May 21, 2019 - Fabulous Memorial Day

Lure casters in the mouth of the Patuxent are doing well near structure on top water poppers and swimming plugs (Bomber Wind Cheaters). Trollers have switched to smaller lures : bucktails, Hard Head Custom Jigs, Specialized Baits, surgical eels, and spoons. The fish are scattered out the mouth of the Patuxent both north to the Gas Docks and south to the Targets. The meter lights up on these fish and you can troll a solid mile without getting out of them. About one in four is a keeper meeting the 19 inch minimum. An experienced captain told me this week that this is the best fishing he has seen in our area in many years.

The Potomac has similar schools of fish out of Herring Creek in the Potomac and in the mouth of Breton Bay and on the edges around St. George Island. Remember that the Potomac proper minimum is 20 inches. The Maryland tributaries of the Potomac have the 19 inch cut off.

Fishermen caught rockfish (including a 28 incher that took a surface popper), catfish and perch off the fishing pier at the Solomons boat ramp.

Catfish were caught in good numbers from the fishing pier at Point Lookout this week. At least three nice rockfish were mixed in with the catfish. The shore line rocks and the beaches on the Potomac side had catfish too. There were reports of spot and croaker caught at Point Lookout as well. Catfish are under the St. George Island Bridge, and off the rocks and piers in the public fishing areas.

The big croaker in the 13 to 15 inch size as well as spot have been reported in the Rappahannock. We hope to see some of these soon in the Potomac and eventually in the Patuxent as they travel north.

Lure casters exploring the creek mouths and thoroughfares of the Honga River and in Tangier Sound have found plenty of small rockfish with a few keepers mixed in, and a surprising number of speckled trout.

Fresh water fishing is excellent most everywhere.

Crabs are out of the mud and shedding on the full moon. By week's end they will be fattening up and plentiful.

This is Memorial Day Weekend and the forecasts are for perfect weather. When sunny days and plentiful fish come together, all is right in the world.

Victoria Mazyck and Marcus Simpson show off catfish from Point Lookout Fishing Pier.

Jeff Roberts with a typical rockfish from the mouth of the Patuxent