Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, June 4 Update:
Bull red drum continue to provide some of the best action around Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds, with peeler crabs proving especially effective. Rockfish are feeding along marsh shorelines and grass beds, while encouraging croaker reports suggest improving opportunities as summer progresses. Consistent bluefish action is also developing around open-water structure and wreck sites throughout the region.
Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that anglers on the lower Eastern Shore have found steady action with bull red drum and black drum. Peeler or sook crabs have been the most productive baits tossed out on fish finder rigs. The shallow grass beds have produced big redfish and plenty of rockfish. Their crew also said that the topwater fishing has been very good in the early morning hours, which is a ton of fun. The rockfish are relating to marsh points, creek mouths, and other nearshore cover like stump fields or old rock jetties. Another fish they reported on which has us hopeful for the rest of the summer is the croaker bite. They have seen several reports of steady action from the edges of the Tangier and Pocomoke sounds. These fish should be at depths of 15 to 30 feet, often relating to oyster bottom. The bulk of the fish are still sub-legal, but there have also been a good number of keepers mixed in, which is something we have not been able to say over the past several years. Captain C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters is finding success with bull redfish in the shallows over grass beds while soaking peeler crab. His anglers have also enjoyed more consistent bluefish action in open water and around wreck sites.
Reports Editor Dillon Waters spent a day last weekend fishing with his dad on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Their target species was speckled trout, which have been very elusive this year. Water clarity was great, and they found some beautiful grass beds that looked specky, but did not find any bites while throwing paddletails, topwater lures, and popping corks with a variety of soft plastics suspended underneath. The only signs of life were several stingrays cruising the flats. After a few hours with no luck over the grass beds, they switched to fishing marsh shoreline and found a few rockfish holding on points with current. They caught 10 rockfish ranging from 18” to 25”. Another reader wrote in and said that they got on a good bull redfish bite in an undisclosed location. They said that soaking fresh peeler while night fishing produced several bull redfish in the low to mid 40-inch range. They also tried throwing out cut spot and casting lures, but that only produced a few rays. The bull reds seem to be really keyed in on the peeler crab right now.