Cover Image: Scott Barmby and Mike Roberts show off a 35″ and 31″ Rockfish that they caught fishing with LJ of G-Eye Jigs out of Chesapeake Beach! 3/16 oz G-Eye Jigs Jigheads paid with Z-Man 5″ Diezel Minnowz were the ticket!
Rockfish: The rockfish bite is very good right now, primarily south of the Bay Bridge. Fish are mostly suspended, so jigging with lighter jig heads like the 3/16 oz G-Eye Jigs mentioned above will be the ticket. We are also hearing that a slower presentation, especially with paddle tail plastics, is working well. Mayworms will start to show up any day now, so keeping your jigs off the bottom (stick to 1 oz jigs or less) is key, and you’ll want to fish in about 25-40 feet of water. Colors to use this time of year are pink, chatreuse and churple, and adding scent to your baits using pro-cure will really help to pull those fish away from the mayworms and to intice a bite. From shore fishing spots, soft crabs are the way to go!
White Perch: White Perch are starting to come out of the creeks and into the main parts of the river. Spinners such as perch pounders or small 3-4 inch paddletails in shallow water in the main parts of the rivers will start to be very effective! Bloodworms will work well too!
Black Drum: Black drum aren’t reportedly in the area yet, but they should start to show up any day. Check out anywhere from the Stone Rock south, and look for big marks on your fish finder. Soft crab will be the best bet for these guys too!
Speckled Trout and Redfish: Both of these fish have already started to show up in shallow water on the lower part of Maryland’s Eastern Shore! Target the area below the mouth of the Choptank for speckled trout, and you might find a surprise redfish mixed in! Three to five inch paddletails on 1/4 or 3/16 oz jig heads will work well, as will soft crab!
Snakehead: This warm weather is great for Snakehead! They’re starting to hit on topwater frogs, and chatterbaits or live minnows are still working well! Check out the Blackwater area or Western Shore rivers such as the Bush River and the Susquhanna Flats!