Fish are everywhere this time of year

Today wraps up the White Marlin Open, the largest billfish tournament in the world, held annually in Ocean City. Anglers are vying for over $4 million in prize money, hoping their catch tips the scales in their favor. The largest white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, dolphin and wahoo can rake in a big payday.

There are over 300 boats with 2,500 anglers participating in the contest this year. Last year the angler who caught the biggest white marlin walked away with over $1.18 million in her pocket. Yep, the winning white marlin was caught by a woman. Cheryl McLeskey reeled in her fish about halfway through the tournament and had to wait two days to see if she won. But no other marlin even came close to her 94-pound catch. The record white marlin was 99 pounds.

Even with 43 years of history under its belt, this fishing tournament couldn’t escape 2016’s contentious political climate and a controversy over T-shirts sold at the event has been in the national headlines.

In the past, T-shirts have been sold with silhouettes of white marlins and the words “Kill Whitey” to venerate non-release fishing of white marlins. This year, the White Marlin Marina is selling T-shirts to promote billfish conservation with the words “White Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” emblazoned around a white or blue marlin to encourage the use of

circle hooks. I’m not a T-shirt wearing kind of gal, but if I had to pick, I know which one I’d choose. Southern Maryland lakes and ponds

— Anthony Hancock, assistant manager at Gilbert Run Park in Dentsville, said even though the park has been pretty quiet this past week, the bass fishing has been hot.

Topwaters early and late in the day have been working well and so has targeting wood cover from shallow to deep with soft stickbaits, finesse worms and swim jigs. Spinnerbaits in white or bluegill colors and shallow-diving crankbaits are great search baits for waters six feet deep or less and allow for covering lots of water.

The bluegill are biting in the shallows and in water up to 10 feet deep. On hot, sunny days, casting under low-hanging tree limbs will pay off.

Patuxent River — Sam Brennan from the Tackle Box in Lexington Park (301-863-8151) reports that if you like fishing for croaker and perch, now is the time to hit your favorite fishing spot. Bloodworms or perhaps squid will catch a nice cooler of croaker when the sun goes down.

There have been some smaller rockfish caught jigging and on topwater lures just past the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge in the morning. Bluefish are