Spot Spectacular
Every seven years or so we have a spectacular spot run in the Chesapeake. This is the year of Jubilee for the Norfolk spot. They are everywhere. If you can see water you are in the presence of spot.
Bloodworms have been in short supply for several years, and this season finds them very scarce. Bloodworms have always been the favorite bait for spot, but we are finding that Lug worms, fish bites, and bits of squid or shrimp will attract the fish just fine. Spinner hooks with colorful beads will often draw hits with no bait. There are so many spot in the mouth of the Patuxent that the charter boats are leaving early in the morning to fish for white perch up the river. The spot move in and take over after 9 AM.
It doesn't get better than this!
Spot are wide open in the mouth of the Patuxent.
The spot attract predators. Cobia, bull reds, big catfish, and stripers feast on spot and have followed them. The cobia are now as far North as Hooper's Island Light. Big bull redfish, also known as channel bass, are schooled up and sight casters have made some catches of 35 to 40-pound fish in the area of buoy 72A.
The striped bass season closes July 16 in Maryland waters and reopens on August 1st. This closed season is to protect the fish in the heat when they are vulnerable to injury when being caught and released. The Potomac River is closed from July 7 through August 20.
Capt Bernie Shea out of Solomon's is filling his coolers with spot every day.
There have been plenty of cobia caught the past two weeks by chummers using live eels. The best catches are from the Target Ship to Smith Point, but they are moving further north daily.
A big bucktail (there are plenty of Cobia specific lures offered at your local tackle store), can be cast to the fish for an exciting hook-up. Many times a hooked fish being brought to the boat has an accompanying friend or friends that can be cast to with success.
There have been Spanish mackerel in the Smith Point area and they are speeding towards us.
Plenty of bass, bluegill, crappie, and pickerel in St. Mary's Lake and local ponds.
Fly rodders using popping bugs are loading up on bluegill.
Andrew Hamlet drifted a live eel in his chum line and landed this 52 inch cobia near Smith Point.
Adults and children love catching tasty Norfolk spot two at the time.