Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 5 Update:
FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars said the topwater bite was MIA when he got out over the holiday weekend. However, trolling spoons between Poplar and the Stone Rock did produce a few Spanish mackerel. A reader reported a mackerel and some small bluefish from the same area. The AIC says he encountered some large schools of bluefish churning the surface and a bird show on the west side of Poplar, however; they were small fish in the nine- to 12-inch range. He also fished the South River for a couple of hours one afternoon this week and while only one rockfish was willing to play the water looked cleaner than it has in months, and it seems the worst of the recent (horrific) algae blooms may finally be behind us. An angler he spoke with reported catching two slot fish in the river on peeler crab baits. On the main stem of the Bay off Calvert Cliffs, schools of bluefish are cruising around feeding on bait. We had good reports from the area around Sharp’s Island Light and areas south. One reader said that single spoons and hoses have been catching a few fish, but their top producing rigs have been “spoonbrella” rigs. Imagine an umbrella rig you would use for rockfish, but instead of sassy shads, they are metal spoons.
Bottom fishing for spot is still going strong in the Middle Bay tributaries. The Tackle Box reports that spot have been plentiful in the lower Patuxent River. Keeper croaker and some white perch have also been in the mix, but the highlight has been the big numbers of jumbo spot. Bloodworms, red worms, and Fishbites tipped on bottom rigs are the ticket for success. A reader also fishing in the lower Patuxent, but north of Point Patience, said that the fishing in the shallows for perch, croaker, and spot has been excellent. Small panfish sized chatterbaits tipped with Gulp! minnows have been their go to. Perch have been on shorelines with rip-rap and in areas with oyster shell. The spot and croaker have been hanging more on gradual ledges in four to eight feet of water.
Crabbing report: The AIC says that despite this year’s poor survey results, right now trot lining with chicken necks in the South River is about as good as he’s ever seen. He’s hearing similar things from the West, Rhode, Severn, Eastern Bay, and nearby creeks.