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TACKLE BOX FISHING REPORT by KEN LAMB 4/18/2005
The Tackle Box Lexington Park, MD 301-863-8151
Opening day of rockfish this past Saturday was cold, windy and
miserable; but at least the sun was out, and trollers took the bay and
Potomac dragging all manner of lures. The first to check in rockfish at
The Tackle Box were Shawn and Daniel Slade, Jeff Jefferies and Jimmy
Pilkerton who brought in stripers from 35 to 38 inches. These hearty
fishermen were in a 28 foot catamaran in the vicinity of Buoy 77 at
Little Cove Point. They counted 96 boats trolling there at daybreak.
Sucessful fishermen steadily brought in their catches to be photographed
all Saturday from the bay and Potomac, and the first 10 each won a
twenty dollar gift certificate from The Tackle Box, an opening day
tradition.
Sunday was a much better day for trollers as the wind was calm and the
sun warmed up the water quickly. The fish were active most everywhere
in the bay with the Targets, Hooper's Island, Buoy 72, 76, 77, Point No
Point, the HI and PR all producing fish. We had fish checked in from
St. George Island, Piney Point, and other locations in the Potomac.
Several fishermen told of getting their limits (one per day) in a matter
of minutes, often before all the lines were out. The fish do not seem
picky about colors as both white and green umbrella rigs were equally
apetizing. Zackery Baker brought in the largest rockfish so far, a 43
inch fish weighing 40 pounds, that took a trolled white umbrella rig at
buoy 72 on Sunday.
Shore fishermen caught keeper rockfish on the bay beaches of the
Patuxent River Air Station and at Point Lookout State Park (both beach
and pier). Trophy rockfish happily took bloodworm baited hooks at Hog
Point NAS on both Saturday and Sunday. The big stripers were not shy
about invading the shallows and Eric Defries and Josh Williams landed 37
and 32 inch fish surf fishing there.
The first croaker of the season caught on hook and line came in from
Point Lookout on Sunday. The 16 inch hardhead (southern Maryland for
croaker) was caught at Point Lookout by Jorge Ochoa on bloodworm and in
addition, Ochoa landed a 36 inch, 21 pound rockfish too. There were a
handful of croaker caught off the pier at Point lookout on Sunday, and
several big rockfish.
The croaker will get into high gear this week as the weatherman has
promised sunshine, temps in the 80's, and the lows not getting under 50
degrees at night (the most important factor). Croaker should be in the
Wicomico in Bushwood as you are reading this. Call Quade's Store and
boat rentals at 301-769-3903 for the latest information.
The spring trophy season for rockfish is for the bay and Potomac only.
The rest of the tributaries of the bay will not open for rockfish until
June first. Remember, the Patuxent is off limits! The dividing line
between the Bay and Patuxent is from Hog Point on the St. Mary's side to
Drum Point on the Calvert Shore.
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