I'm also fairly new to the area and completely new to salt water fishing. I live on the Pawtuxent near Dunkirk. I hear Croaker, Strippers, Large mouth, crappie, perch, and blue gill all live in the river. I think Benedict bridge is about where the water starts getting salty and the species divide. Is this true? Also, if this is true where is a good place to fish for croaker on the river? I have a small boat.
Croaker in the Pawtuxent
- Thread starter Sparx
- Start date
That sounds about right Sparx although we wouldn't be the expert on this by no means since we have only been here a year now , but we've been fishing for croaker the past couple months and have been having a blast ! They really put up a fight ...when you hook one you know you've got a fish ! We've had good luck at Hog Point, Cedar Point and near Point Patience , they seem to bite best in the evenings and at night but we have caught them earlier in the afternoon as well . ( I also posted a few comments in the Fishing, what else thread )
Not sure what " polluted " water you may be referring to ST but thats certainly a good subject to look into ... the lower Patuxent doesn't seem to be bad , the croaker we've caught are very clean , I commented to my husband that they are probably one of the whitest and cleanest looking fish I have seen in awhile . I have heard that there are parts of the river that were really stained from all the rain we had this past spring . Anybody have any info on the pollution in our rivers, lake and Bay ?
Not sure what " polluted " water you may be referring to ST but thats certainly a good subject to look into ... the lower Patuxent doesn't seem to be bad , the croaker we've caught are very clean , I commented to my husband that they are probably one of the whitest and cleanest looking fish I have seen in awhile . I have heard that there are parts of the river that were really stained from all the rain we had this past spring . Anybody have any info on the pollution in our rivers, lake and Bay ?
SmallTown
Football season!
There are ongoing efforts to clean up the bay, potomac, and patuxent. But it is not an easy task considering how much damage has been done, and the ignorant people (individuals and businesses) who still try to mess it up. Being a nature person, I can't stand to see this kind of pollution.
The bay has been the largest focus recently, and the latest figures I saw said that at the current rate, the bay could be off the "pulluted waters" list in the 2020s. Definately not a simple process, lets just hope they continue the work that needs to be done. I know there is a pretty big effort up this way to get the potomac back to "good levels". Whenever I'm out on the potomac, always look around and try to picture how things were when people first starting sailing up it. Must have been an incredible site.
The bay has been the largest focus recently, and the latest figures I saw said that at the current rate, the bay could be off the "pulluted waters" list in the 2020s. Definately not a simple process, lets just hope they continue the work that needs to be done. I know there is a pretty big effort up this way to get the potomac back to "good levels". Whenever I'm out on the potomac, always look around and try to picture how things were when people first starting sailing up it. Must have been an incredible site.
SeaRide
......
Ignore ST .. he knows nothing about Patuxent River period. I have fished the river all my life. I would say the fresh water species like largemouth and such are usually found north of the rt 231 bridge.
The croaker (aka hardhead) are fun to fish for. They are found pretty much at alot of places on the lower Pax River (short for Patuxent R.)
During late winter/early spring, you can launch your small boat at the boat ramp at Hallowing Point ( Benedict bridge/rt 231) , you can cruise north up the river pass the power plant and search for that man-made canal on the port side that will lead you toward the power plant. That's where people go fishing for anything catfish, white perch , yellow perch, and others.
The croaker (aka hardhead) are fun to fish for. They are found pretty much at alot of places on the lower Pax River (short for Patuxent R.)
During late winter/early spring, you can launch your small boat at the boat ramp at Hallowing Point ( Benedict bridge/rt 231) , you can cruise north up the river pass the power plant and search for that man-made canal on the port side that will lead you toward the power plant. That's where people go fishing for anything catfish, white perch , yellow perch, and others.
Having many years in and on the water around here I would say that things are moving in the right direction. Grasses are coming back in areas that lost them due to years of neglect and direct run-off and fishing seems to be getting a little better (though I wish we could get Virginia to quit raping the lower Chesapeake with their netting operations).
Perfect for the taking, as it where.
BullDawg
Duck Molester
I agree w/ Searide. Ignore ST. I've been fishing/crabbing/duck hunting on Pax River before sxy was sexy.
If you launch from Hollowing Point on the Calvert side, just head south for 2 or 3 miles. You will come up on a red buoy marking Sheraton Point. It has a hard bottom and is on an oyser bar. Keep an eye on your sounder and you'll pick up the edge. You can either anchor or drift along the edge. The perfect place for taking a small boat. Bloodworkm and squid seem to be the bait of choice for hardhead.
Today I put in at Solomons, once I hit the mouth of the Pax at the 3 legged buoy, I took a compass reading and headed due east. When we came up on the eastern edge we drifted in about 30-35' and picked up a handful of nice flounder. We were pretty much drifting between 72 and 74 with most of the luck on the 74 end.
Happy Fishin'
If you launch from Hollowing Point on the Calvert side, just head south for 2 or 3 miles. You will come up on a red buoy marking Sheraton Point. It has a hard bottom and is on an oyser bar. Keep an eye on your sounder and you'll pick up the edge. You can either anchor or drift along the edge. The perfect place for taking a small boat. Bloodworkm and squid seem to be the bait of choice for hardhead.
Today I put in at Solomons, once I hit the mouth of the Pax at the 3 legged buoy, I took a compass reading and headed due east. When we came up on the eastern edge we drifted in about 30-35' and picked up a handful of nice flounder. We were pretty much drifting between 72 and 74 with most of the luck on the 74 end.
Happy Fishin'
Penn
Dancing Up A Storm
As a General Rule...
:razz2: ...it's a good idea to ignore ST, as he usually doesn't have a clue!
In the evening, around 7:00ish or so, you can hook up to Croakers(Hardheads) fairly easy on bloodworms and/or squid strips. They do put up a good fight and are mostly very clean, at least the ones I've caught at Pax River, near Goose Creek or at the West Basin.
Certainly, some of them have been large, upwards of 24 to 26 inches - and that's no fish tale!
:razz2: ...it's a good idea to ignore ST, as he usually doesn't have a clue!
In the evening, around 7:00ish or so, you can hook up to Croakers(Hardheads) fairly easy on bloodworms and/or squid strips. They do put up a good fight and are mostly very clean, at least the ones I've caught at Pax River, near Goose Creek or at the West Basin.
Certainly, some of them have been large, upwards of 24 to 26 inches - and that's no fish tale!
We havent ventured into the Potomac yet, saving that for another day ... and still haven't tried for flounder yet ... but we did finally figure out what the three legged buoy is ...lol... have fished near it many times and didnt realize that it was the infamous " three legged " we kept reading about in the fishing reports ... my son has been having great fun catching croaker... but the latest fishing highlight for him happened yesterday evening ... he and I took Jackson ( our fishing dog ) to a pond on base cause hubby had to work late and we were itching to go fishing ... anyways ... he hooked into a 2 lb 8 oz largemouth that for an hour had been trying to steal bluegills we were reeling in ... its been a long time since I heard my son yell with that much excitement !!
SmallTown
Football season!
You people really need to get off your high horses about trying to turn against everything I say. I said nothing about the ability to fish in the waters, only the pollutions problems. I just hope those that do go out on the water do their part to take care of it. Read up on the chesapeak bay watershed and what they are doing to fix it. When you read about some of the numbers, you'll think twice about throwing your empty soda can in the water.
ST,
I hope you noticed that I did not disparage your remarks in the least, untypical I know, but on this one you are right (Did I just say that). More needs to be done to get the bay and tributaries clean and healthy. But it has to be balanced to maintain our industries and accommodate the population growth. It can be done and we will all reap the benefits.
SmallTown
Football season!
Yea Ken, I was going to point out your agreement, but didn't want to make you look bad 
For SeaRide and others who really enjoy being on the water, Here is a good place for starters if you really want to help... http://www.cbf.org/
For SeaRide and others who really enjoy being on the water, Here is a good place for starters if you really want to help... http://www.cbf.org/
SeaRide
......
Originally posted by SmallTown
Yea Ken, I was going to point out your agreement, but didn't want to make you look bad
For SeaRide and others who really enjoy being on the water, Here is a good place for starters if you really want to help... http://www.cbf.org/
I have already done the grass planting with buddies of mine. I 've already help many friends with their own oysters farm. I do what I can around here.
Thanks for that website ST ... great info ... I've always believed we should leave a place cleaner than we found it ... for years we worried my son would pursue a career in waste management 
because he so enjoyed finding litter , picking it up and putting it in the nearest garbage can ... he still gathers it up when we see trash while out fishing, camping, etc ... now if only he would clean his room as well
because he so enjoyed finding litter , picking it up and putting it in the nearest garbage can ... he still gathers it up when we see trash while out fishing, camping, etc ... now if only he would clean his room as well
BullDawg
Duck Molester
One of the best ways that I've found to catch perch on Pax is to slowly move along the edge of the river especially along a grass shoreline and to cast small spinner baits to the grass edge using light tackle with about 6 pound test. A trolling motor works best, but I’ve also done it in my jon boat by just bumping the motor in an out of gear to keep me in position. You can experiment with different colors of plastic worms for your spinners baits, but I’ve always been partial to pumpkinseed.
SmallTown
Football season!
Did I accuse anyone on here? I think not.
But sportman and fun seekers both contribute to the problems. But if you read that site I posted, you'll see it goes way beyond that.
SeaRide. Glad to hear people are taking action!
There are pictures from the latest patuxent cleanup. Amazing that people think the river is a good place to store their cars and old tires
Penn
Dancing Up A Storm
The point being..
Yes, we, for the most part are sensitive to the condition of the Chesapeake, and adjacent rivers.
I keep everything I brought with me to either bring it back home with me or put it in a trash container before leaving. If we all don't practice sensible conservation and basic cleanliness around our waters, we aren't going to have them to fish in.
The accusation isn't the point here; your weird sense of humor is.
And then you wonder why people supposedly "turn against everything I say" around, and hackles get aroused? Take a hint.
...was that Sparx is new to the area, wanted some information on local fishing, and you couldn't wait - you couldn't hold back for a return post or two - before injecting your warped sense of humor into the mix.
Yes, we, for the most part are sensitive to the condition of the Chesapeake, and adjacent rivers.
I keep everything I brought with me to either bring it back home with me or put it in a trash container before leaving. If we all don't practice sensible conservation and basic cleanliness around our waters, we aren't going to have them to fish in.
The accusation isn't the point here; your weird sense of humor is.
And then you wonder why people supposedly "turn against everything I say" around, and hackles get aroused? Take a hint.