Trollers are yelling out “Holy Mackeral” in southern Maryland waters.  The Mackeral are all over from Cove Point south to Smith Point.  You can catch them blind trolling most anywhere at fast speeds (just below water skiing minimum) using small Clarke, Drone, or Tony spoons.   Gold is the best color with various flash sidings of red, green, and pink. Planers are popular, but a simple in line trolling weight of about 3 ounces with a fifteen foot leader will work fine.  A ball bearing swivel about three feet above the spoon will save tangles.  The Spanish are much bigger now with 30 inch fish not uncommon.

Trollers are limiting out on rockfish and bluefish daily (that is ten blues and two rock), and these fish are pretty good sized.  The blues are 4 to 5 pounds with some outsized ones from 8 to 10, and the rockfish are 20 to 24 inches.  These fish are breaking in mid-bay from the Gooses to the Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Croakers are making a comeback as anglers told of good catches (6 to 10) mixed with big spot in all areas including surf fishing at Point Lookout State Park on the pier, rocks, and causeway.  Spot and croaker mixed together are filling the coolers of bottom fishermen in the mouth of the Patuxent and at Ragged Point in the Potomac.

Live liners using spot are catching fine rockfish on the Middle Grounds.  Chummers are doing better with blues and rockfish at 72A and 72.

White perch fishing is excellent.  Lure casters in the creeks can catch them on every cast when the tide get right.  Bottom fishermen using crab and bloodworms in the holes of the Patuxent are getting perch of spectacular size (11 to 13 inches) and lots of them.

The depleted St. Mary’s Lake is producing plenty of fine largemouth bass and bluegill.  The lake is low due to dam repair, but the fishing is very good.