Forecast looks great for fabulous fishing
Monday is the observance of Columbus Day and many of us have a three-day weekend coming up. You may have seen on the news that there’s a bit of controversy over the name of the holiday, and some towns have even enacted laws to call it something more politically correct.
Instead of worrying about what it’s called, let’s just get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather and fabulous fall fishing. Here in Southern Maryland, the forecast looks great for wetting a line, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s and maybe even, dare we hope, a little much-needed rain coming our way. Southern Maryland lakes and
ponds — Ken Lamb of the Tackle Box in Lexington Park (301-863-8151) said the bass, bluegill and sunfish are very
active at St. Mary’s Lake. Crappie are now starting their fall run. Live minnows are the No. 1 bait.
Did you know that the Maryland state record for redear sunfish was set at Gilbert Run Park in Dentsville way back in 1985? It seems to me that it’s about time for someone to break that record.
Patuxent River — Lamb reports that white perch have returned to the creeks, and great catches are available for bait fishermen or lure casters using 1/4-ounce beetle spins. Lamb’s go-to colors are the bright orange and white with red spots. Other anglers have been successful with a variety of small lures including spoons like Tony size 13’s. Lamb recommends
hitting the water on a rising tide, but any moving tide will do.
Potomac River — Life Outdoors Unlimited guide Ken Penrod (240-447-2206) said he’s been getting a “big-time rush” fishing frogs to grass edges in the Mattawoman Creek, especially during the lower water levels. What makes it so fun is the uncertainty. That blow-up could be a snakehead or a really big ol’ bass.
LOU guide Kenny Penrod (240-478-9055) expects the bass bite to improve dramatically as water temperatures continue to fall. Penrod has been using buzzbaits and frogs in grass beds in the tributary creeks, fishing isolated clumps of grass away from the hard edge at low tides and further into grass beds at higher tides.
He recommends putting some split shot into hollow-bodied frogs when fishing heavier mats. The added heft will displace the mat and provide the fish with a more visible target.
How many blue catfish are there in the Potomac? Plenty to go around and then some.
Aqualand Marina (301-2592222) reports steady action for those that troll for stripers, and some days you catch more catfish than rockfish on your bucktails and sassy shads. Bottom fishermen using cut bait and shrimp report nice catches
of catfish as well.
Today is the deadline to register for tomorrow’s Potomac River Charity Rockfish Tournament at Aqualand. For more information, go to www. aqualandonthepotomac. com.
LOU guide Jason Shay (717-5074377) reports it’s been good fishing the past week with topwaters and spinnerbaits producing well in the morning and evening. Crankbaits,
jerkbaits, and flukes are working mid-day. The river is low with lots of fish schooling up.
One of Shay’s clients, Carlos Ortega, set a new LOU record for smallmouth bass last week with a 23 1/8” smallie that edged out the long-standing record of 22 3/4”.
Most of the pleasure boaters are gone, but the lake will resume a flurry of summer-like activity this weekend with the holiday on Monday. Many of the floating docks have been pulled out, but pitching plastics to the ones that
remain is a good pattern. Tubes and Senkos are excellent choices for this time of year.
McCotter’s Lake Anna Guide Service (540-894-3540) reports bass anglers are finding red hot zones in the upper portions of the lake, with bass willing to take pitched creature and craw baits around willowgrass, docks, rocks and wood in 5 to 10 feet of water.
A small crankbait bite should develop if fish come off shallow structure and school slightly off shore. The 1/4-ounce Tiger Shad Lake Anna Special spinnerbait would be a good lure to use now.
Crappie are holding off docks, bridge pilings and brushpiles. You can catch plenty using 6-pound test line and 2-inch minnows below slip bobbers.
Fishamajig Guide Service (240-538-1260) reports a fairly good shallow water striper bite for those who like light tackle fishing. As the water temperatures in the shallows cool down, expect the action to get even better. Light hair jigs, poppers and stick baits are the ticket. Forget about plastics; bluefish are still in town.
Lamb reports live-liners are getting great results on spot in the bay in many areas. The mid-bay region north of the Gas Docks is ground zero for huge schools of rockfish eating offered spot, and they come running to the sound of a boat engine that sounds like a dinner bell to them.
Lamb predicts that the fall run of big rockfish that come into the bay from the ocean may be arriving soon. In previous decades, the big stripers, measuring from 35 to 45 inches and weighing up to 50 pounds, have shown up around late October. The last few seasons we haven’t seen them until early December.