Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 30, 2019 Update:
The Tangier and Pocomoke have been sporting growing populations of speckled trout recently, caught along grassy edges and in the creeks, stump fields, and island points where rips form. Mostly smaller specks have been taking spinners and small spinnerbaits, and along the edges tossing four- and five-inch soft plastics in white and pink has also been doing well. Anglers working these areas are also reporting a rare puppy drum here and there. Stripers are in the Sounds as well, and in better numbers, however most have been undersized. Tossing white and chartreuse BKD or Gulp! lures has been a sure way to land them. A few flounder are still in the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds along the drop-offs and edges, but the bite has been hit or miss. Jigging Gulp! lures on bucktails or jig heads right on bottom has been a great way to go after them, as has drifting squid chunks. Most of the flounder are undersized and doormats have been a rare, but not unheard-of, catch. A bit more exciting, we had a couple more reports this week of cobia popping up again. As has been the case in much of the Lower Bay there are more throw-backs than keepers, but some nice fish have been taken by sight-casters when conditions have allowed.
In open waters, watch for diving birds to get in on fast action – small stripers, blues, and the occasional Spanish mackerel have been in their midst. Anglers targeting the macks in specific have mostly been running out to the Middle Grounds or to south of the Targets. As usual, small gold and silver spoons behind planers has been the most effective method.
Crabbing report: It’s game on, in this neck of the woods. Stretch the trot-line out and be prepared to scoop non-stop until the basket’s full.
Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 23, 2019 Update:
Good news, people: the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds have been providing great fishing this week for anglers hoping to bring home flounder dinner. Sea Hawk Sports center let us know that bouncing six-inch white, chartreuse, and pink BKD or Gulp! lures off bottom has been the ticket for many, while others are opting to drop and drift squid strips. Both methods are working well. Flounder have been scattered throughout the Sounds, and pinning down a specific area to target them in has been difficult. Most guys are just testing the waters until they get their catch, sticking close to channel edges. Drifting up and down sharp edges and points ranging from 10’ to 25’ has been doing the trick.
Many area anglers are also running out into Lower Bay waters, to join in the mackerel mayhem that continues and/or to search for cobia or red drum. Both bites have been so-so, but anglers focusing on these fish are usually managing to bend a rod or two.
Both of the Sounds are also still a good place to stock up on spot. They’re on hard bottoms with eight to 15 feet of water, and eager to take bloodworms on a bottom rig. Many anglers are finding croaker in the mix as well, though most are smalls. And along the shorelines, specked trout have also become a bit more active. Though this still isn’t what we’d call a “hot” bite, the improvement over the past couple of weeks leads us to believe that there’s some hope for a decent fall run in the shallows this year. An occasional puppy is mixed in, plus small stripers.
Crabbing report: crabs are ON in this zone.
Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 16, 2019 Update:
Sea Hawk informed us that fishing the Sound has produced a solid number of fish and although it’s “nothing outstanding,” there’s a lot more opportunity for a nice mix of species. Parkers Island has held fish in the past week with some speckled trout, along with rockfish. Sea Hawk said their best bait was a Bass Assassin, specifically salt and pepper colored. They said popping corks were working well, too. We also heard several reports that a few red drum have made their way into the Tangier and people are catching them on occasion. And throughout the Sounds, bait fishermen are finding that spot are paving the bottom (including some eating-sized fish), there are a few small croaker in the mix, and flounder are popping up in better and better numbers.
A bit farther south along the Shore, the mackerel invasion has continued to spread. Trolling small spoons is the ticket, and particularly over the Nandau-Pungoteague reef anglers have caught lots of Spanish mackerel this week. Anglers fishing the southern Shore marshes and shallow waters have also had a more consistent bite in recent days, with more and more specks getting into the rockfish mix. White plastics in the four to five inch range on half-ounce jig heads have been top offerings.
Crabbing report: This zone's got the crabs. Stretch out your trot line, and start scooping.
Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 9, 2019 Update:
Action in the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds has been dominated by anglers loading up on spot. The Sounds are holding a healthy number of large spot, which are highly accessible to anyone with a bottom rig and some bloodworms. As per usual, they’re on a hard bottom with six to 15 feet of water. Sea Hawk Sports Center let us know that plenty of perch and croaker are mixed in with the spot, as well. They also suggested that anglers craving a taste of flounder should head out fully loaded up with pink, chartreuse, or white GULP! or BKD lures. A few are being caught here and there recently on edges between 10 and 20 feet, and if you’re going to the area it’s worth trying for some flatfish. There were also a handful of specks reported from the shallows on soft plastics. Nothing to get excited about and not enough to count on hot action, but if you find yourself near a historic speck spot it's worth a few casts.
Spanish mackerel were caught on the outskirts of both Sounds this week, however, the report wasn’t stellar. The mackerel what were caught had been landed by anglers trolling spoons near edges. Most area anglers, however, are heading out into the main-stem Bay if they want to target the mackerel.
Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Report, August 2, 2019 Update:
Anglers fishing bottom in the Tangier, Pocomoke, and the rest of the Lower Shore are enjoying a killer spot bite with a few croaker mixed in. They’re abundant throughout areas with a hard bottom, and can easily be located by fishfinder or trial and error in eight to 15 feet of water. Most anglers are sticking to targeting them with a bottom rig and bloodworms, and will have some white perch in the mix as well. Although some are sticking to live-lining for stripers in the Tangier, many anglers have opted for catching their spot and then heading west to Point Lookout where rockfish are more consistently biting. Trollers have been targeting Spanish mackerel, which have been found in the Sound but are in greater numbers out at the Middle Grounds, where many area anglers are heading. Trolling silver or gold Clarke spoons behind number-one planers has been the ticket to landing them, and nabbing a bluefish or 20 has been very common, too.
What about the shallows? We heard nothing from the shallows of the Sounds this week – it’s awful hot out there. A cool-down could change that at any time, though, and we’d be surprised if daybreak and dusk efforts couldn’t produce a speck or two here and there.
Crabbing Report: Plenty of crabs! Crabs are abundant throughout the Sounds, and can easily be caught with a trotline and fresh chicken necks. Some crabbers are opting for razor clams.