Educate a MD fishin' newbie...

[Ponytail]

Ok. I have fished since I was a kid...fly fished, bass fished, surf fished...but never around here.

I see folks fishin off the docks on base, from the beaches in CRE, ponds and lakes in CRE and elsewhere...

What are they fishin' for? What's to catch around here if ya ain't got a boat? And if ya do got a boat, what's to catch if you don't have trolling equipment? And what do ya catch them on?

 

[SmallTown]

I've seen some guys pull out some pretty big rockfish from the shore at point lookout.

 

[unixpirate]

Croaker from the shore or anchored. Blue fish should be coming in.

 

[Ponytail]

What line weight? gear and bait should be used for croaker? Got any good pics of what they look like? I'm tellin ya...I have the itch bad...I just have no friggin clue what it comes to a fish fry around here.

 

[Vince]

Been catching some big croaker. Rock too, but you can only keep 1 or 2. I like to fish, but I like to eat fish better than catching them. Go up to Allens Fresh and pull in some nice catfish. I haven't been up that way yet this year, but soon.

 

[unixpirate]

Of course the weight size and line depend on what your fishing for.
Bait vary's anywhere from live minnows, blood worms, elwye<sp> to squid.

The Tackle Box in LPC is really good and helpful.


http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/fwhot.html

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishingreport/chesapeake.html

 

[unixpirate]

This might help with rules and places to go

http://www.somd.com/sports/fishing/index.php

 

[rhumbpunch]

Rock Fish (Striped Bass)- either at dawn, or dusk, from piers/beaches.

" Hard Heads" (Croaker)- usually after the sun goes down.

Trout (sea/gray, or speckled)- usually after the sun goes down.

Spot- when they are in, about anytime.

Flounder- Usually at the edge of a channel or hole, during a moving tide. Harder to find off the beach.

Puppy Drum (redfish)- see "Hard Heads".

Blue Fish. Will usually hang out with the rock fish schooling and eating about anything in the water.

As far as rigs/tackle, keep it simple. Twelve to fifteen lb test line. A bottom rig with 1 to 3 oz weights, 2/0- size hooks (2 per rig). Normally I use hooks with the stainless steel leader. If you do run into a blue, he will make quick work of standard mono leaders.

All around bait, peeler or soft crab. Have caught just about everything the bay has to offer with crab. Other great choices:
Blood Worms (expensive right now)
Squid
Shrimp
Cut bait (samller fish cut in strips)

Huge amount of info on the web.

Go wet your hook,
Fish On
RP

 

[SeaRide]

Ponytail,

if you had fished for yellow/white perch or bream/bluegill/sun gill before .. do the same for croaker (aka hardhead)

Use light tackle (light spinning), they can be caught on bloodworms, squid, peeler crabs, minnows, silver sides, live ghost shrimps, fresh mussels, sometimes on clams , anchovies, and jigs .

They are often found in the surf as well as bays, channels, inlets, jetties, and most all inland water areas.

 

[Ponytail]

Originally posted by SeaRide
Ponytail,

if you had fished for yellow/white perch or bream/bluegill/sun gill before .. do the same for croaker (aka hardhead)

Use light tackle (light spinning), they can be caught on bloodworms, squid, peeler crabs, minnows, silver sides, live ghost shrimps, fresh mussels, sometimes on clams , anchovies, and jigs .

They are often found in the surf as well as bays, channels, inlets, jetties, and most all inland water areas.

So when we goin?

 

[huntr1]

Originally posted by Ponytail
So when we goin?

The croaker fishing is really good down by the mouth of the potomac/patuxent right now. Just starting in Benedict. Went last monday and only caught 6. They were biting on earthworms. We would drop the lines over the boat and then float down the tops and bases of the different ridges. They especially like areas with a lot of oyster shells. You working on Friday? If not, depending on what I get done on the barn this week, maybe I can get you out in my boat for a couple hours. We catch them day and night, they don't bite much during slack tide.

 

[dems4me]

Originally posted by Ponytail
So when we goin?

You are more than welcome to go with me and BF out fishing on the water... I generally put in at Mattawoman and fish for largemouth and cats.

 

[Vince]

Heard they were catching some big croaker by the base near one of the creeks. Can't remember the name right now.

 

[Rane]

Hubby, son and I have been fishing in and around the mouth of the Patuxent the past few weekends ( when it's not raining ) ... croaker have been biting pretty good, more so before this cool weather and rain came thru ... they seem to bite especially well at night just after sunset ... outgoing tides seem to be the best time so far ... PT, if you don't want to make your own rig , go to THE TACKLE BOX and buy a few croaker rigs and a box of squid - thats the bait we're having the best luck with ... lots of people have been catching them right off of shore but I still think having a boat is better, you can move around easier and find the best hot spots ... I sure wish the spot would show up already ... they are easy to clean
Sunday afternoon the Bay just past Cedar Point was beautiful especially when the sun finally came out , the croaker were biting pretty good too .

 

[Ponytail]

Thanks everybody!

huntr, I still don't know if I'm working on Friday or not. More than likely, they'll tell us Thursday afternoon.

Dems, I just might have to take you up on that large mouth fishing trip offer. It's been TOO long since I've hooked into one of those.

Rane, I've not yet even stepped foot into the Tackle box. I need too. They keep tempting me with their specials on the sign out front.

I do need to make some time and get back out fishing again. I miss it. It's good therapy.

 

[dems4me]

Originally posted by Ponytail
Thanks everybody!

huntr, I still don't know if I'm working on Friday or not. More than likely, they'll tell us Thursday afternoon.

Dems, I just might have to take you up on that large mouth fishing trip offer. It's been TOO long since I've hooked into one of those.

Rane, I've not yet even stepped foot into the Tackle box. I need too. They keep tempting me with their specials on the sign out front.

I do need to make some time and get back out fishing again. I miss it. It's good therapy.

Check your pms.

 

[SamSpade]

I'm kind of a newbie to fishing, too, since I haven't gone in over ten years, and never in this area. I'm used to just sitting by the edge of a lake and tossing out a line or two with a minnow or worm on it. Never fished down here.

Are there charters that take walk-ons, for fishing? You know, pay a fee and fish with everyone else that showed up that morning?

 

[huntr1]

There are charter/head boats in Solomons. You are looking for a "head boat", some "charter boats" also do head boat runs. On head boats, you pay per person and it's walk-up service, on a charter, you pay for the whole boat and have it to yourself.

 

[Liquidwrench]

God bless the croakers! I can remember as a boy the only ones we caught were little guys. Now I can take my daughter and son to my cousin's pier and catch 16-20 inchers until their arms fall off.

Watch out for the toadfish!