Weekly Southern Maryland Fishing Report: Cobia Season Opens

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — June 15 was the opening of Cobia season in Maryland waters.  The minimum size is 43 inches.  Anglers are allowed one per day with a maximum of two fish per vessel.  

The Cobia can congregate most anywhere in the bay, but the most consistent area is below the Target Ship on the “humps” where the bottom rises about ten feet above the surrounding depths.  Fishermen will anchor and put out a chum line and drift live eels.  Cobia will school up close to the surface around buoy markers, floating debris, and cow-nosed ray (skate) schools.

Cobia will be chasing bait on the Mud Leads where trollers using surgical eel lures can connect.  Cobia also shadow schools of breaking bluefish looking for scraps of cut up bait fish.

Recent Bay Reports

Tackle Box had good reports of fish catches early last week of the waning moon.  Blues and rockfish were hitting top water lures near the mouth of St. Jerome’s Creek.  Lure casters found blues and rockfish around Cedar Point and up the Patuxent around creek mouths and structure. A surf caster using cut bait hooked a 33-inch bluefish at Hog Point.

Spot and croaker were located in all the usual locations in the mouth of the Patuxent.  Captain Bernie Shea did well with rockfish and spot in the Patuxent.

Moon Phase And Conditions

The fishing turned sour on the new moon on Sunday and Monday.  The cool front came in and crashed temperatures down from the extreme heat.  The fish went sulking and closed-mouthed.  The good news is the moon is on the wax with 35 per cent on Saturday, and temperatures return to a pleasing mid 80s, kicking off a new bite for all the fish.

Tackle Box is located at 22035 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653.

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