SOUTHERN MARYLAND — September first makes the beginning of the fall rockfish season in Maryland waters and lasts until December 5. The Potomac fall season began August 21 and goes to the end of the year, December 31. The slot is 19 to 24 inches, and creel limit is one per day.
The fishing has been so good that hardly anyone noticed the August rockfish moratorium. Spanish mackerel are everywhere. Bluefish, bull reds and cobia have all been surprisingly active and plentiful.
The Miss Susie went mackerel trolling last Tuesday and a vast school of Bull Reds came up and took the entire set of six rods. There was lots of catch and release fishing on spinning gear once the decks were cleared of smashed tackle. 
Ken Lamb shows off a 12 inch perch caught Sunday on a Patuxent creek, rising tide, late afternoon on spinner bait. 
Miss Susie catch last Sunday. 
Best Spanish mackerel run ever in Bay !! 
J D the Kelly D charter out of Solomons with mackerel catch. 
J D , Steve, and Neele with one of many Bull Reds the attacked their lures on the Kelly D. 
Whiting are now in the mix with spot, croaker, perch and trout in the Patuxent. Captain Bernie Shea 301 672 3282 is loading the coolers daily. 
Captain Bernie is into he mackerel too! 
Spot are everywhere. 
Trout doubled up ! 
Josh with a catch of perch this week using spinner baits in the Patuxent.
Bluefish, Mackerel And Cobia Reports
The bigger bluefish (8 to 11 pounds) are hanging out below Hooper’s Island Light in the ship’s channel all the way to Smith’s Point. Big blues and mackerel are in the Potomac in good numbers from Point Lookout to St. George Island.
Cobia are being chummed up on the Middle Grounds and love live eels in the chum line. Smaller cobia are taking trolled surgical eel lures meant for blues.
The bull reds can show up most anywhere and wreck mackerel rigs aimed at much smaller fish. They boil the water in a feeding frenzy and will take any lure cast in the midst of the break. Strong equipment and big jigs with large hooks (5/0 and bigger) are most successful.
Bottom Fishing And Fall Outlook
Bottom fishing is excellent with spot, croaker, perch trout, and whiting all active.
Shore fishermen are finding spot and croaker in the mouth of the Patuxent. The pier at Point Lookout has reported spot, hardhead, bluefish and even bull reds and cobia.
Now that fall is approaching we will have stripers more active as the water cools. The Patuxent will have rockfish in the shallows for lure casters at dawn and dusk on moving tides.
White perch are more numerous in the creeks and rivers. The little perch have shown up in numbers for lure casters as well as the lunkers that are solitary in the holes and structures in the shallows. There are puppy drum in the same locations often in the 12 to 15 inch range that hit like a ton of bricks. Favorite lures to throw are Beetle Spins, Perch Hounders, Mepps, and Betts Spins.
Fall is coming although it’s going to be a hot week. But by Saturday we are going to have cooler temperatures and calm winds.
Go fishing!
Tackle Box is located at 22035 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653.
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