including the Solomon's Pier, Piney Point, Point Lookout, and most anywhere you care to drop a hook baited with fresh alewife.
We are still awaiting croaker and spot. The white perch are most everywhere and eager to take bait or lures on tide movement.
Two Spanish mackerel were taken in pound nets in Cornfield Harbor this week, the first of the season. Cobia and redfish are in the mouth of the Bay near Cape Charles, hopefully heading our way.
Billy and Kelly Sontag show off big snakeheaads taken bowfishing at Smallwood State Park in the Potomac
Phil Zalesak with a typical rockfish caought daily in the Potomac
Don Haggard with a hefty catfish from Hog Point in the mouth of the Patuxent.