Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Reports

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 21 Update: 

Red drum are beginning their summer spawning run, with trophy fish showing around sloughs and shoals from Onancock to Cape Charles. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are also providing excellent action along the main stem from the Target Ship toward Tangier Island, with surface-feeding schools offering exciting light-tackle opportunities. While the shallow-water speckled trout and puppy drum bite remains disappointing, bottom fishing continues to produce plenty of keeper croaker.

Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that the summer spawn for red drum has started, and the fish are being caught near the sloughs and shoals from Onancock down to Cape Charles. A fresh chunk of spot, croaker, or peeler crab on a fish finder rig at depths of 20 to 30 feet will set you up for a good chance at a trophy-sized red. While soaking baits, there's a good chance to catch some sharks, rays, and other bottom dwellers as well. In the shallows, the action has been limited. Striped bass season is still closed in Maryland waters, and Virginia is catch and release only. We still don't have any new reports of keeper speckled trout of slot puppy drum showing up either. Bottom fishing has been a standout in this region with plenty of keeper croaker in the 10” to 12” range being caught along with oyster toadfish, pufferfish, spot, kingfish, and several others. Anglers casting out bloodworms or Fishbites from shore have caught some small speckled trout and puppy drum, and by small we mean 10” and smaller. We did see that there was an incredible catch reported this week by Matt at Sea Hawk Sports Center. While out targeting red drum, they unexpectedly hooked into a tarpon. The fish gave their gear a run for its money and showcased some aerial antics, but it was eventually subdued. They were able to boat the fish, remove the hook, and watch it swim off. A trophy-sized tarpon in the Chesapeake Bay is truly a once in a lifetime catch.

We are still getting reports of a great spanish mackerel run along the main stem of the Bay. The hot zone in this region has been from the Target Ship down to Tangier Island Lighthouse. Most of the action is on the west side of Smith and Tangier Island at depths of 20’ to 40’, but it is possible to run across some of these fish inside the Tangier or Pocomoke Sound. Trolling is very effective when searching for these fish, and most boats are pulling number one or two planers with drone or clark spoons attached. There is also a nice class of bluefish in the area, and we have seen schools of mackerel and bluefish running closely together. Some days, the birds give away their location as the fish chase down glass minnows near the surface of the water. This is when casting to them with light tackle gear gets really fun. You can usually spot mackerel jumping out of the water chasing bait, so keep an eye on the horizon when searching for fish. When casting at the bluefish and mackerel, one ounce rain minnows and metal spoons work well both by casting and reeling in as fast as you can, or by dropping to bottom and vertically jigging. If you hook up on a bluefish, there are usually followers, so have your other anglers ready to pitch to the fish as it comes to the boat. Most of the bluefish are in the two-to-six-pound range (but some chopper blues are around too), and the mackerel are mostly between 18” and 23”.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 14 Update: 

The shallow-water bite around Tangier remains relatively slow, with speckled trout numbers well below what anglers typically expect during summer. Black drum and sheepshead are providing action around reef and wreck structure, while occasional bull reds are showing up and should become a much bigger opportunity when they return to the Eastern Shore shallows in September and October. The biggest bright spot is the strong arrival of Spanish mackerel alongside the region's abundant bluefish, creating excellent trolling and casting opportunities through the end of summer.

The shallows of the Tangier region are not offering many opportunities right now, with striped bass season closed in Maryland waters and Virginia waters only offering catch and release fishing. Despite our wishes, no numbers of speckled trout have arrived in the region either. There have been some caught here and there scattered around the shallows of the Eastern Shore, but nowhere near the numbers we are used to during a normal summer migration. There is still the chance for some specks and puppy drum to show up, but the chances grow smaller with each passing week as water temperatures will start to cool off in October and send our migratory fish back south.

We have reports that there are still some black drum hanging around reef and wreck structures in the Pocomoke Sound. Boats dropping chunks of peeler crab are enticing some eater-sized fish into the net. Bait fishing this time of year tends to lead to plenty of bycatch as well, with skates, rays, sharks, oyster toadfish, and many other bottom dwellers more than willing to hit a piece of crab or fresh cut bait. Some sheepshead are also around these structures, so bringing along fiddler crabs or chunks of hard crab to drop on bottom sweeper jigs is also a good idea. Bull reds have made an occasional appearance to anglers bait fishing, but in a few weeks, the bulls will return to the shallows of the Eastern Shore and offer great opportunities in September and October.

A highlight this month has been the arrival of good numbers of Spanish mackerel to accompany the bluefish. The blues have been around for most of the summer with anglers encountering them in the vicinity of the Target Ship, the lumps west of Smith and Tangier Island, and on wrecks scattered throughout the Tangier and Pocomoke sounds. Mackerel are following schools of bay anchovies on the main stem of the Bay at depths of 15 to 40 feet of water. Channel ledges with flats nearby tend to be good areas to search for both the blues and macks. On calm wind days, the blues and mackerel have been coming up and blitzing periodically, so keep an eye out for bird action or splashing water. A pair of binoculars come in handy this time of year. Light tackle anglers are casting bite-proof soft plastics for the bluefish and a mix of Gotcha plugs and metal jigs when mackerel are present with the bluefish. Trollers are finding success pulling Drone and Clark spoons behind number one and two planers at speeds of five to seven knots. The faster trolling speeds tend to lead to a better hookup ration on mackerel when they are mixed in with the blues. The bluefish and mackerel should stick around well into September as long as the weather stays warm.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 7 Update: 

Bluefish remain one of the most reliable targets around Tangier, while increasing numbers of Spanish mackerel are adding to the trolling action around shoals, lumps, and channel ledges. Cobia fishing has been slow and many of the fish being caught are undersized, but red drum, black drum, perch, spot, and croaker are providing plenty of alternatives. Bottom fishing has been particularly productive around the mouths of the region's tidal rivers.

Cobia fishing has been on the slow side, but we should hopefully see a push of fish in the next few weeks. With a little over a month left in the season, anglers are hoping to box a few before the season closes. This week, most of the reports showed that most fish were just below the minimum size limit. Most fish are being caught around lumps and shoals from the Tangier Sound south along the Eastern Shore. Chummers and boats live lining eels are picking up some fish, but there are pesky rays and sharks around that you may have to weed through. Trollers are also starting to get in on the action as cobia have been willing to hit large surgical eel lures. This method of targeting them usually gets more productive the later in the season we get. Bluefish have been one of the more reliable fish to target as they are abundant around the wreck and reef sites in the sounds. Casting jerkbaits and paddletails in these areas is producing bluefish in the 18” to 25” range. Trollers are also doing very well along channel ledges near shoals and lumps. Increasing numbers of Spanish mackerel are also showing up, and there have been some reports of them being caught on the south side of the Target Ship.

Red drum and black drum are being caught around oyster bottom and some reef sites in the Tangier Sound and the Pocomoke Sound. Chunks of peeler crab hooked on fish finder rigs is doing the trick. The bulk of the bull red drum are schooled up, roaming around the open waters of the main stem of the Bay, but in September, some will start to move back into the shallows of the lower Eastern Shore. This will be a reliable late summer and early fall bite that usually lasts through October. Sea Hawk Sports Center reported that the perch fishing has been good in a few of the tidal creeks. Some of their crew recently took a trip and found plenty willing to bite. Slow trolling crappie jigs tipped with bits of peeler crab was all it took to put several of the Bays tastiest fish into the cooler. The mouths of the tidal rivers in this region have also offered up some excellent bottom fishing opportunities. The Nanticoke, Manokin, Wicomico, and Pocomoke are holding croaker, spot, white perch, and even some blue catfish. Anglers should remember that rockfish season is closed in all Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The no target closure will be in effect until the end of the month. In Virginia waters, the rockfish season is closed, but you can still target them for catch and release.