PropTalk's Weekend Fishing Forecasts - June 21
by Capt. C.D. Dollar
What a beautiful day for flounder fishing in Ocean City, MD. Low humidity, sunny skies, and hungry fish. The 22 kids taking part in my fishing camp were fired up to catch a fish--any fish really--but a fat flounder is what they were primed for. We boarded Happy Hooker with Captain Steve and in three hours of fishing Ocean City's back bay, numerous fatties came over the rails. Though most were under the legal limit, enough made the grade to end the three-day camp on a high note.
Sticking with Ocean City fishing, the yellowfin tuna bite has been off the hook. Makos and thresher sharks have shown up along the 30-fathom line, and Captain Monty, a PropTalk contributor, says it's the first time he's ever seen sea bass bite better in June than May.
Try live-lining a spot around the Ocean City Inlet for doormat-sized flounder. Rockfish or bluefish might hit it, too, especially at night. Spoons, bucktails, and soft plastics can bring rockfish and flounder. Croaker, spot, and sea trout also were caught in Ocean City waters this week.
UPPER BAY
Rockfishing is the best it has been in years, say almost everyone I've talked with. Jim from Marty's Tackle in Edgewater, MD, sent me a text that he and two friends limited out on stripers up to 35 inches in about an hour and half. They were trolling Drones (spoons) on planers south of Bloody Point.
Elsewhere, rockfish ranging from 18 to 30 inches are the norm, with chumming and live lining being best bets though trollers and jiggers are catching their fair share. Podickory Point, Hacketts Point, The Hill, inside Eastern Bay, and False Channel are all talked about as holding quality stripers. Also, the bottom fishing for white perch and spot has improved at Seven-foot Knoll. Intel suggests that decent-sized hardheads are biting at night off Podickory and on Snake Reef.
Captain Jeff Eichler on the charter boat South Paw suggests trolling or live-lining at The Hill and south past Poplar Island. He also has seen birds working over bait with nice sized rockfish below. Echoing the hot bite is Captain Charlie Sisson on Back Draft. His customers have no problem catching small spot outside the marina in Deale, MD, and live-lining at the The Hill or inside Poplar Island. Mike from Anglers thinks you will catch a rockfish or two chumming at Hacketts Point, or catching a small spot are on local bars and dropping it down a piling at the Bay Bridge. Soft crab works, too.
MID BAY
When I asked Captain Jeff Popp of Vista Lady where to go, he said False Channel and lumps off Poplar Island, either live-lining spot or trolling. He says don't overlook nice spot, croakers and perch inside the Choptank River and Gooses reef. The waters off Breezy Point Marina are holding both spot and keeper rockfish. Also, spot and white perch can be caught on hard bottom in many areas, such as Holland Point and the artificial reef at The Gooses. Bloodworms, squid and FishBites will bring strikes.
LOWER BAY
When I spoke with Captain Sonney Forrest of Reel Relief Charters he said the place to be for keeper stripers was the Choptank River. Either live-lining or jigging, you have a good shot at fish to 30 inches. He suggests fishing in 25 to 40 feet.
Earlier this week fishing the mouth of the Big Annemessex River (lower Eastern Shore Maryland) I did OK for specks and rockfish, though the wind kicked up sediments and made water turbid. Once wind died and tide flushed grass beds clean, the action improved. Paddle-tail soft plastics (Storms, Sea Shads) work, especially in the shallows around Fox Island, Tangier Island and Smith Island.
Friday, June 21, 2013 - 09:18
PropTalk's Weekend Fishing Forecasts - June 21
by Capt. C.D. Dollar
What a beautiful day for flounder fishing in Ocean City, MD. Low humidity, sunny skies, and hungry fish. The 22 kids taking part in my fishing camp were fired up to catch a fish--any fish really--but a fat flounder is what they were primed for. We boarded Happy Hooker with Captain Steve and in three hours of fishing Ocean City's back bay, numerous fatties came over the rails. Though most were under the legal limit, enough made the grade to end the three-day camp on a high note.
Sticking with Ocean City fishing, the yellowfin tuna bite has been off the hook. Makos and thresher sharks have shown up along the 30-fathom line, and Captain Monty, a PropTalk contributor, says it's the first time he's ever seen sea bass bite better in June than May.
Try live-lining a spot around the Ocean City Inlet for doormat-sized flounder. Rockfish or bluefish might hit it, too, especially at night. Spoons, bucktails, and soft plastics can bring rockfish and flounder. Croaker, spot, and sea trout also were caught in Ocean City waters this week.
UPPER BAY
Rockfishing is the best it has been in years, say almost everyone I've talked with. Jim from Marty's Tackle in Edgewater, MD, sent me a text that he and two friends limited out on stripers up to 35 inches in about an hour and half. They were trolling Drones (spoons) on planers south of Bloody Point.
Elsewhere, rockfish ranging from 18 to 30 inches are the norm, with chumming and live lining being best bets though trollers and jiggers are catching their fair share. Podickory Point, Hacketts Point, The Hill, inside Eastern Bay, and False Channel are all talked about as holding quality stripers. Also, the bottom fishing for white perch and spot has improved at Seven-foot Knoll. Intel suggests that decent-sized hardheads are biting at night off Podickory and on Snake Reef.
Captain Jeff Eichler on the charter boat South Paw suggests trolling or live-lining at The Hill and south past Poplar Island. He also has seen birds working over bait with nice sized rockfish below. Echoing the hot bite is Captain Charlie Sisson on Back Draft. His customers have no problem catching small spot outside the marina in Deale, MD, and live-lining at the The Hill or inside Poplar Island. Mike from Anglers thinks you will catch a rockfish or two chumming at Hacketts Point, or catching a small spot are on local bars and dropping it down a piling at the Bay Bridge. Soft crab works, too.
MID BAY
When I asked Captain Jeff Popp of Vista Lady where to go, he said False Channel and lumps off Poplar Island, either live-lining spot or trolling. He says don't overlook nice spot, croakers and perch inside the Choptank River and Gooses reef. The waters off Breezy Point Marina are holding both spot and keeper rockfish. Also, spot and white perch can be caught on hard bottom in many areas, such as Holland Point and the artificial reef at The Gooses. Bloodworms, squid and FishBites will bring strikes.
LOWER BAY
When I spoke with Captain Sonney Forrest of Reel Relief Charters he said the place to be for keeper stripers was the Choptank River. Either live-lining or jigging, you have a good shot at fish to 30 inches. He suggests fishing in 25 to 40 feet.
Earlier this week fishing the mouth of the Big Annemessex River (lower Eastern Shore Maryland) I did OK for specks and rockfish, though the wind kicked up sediments and made water turbid. Once wind died and tide flushed grass beds clean, the action improved. Paddle-tail soft plastics (Storms, Sea Shads) work, especially in the shallows around Fox Island, Tangier Island and Smith Island.