As the month of May goes away June fishing is here to stay. Fishing, on the Lower Eastern Shore, is shifting to an early summer pattern. The red hot fishing action is a mere precursor of the hot and humid conditions to come. So grab a rod and enjoy the start to summer.
The Middle Chesapeake has continued to hog up the main stage with great action from several species. There has been a excellent grade of rock around structure and grass flats, with most ( but not all) fish exceeding the slot limit and offering spectacular striped action on both artificial as well as bait offerings. As long as we’re talking spectacular… the spec bite has improved a good bit. Most fish are lured into the net by chunks of crab presented on the edges of the many grass flats of the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. However, others are lured by just that….lures. We did great this week on the Sea Hawk “ POP-A-LICIOUS” popping corks trailed with a 3/16 oz Freedom Bait jig head tipped with a Gulp swimming mullet. The black drum have slowed ( not stopped) a bit while bull reds continue to scarf up crab baits and make your drag scream. The only worry is the lack of pups to pacify the plate at the dinner table. Around some of the Chesapeake reefs we have scraped with some striped sheepshead. These light biting but delicious dinner fare have taken tog jigs tipped with crab as an invitation to supper . Around some of these same reefs, some brutally aggressive blues have bullied there way to the gunwale in pursuit of surface walking plugs and suspending baits like the Rap-10. A few of the Ariel acrobats have exceeded the 30” mark… a true Chesapeake Challenge!!
The lower bay has continued to produce reds , blacks, and lots of Sheepshead on the piles of the CBBT. Fish are targeted with crab baits on tog / sweeper jigs. The new news comes from the “ Man in the Brown Suit “. Pre-season Cobia have started to show and are patrolling their typical haunts. From the CBBT to Cape Charles fishermen are encountering early yet eager cobes providing lots of fun! It hopefully will continue for opening day in the middle of the month.
The productivity of inshore seaside fishing has shrunk a bit as the flounder limit has grown. There are still plenty of fish, with a few keepers mixed in. The best tide has been the last of the flood and first of the ebb, and the best baits have been pink teasers tipped with gulp, big minnows or silversides. The nearshore bite has consisted of sheepshead and a few flounder starting to show on shallow wrecks and seabass on deeper structures. Tiles have been prevalent in the deep. Hopfully, some pelagic prey will swim into the picture soon.
This week I had the privilege of having my oldest son Ethan home from the USCG Cutter “Tiger Shark “. E, his Mom and sister ( complete with boyfriend) actually stole an afternoon and fished out of Crisfield. We had a limit of rock (with more to release), some huge blues, specs, and even some tog and sheepshead. I noticed that despite E having the opportunity to fish all over the country, the Eastern Shore is still pretty much as good as it gets. So grab your family (while you can) and get out there and enjoy this wonderful place that we call home!!
The Middle Chesapeake has continued to hog up the main stage with great action from several species. There has been a excellent grade of rock around structure and grass flats, with most ( but not all) fish exceeding the slot limit and offering spectacular striped action on both artificial as well as bait offerings. As long as we’re talking spectacular… the spec bite has improved a good bit. Most fish are lured into the net by chunks of crab presented on the edges of the many grass flats of the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. However, others are lured by just that….lures. We did great this week on the Sea Hawk “ POP-A-LICIOUS” popping corks trailed with a 3/16 oz Freedom Bait jig head tipped with a Gulp swimming mullet. The black drum have slowed ( not stopped) a bit while bull reds continue to scarf up crab baits and make your drag scream. The only worry is the lack of pups to pacify the plate at the dinner table. Around some of the Chesapeake reefs we have scraped with some striped sheepshead. These light biting but delicious dinner fare have taken tog jigs tipped with crab as an invitation to supper . Around some of these same reefs, some brutally aggressive blues have bullied there way to the gunwale in pursuit of surface walking plugs and suspending baits like the Rap-10. A few of the Ariel acrobats have exceeded the 30” mark… a true Chesapeake Challenge!!
The lower bay has continued to produce reds , blacks, and lots of Sheepshead on the piles of the CBBT. Fish are targeted with crab baits on tog / sweeper jigs. The new news comes from the “ Man in the Brown Suit “. Pre-season Cobia have started to show and are patrolling their typical haunts. From the CBBT to Cape Charles fishermen are encountering early yet eager cobes providing lots of fun! It hopefully will continue for opening day in the middle of the month.
The productivity of inshore seaside fishing has shrunk a bit as the flounder limit has grown. There are still plenty of fish, with a few keepers mixed in. The best tide has been the last of the flood and first of the ebb, and the best baits have been pink teasers tipped with gulp, big minnows or silversides. The nearshore bite has consisted of sheepshead and a few flounder starting to show on shallow wrecks and seabass on deeper structures. Tiles have been prevalent in the deep. Hopfully, some pelagic prey will swim into the picture soon.
This week I had the privilege of having my oldest son Ethan home from the USCG Cutter “Tiger Shark “. E, his Mom and sister ( complete with boyfriend) actually stole an afternoon and fished out of Crisfield. We had a limit of rock (with more to release), some huge blues, specs, and even some tog and sheepshead. I noticed that despite E having the opportunity to fish all over the country, the Eastern Shore is still pretty much as good as it gets. So grab your family (while you can) and get out there and enjoy this wonderful place that we call home!!
Some breaks in the weather have allowed eager anglers to get out on the water and pursue their prey. The Lower Eastern Shore has provided some productive tides and times. We are all pretty lucky to have all of this right out our backdoor.
The Chesapeake continues beating it’s drums ( both black and red). Blacks have been located in their normal haunts , around oyster rocks in depths of 12-25 feet. Along with hard bottom a chunk peeler on a 8/0 circle hooks with fish fishfinder style rigs. On these rocky knolls, bull reds have also started to appear and give extra pullage but unfortunately not adding filets to fill the family dinner table. The shallows are improving as far as speckled and striped adversaries. While chunks of crabs have been the main stay for attracting specs, rock and reds, popping corks and surface walking plugs are starting to grab more attention as well as opportunities to grab the net. The start of the transition from bait to artificials has been welcomed, as the bait stealing croakers, spot and kingfish, emaciate crab baits as fast as they can be presented. Along with stalking the shallows, casting for some big blues can get the excitement boiling and drag screaming. These fish have been around some of the man made structures and taking surface plugs and rap-10’s. While you are around these same snaggy structures, put a sweeper jig on, tipped with crab for a striped sheepshead struggle that is as much fun on the rod as it is on the plate.
The seaside has produced some welcome sea bass action as anglers dunk squid strips on inshore wrecks to lure lunker knotheads out of the lares. Farther inshore floundering fishermen fill limits ( on the good days) and have family fun corralling up some of the most coveted fillets a fish could provide. Pink teasers and silversides are still in the lead for productivity. However, clear water is the most crucial component to a delicious dinner. The water has been cleanest during the last of the flood and first of the ebb. Remember, as June 1 approaches the size limit will change to a 17.5 inch minimum.The 4 fish creel remains the same. Summer is almost here!
The surf has given up some beautiful spot-tails and a few rock as well. The sportsman of the sands have been using a combination of hi-lo rigs and modified fishfinder rigs to sneak these big guys from the bar through the suds and onto the sand. Some blues and kingfish also have come to play, however, until the titans of the beach move on , their presence will barely raise a brow.
Today in the store I got opportunity to see a friend of mine sneak away from work and school with is son for a school year flounder finally. After getting there bait and anything else they needed, they were off to make memories that will last longer than those summer nights of chasing fireflies that seemed to never end. As Ethan, Sammy and Belle get older and more immersed in (nearly adult) life we all need to remind ourselves to not take time for granted. So get out there and enjoy this wonderful place that we call home!
The Chesapeake continues beating it’s drums ( both black and red). Blacks have been located in their normal haunts , around oyster rocks in depths of 12-25 feet. Along with hard bottom a chunk peeler on a 8/0 circle hooks with fish fishfinder style rigs. On these rocky knolls, bull reds have also started to appear and give extra pullage but unfortunately not adding filets to fill the family dinner table. The shallows are improving as far as speckled and striped adversaries. While chunks of crabs have been the main stay for attracting specs, rock and reds, popping corks and surface walking plugs are starting to grab more attention as well as opportunities to grab the net. The start of the transition from bait to artificials has been welcomed, as the bait stealing croakers, spot and kingfish, emaciate crab baits as fast as they can be presented. Along with stalking the shallows, casting for some big blues can get the excitement boiling and drag screaming. These fish have been around some of the man made structures and taking surface plugs and rap-10’s. While you are around these same snaggy structures, put a sweeper jig on, tipped with crab for a striped sheepshead struggle that is as much fun on the rod as it is on the plate.
The seaside has produced some welcome sea bass action as anglers dunk squid strips on inshore wrecks to lure lunker knotheads out of the lares. Farther inshore floundering fishermen fill limits ( on the good days) and have family fun corralling up some of the most coveted fillets a fish could provide. Pink teasers and silversides are still in the lead for productivity. However, clear water is the most crucial component to a delicious dinner. The water has been cleanest during the last of the flood and first of the ebb. Remember, as June 1 approaches the size limit will change to a 17.5 inch minimum.The 4 fish creel remains the same. Summer is almost here!
The surf has given up some beautiful spot-tails and a few rock as well. The sportsman of the sands have been using a combination of hi-lo rigs and modified fishfinder rigs to sneak these big guys from the bar through the suds and onto the sand. Some blues and kingfish also have come to play, however, until the titans of the beach move on , their presence will barely raise a brow.
Today in the store I got opportunity to see a friend of mine sneak away from work and school with is son for a school year flounder finally. After getting there bait and anything else they needed, they were off to make memories that will last longer than those summer nights of chasing fireflies that seemed to never end. As Ethan, Sammy and Belle get older and more immersed in (nearly adult) life we all need to remind ourselves to not take time for granted. So get out there and enjoy this wonderful place that we call home!
