Fishing in St. Mary's Lake and its surrounding waters is experiencing a surge in activity, with white perch, rockfish, redfish, puppy drum, catfish, and an unprecedented crappie run making it an ideal time for anglers.
Brannen with another catch of crappie from St Mary's lake just to show the crappie population explosion ? going on there!!
Ben Windsor with typical white perch on spinner bait.
Catch by the Windsor family in Breton Bay, Potomac, Sunday evening on high tide. Forty five perch and one slot red. There were 5 undersizrd puppy drum up to 17 inches released.
Ron Hale with slot red from Hog Point in mouth of Patuxent. Reds and puppy drum are every where!
Ken Lamb with perch from Patuxent Creek. These fish loved a white spinner tipped with piece of bloodworm.
Capt. Bernie Shea getting rockfish up the Patuxent, trolling the channel edges.
Branner Scrivener with an amazing string of crappie that he and his buddy landed at St Mary's Lake this week. That's the best catch of crappie I have ever observed from the lake. Those fish took small black tube jigs.
Emily Windsor with redfish from Breton Bay that took her orange Beetle Spin.
Perch Activity in Shallows
White perch are particularly active in the shallow waters of creeks and rivers. They are readily hitting bait and tiny spinners, providing ample opportunities for fishermen to reel in these popular fish.
Puppy Drum and Redfish
The waters are also teeming with puppy drum and slot reds. These fish are identified as puppies until they reach 18 inches, after which they are classified as redfish. In Maryland waters, the slot size for these fish is 18 to 27 inches, with a daily limit of one fish per person. In the Potomac, the slot size is slightly narrower, at 18 to 25 inches, but with a higher daily limit of five fish.
Rockfish Movement
Rockfish, on the other hand, are playing hide and seek with trollers in the middle of the river and the bay. While some anglers are finding big catfish taking their lures, the rockfish have largely moved to the shallows or migrated up the bay towards the mouth of the Choptank River and further north, where they are more abundant.
Cobia Sightings
Cobia are now present from south of the Target Ship to Tangier Island and extending south to Hampton Roads. Sight fishermen have had success on calm days, catching cobia by trolling surgical eels or casting big bucktails. Additionally, chummers using live eels and spot are likely to find cobia within striking distance of Point No Point soon.
Abundant Spot and Perch
Spot and perch are being caught in significant numbers, particularly in the Patuxent River at Hawk's Nest and at Ragged Point in the Potomac. These locations are currently among the best for these species, though they can be found throughout the area.
Catfish Everywhere
Catfish are plentiful in both the upper Potomac and Patuxent rivers. These fish have a strong preference for fresh cut alewife, making them an easy target for anglers.
Crabbing Conditions
Crabbing is also excellent at this time and is expected to improve with the waxing moon until it reaches full and into the last quarter on June 28.
Historic Crappie Run
Perhaps the most exciting development is the historic crappie run in St. Mary's Lake. Limits of 15 crappie per person have become common, with fish biting so aggressively that anglers can reach their limit in under an hour. The most effective method has been using a black tube lure with a 1/8 or 1/16 oz. jig head. By casting the lure into a deep hole and letting it sink to the bottom, fishermen are almost guaranteed a catch as soon as the line tightens.
Freshwater Variety
In addition to crappie, St. Mary's Lake is also rich with bass, bluegill, and pickerel. These species are currently abundant in all freshwater areas, providing a diverse range of fishing opportunities.
This comprehensive fishing report, courtesy of Ken Lamb from the St. Mary's Tacklebox, underscores the exceptional conditions for anglers in the area, making it a prime time for fishing enthusiasts to take to the water.
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