Decent Wed. Morning But.........
 

Headed out of the W river this morning around 7:15, headed S. Stopped for a few dinks near Poplar Il. and then kept going. All jigging today. We put several nice fish in the box up to 30" in short order and caught some more after we arrived to some feeding fish. Could have kept a limit but held out and like usual that was the wrong move or maybe the right one:confused::D. We had to fight many, trollers both charters and hook and line guys and could only stand it for so long! We threw back a few low 20" fish before we decided to high tail it back N.
Now for the but part, we rode back up the eastern side through the back side of Poplar down past the snooze in the EB up the eastern shore almost to Matapeake and then over to Tollies and back down to Thomas Point and the W. river and only saw dinks and small terns working (except for 1 keeper in the EB and 1 at TP) so in all that traveling we only saw one slug of quality fish and they were getting HAMMERED!. Hopefully that is not a sign of the rest of the fall season, we shall see:rolleyes: I don't want to be too pesamistic but there were many more pods of quality fish around last year at this time!

I am crossing my fingers as well....I am seeing many more fish on the bottom this fall then the top...Last year birds and bait ruled the bridge north for me....This year not even close....Even the smaller ones seem to be hanging lower....

JohnnyO - I was at 86 - BP - TPL - Tollys and saw the same thing you did. Tons and tons of bait, but very few fish were marked. My records for this week last year was full tilt pullage. Water temps are equal with last year as well. Doesn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling about this fall. Go south my friends.

The quality resident fish are just starting to come out of the rivers and creeks, where they have been all summer.

Reds - I sure hope you are right. There is so much food just waiting. I have heard that there are lots and lots of big fish still up off of Long Island & NJ and they are having one of the best (longest) fall seasons they have ever had. I guess so long as the bait doesn't 'exit stage south' we will have a chance.

Did my daily walk around Solomons Island (mouth of the Pax.), this evening and as per usual checked out what the charter boys are pulling on their boats... The two boats that still had rigs exposed (where I could see them), were dragging the big stuff (9" shads on tandems and umbrellas). Both boats had their boards out. Last week they were all still working smaller lures for resident fish. Heard two 40ish" fish caught last Friday and I believe the winning fish in the "Monster Rockfish Tournament" Halloween weekend was 48 1/2". A buddy mates out of Schibel's (sp), and fishes the mouth of the Potomac and main bay in that area. He says they are still chumming resident fish and have not seen any big ocean run "sea lice" fish as of yet. Looks like they are starting to show up, but still in a transition phase. Will post first hand experience next time I get out. ....

The bait won't leave while the water is still warm. 57 degrees right now at Thomas Point. That's warm for this time of year.

Another thing I've noticed is the fish are spooky. If your trolling pull most of your lines off boards.

3 to 6 pm
 

Hi J,

I had a nice bite for 3 hrs just about where I last saw you about a month ago.
22-27 in fish. good for me. just 1 other boat.:) best day i have had this yr.

Warmest summer on record for Maryland...I wouldn't expect anything to happen too early this fall/winter. The cold this weekend should help.

Water temp?
 

As i said i am hopeful but if i would have made the same trip last year (close to 60 miles) I would have seen many slugs of quality fish. I agree the water is still warm and hope that is the key,time will tell. We still caught around 40 or more fish all together and had a nice limit had we chose to do so.
Last year we had 2 weeks of fish right outside the W in 15 feet of water, hoping for the same, i could do without having to go 10-20 miles S:eek::p

JohnnyO

P.S. Ron - glad to hear it, i went there as well and only dinks with 1 lucky 20"er mixed in!